Detecting exhaust gas in the cabin. Carbon monoxide?

[FireFox31]

How would you quantitatively measure exhaust gas in the passenger cabin?

I suspect this is a problem for Geronimo, my 394k mile 2000 V70. When I drive with the windows up for 30-60 mins, I get a headache. There are two minuscule gaps between the engine block and the exhaust manifold which must be letting exhaust into the engine bay, so I assume the cabin air system is pulling that exhaust inside. I suspect the exhaust manifold gaskets have withered away so plan to replace them.

But I'd like to know quantitatively how much noxious gas is getting into the cabin before and after I replace the gaskets. Is there a meter which could measure this? Which gasses would I be testing for? I can only assume carbon monoxide. Thanks.

[volvolugnut]

There are home CO alarms, but I think you are wanting a meter to measure the level. There are industrial CO meters, but they may be expensive.
If you get a headache, I think you are getting to much CO.
volvolugnut

[abscate]

permitted exposures of CO are low - in the range of 50 ppm.

A bit, is too much.

[454cid]

I can't really help with a meter, but I have a couple ideas about the source.

First, when my car was running super rich trying to compensate for a false lean reading from the O2 sensor I was getting a lot of exhaust smell in my car. Replacing the bad sensor fixed it, or most of it.

Second, I know that my SAS system is faulty, and I believe I'm getting some smell from that. The other day, when I had the car running, and the SAS fresh air supply hose disconnected from the filter box, I was getting smelly air out of the hose.

[scot850]

2000 MY cars don't have SAS. I'd be looking at the downpipe flexi and the exhaust to head gaskets for failure.

Neil.

[abscate]

I can't really help with a meter, but I have a couple ideas about the source.

First, when my car was running super rich trying to compensate for a false lean reading from the O2 sensor I was getting a lot of exhaust smell in my car. Replacing the bad sensor fixed it, or most of it.

Second, I know that my SAS system is faulty, and I believe I'm getting some smell from that. The other day, when I had the car running, and the SAS fresh air supply hose disconnected from the filter box, I was getting smelly air out of the hose.

I wonder if that’s a good diagnostic for the failed solenoid problem. That will eventually kill your SAS pump near the battery, filling it with combustion water , so explore that

[454cid]

I can't really help with a meter, but I have a couple ideas about the source.

First, when my car was running super rich trying to compensate for a false lean reading from the O2 sensor I was getting a lot of exhaust smell in my car. Replacing the bad sensor fixed it, or most of it.

Second, I know that my SAS system is faulty, and I believe I'm getting some smell from that. The other day, when I had the car running, and the SAS fresh air supply hose disconnected from the filter box, I was getting smelly air out of the hose.

I wonder if that’s a good diagnostic for the failed solenoid problem. That will eventually kill your SAS pump near the battery, filling it with combustion water , so explore that

Oh its dead. I have most of the parts already to fix it. Hopefully that'll be happening this week. Just the other day, I found some electrical stuff hanging in the front, and I have no idea how that happened.

[bronco]

V70's are not much more aerodynamic than broncos. Big low pressure air zone behind the car , exhaust outlet in the same location .
Any rot at the bottom of the tailgate or rear floor near that area can bring exhaust in.

Fun fact on broncos opening the rear window makes it come in even worse even with the side windows open there is still net positive airflow in the tailgate window.

I used to run with the top off with no issues but if I put it on and the tailgate was not back on I could smell exhaust on the highway even with a 5 foot square hole at the back. Top off tailgate on you could smell it at times but it wouldn't build up.

If you put these straight up and down bricklike cars in a wind tunnel you see big suction area at the back. Exhaust exiting into this deadzone curls up and into the car from any openings then gets trapped in the enclosed back area

The carbon monoxide buzz you get is worse than the headache glue sniffers enjoy , I was told this by a known idiot who partook in that hobby

[volvolugnut]

Short trips I have made with my V70 with hatch open were smelly. I kept the windows open and fan on.
volvolugnut

[abscate]

I was saved by sniffing two part epoxy. It sealed my nostrils shut and limited my exposure