The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop How to destinkify a stovebolt?

I have a 1941 Chevy with a rebuilt 216 that I never drive because it stinks, like nearly all old cars. I’m sure I’m more susceptible to the fumes than most people. Therefore, I’d like to destinkify it. I’ve thought of a few options and would appreciate feedback on the likelihood of success of each option:

1. Install PCV, TBI fuel injection, and a catalytic converter on the 216, using a 4 barrel style intake. Thoughts on whether typical aftermarket EFI systems work well enough to keep a cat alive and working efficiently?
2. Rebuild the 261 I have sitting in my garage with as much compression as practicable and put in a propane carburetor and install a propane tank under bed. This would be more cost/work but would be lower tech so maybe more likely to work?
3. Buy a trailblazer and swap the vortec 4200 and auto transmission over, change to open driveline. A ton of work but should result in a totally modern drivetrain.

You can put a Holly Sniper on the engine but I wouldn't use a catalytic converter. You can convert the 216 to propane so no need to worry about the 261.

Personally, the smells of old cars - uncatalyzed exhaust, gasoline, and hot oil - are one of the things I like best about them.

Don't know what smell you are talking about but you are suggesting some weird remedies. Assume you mean exhaust: The fix for that is fix the exhaust. Pipes, connections, rust outs, gaskets, tailpipe location, manifiold leaks. Then seal the firewall. Seal air vents, heater vents.

Motor may have excessive blowby. That would be a separate issue.

Or you may be taking about gas fumes. Leaking carb, lines, gas tank or cap vent issue, etc.

Also, some of us like a little bit of those smells.

You must identify what you smell and where it's coming from to get meaningful help. None of which will be too close to your suggestions. Many folks here have probably had these issues with Pre AD, AD and beyond.

My 216 used to stink enough that my wife could smell it on me (clothes, hair, facial hair) if had driven the truck earlier in the day. When I swapped from the Rochester B to a Carter YF and got the YF set up with the proper needle & seat valve, it stopped smelling bad and I don't smell like fuel-rich exhaust like I used to.

The fumes are unburned hydrocarbons. The easiset solution is to make sure your engine is in good condition and tuned up properly. Bad rings, valve stem seals, etc will leak oil into the cylinder where it will burn and smell.

Tuning it to run rich will give you more power (up to a point), but also result in unburned fuel and fumes.

Mis-adjusted timing will also result in unburned fuel and contribute to the smell.

If you have not given the truck a good tune-up and adjustment, I would recommend starting there. Some kind of a fuel injection system will help if tuned close to stochiometric (14.7:1), but the overall condition of the engine will have a larger impact.

I would disagree with Otto on the catalytic converter. Trying to run one with your old carb is highly unlikely to work long term. Putting one on with a fuel injection system that is more consistent in its fueling should be fine. Modern cats don't cause the performance hit that they did 40+ years ago.

I personally like the aftermarket fuel injection systems (and you will get mixed opinions around here), but they are not a panacea for all that ails your drivetrain.

I will warn you that propane conversions are a strict No around here. You just don't want to go there.

As far as a body swap, that is a lot of effort but you gain modern drivetrain and suspension. Depending on your long term goals and what you are willing to invest, it can give you a really nice rig. But again, it is a lot of time and money if your real goal is to just reduce fumes.

Convert it to electric?

NAH! Convert it to diesel and use fryer oil, then it'll smell like french fries.

Best plan! I vote for this.

I know what you are talking about. There is a unique interior smell to cars from the 60's and 70's. That said, if the smell of oil and exhaust is getting to you the propane idea gets rid of the gas smell. I made a long extension to my draft tube on my cummins and into a peanut butter container. No more oil fumes into the cab. This might work for you as well.

Smooth or crunchy?

If I remember correctly, crunchy. I empty it every fall.

Friends don’t let friends do electric conversions.

How bad must the op truck smell that he doesn’t drive it? He did say it smells “like almost all old cars” …. Most of us like the old car smell , that’s part of the experience.
Answers to questions asked by Bartamos are needed. If the exhaust or fuel smell is abnormally bad then something needs to be fixed. On the other hand, if the truck does smell normal for it’s vintage and type , maybe it’s a matter of incompatibility.

EBS -- while it may be too late for you, it might not be too late for others who may want to address the reasons (fixable!) why their B-series Rochester carb runs rich. A new Tech Tip is about to be unveiled in the engine forum, authored by our own JonG! Stay tuned!