Fuel and other fumes - garage
Discussion
I thought this forum would be best place to post this question as I'm sure there are other classic car owners who have (or have had) the same issue.
both my cars which are kept in the garage have carbs. Despite leaving the garage door open for quite a period of time after putting the cars away, I still have an issue with fumes going through the ceiling and unfortunately into my son's bedroom which is above the garage.
The cars are left outside after use for a while with bonnets open to cool down and let any fuel evaporation take place but unfortunately I have to reverse them into the garage which of course means a bit more fuel and of course exhaust fumes. On hot days, even if cars have been unused for several days, there can be some smell getting upstairs.
I'm thinking of installing some extractor fans in there which might have to run for quite a while and because the cars on a 4-post lift, extractor ducting might have to go on ceiling for top car and on flexible hosing to bottom one.
Thoughts, ideas, solutions gratefully received
both my cars which are kept in the garage have carbs. Despite leaving the garage door open for quite a period of time after putting the cars away, I still have an issue with fumes going through the ceiling and unfortunately into my son's bedroom which is above the garage.
The cars are left outside after use for a while with bonnets open to cool down and let any fuel evaporation take place but unfortunately I have to reverse them into the garage which of course means a bit more fuel and of course exhaust fumes. On hot days, even if cars have been unused for several days, there can be some smell getting upstairs.
I'm thinking of installing some extractor fans in there which might have to run for quite a while and because the cars on a 4-post lift, extractor ducting might have to go on ceiling for top car and on flexible hosing to bottom one.
Thoughts, ideas, solutions gratefully received
Don't reverse them in would be first option....drive them in, reverse them out.
I was always told decades ago, never to reverse a car into a garage because of the exhaust fumes.
I'd also be wondering about the build of the property that is allowing fumes up into a bedroom above a garage?
I was always told decades ago, never to reverse a car into a garage because of the exhaust fumes.
I'd also be wondering about the build of the property that is allowing fumes up into a bedroom above a garage?
My parents house had a bedroom above the garage, I never remember having a smell of petrol in there. It's not an unusual design in a house, I think there are supposed to be all sorts of barriers between the garage at the occupied bit the house.
The first car my Dad after I was born was a 1958 Humber Hawk, I remember that smelling of petrol, but never in the house.
As Aeropilot says, you don't want to be revering them in.
The first car my Dad after I was born was a 1958 Humber Hawk, I remember that smelling of petrol, but never in the house.
As Aeropilot says, you don't want to be revering them in.
Hi both
Thanks for the replies.
Both made points about reversing them in - if I didn’t need to, I obviously wouldn’t! I can’t get out of the car if I put them in forwards. The garage has space one side of the car but not the other. When I only had one car in there I could climb out of one after pushing it in but with the other car above, I can’t do that.
Regarding the build, the house was built in 1924 with the room above added some point after that. I doubt vapour barriers were a thing then! However, I prob could look at current regs and see what they insist on and see if there’s something I can retro fit
Thanks for the replies.
Both made points about reversing them in - if I didn’t need to, I obviously wouldn’t! I can’t get out of the car if I put them in forwards. The garage has space one side of the car but not the other. When I only had one car in there I could climb out of one after pushing it in but with the other car above, I can’t do that.
Regarding the build, the house was built in 1924 with the room above added some point after that. I doubt vapour barriers were a thing then! However, I prob could look at current regs and see what they insist on and see if there’s something I can retro fit
cirks said:
Hi both
Thanks for the replies.
Both made points about reversing them in - if I didn’t need to, I obviously wouldn’t! I can’t get out of the car if I put them in forwards. The garage has space one side of the car but not the other. When I only had one car in there I could climb out of one after pushing it in but with the other car above, I can’t do that.
Regarding the build, the house was built in 1924 with the room above added some point after that. I doubt vapour barriers were a thing then! However, I prob could look at current regs and see what they insist on and see if there’s something I can retro fit
There's nothing in current regs about fumes. The only requirement is 30mins (from memory) fire rated ceiling between the two. But a 30mins fire rated ceiling by default, becomes an effectively sealed zone to any fumes.Thanks for the replies.
Both made points about reversing them in - if I didn’t need to, I obviously wouldn’t! I can’t get out of the car if I put them in forwards. The garage has space one side of the car but not the other. When I only had one car in there I could climb out of one after pushing it in but with the other car above, I can’t do that.
Regarding the build, the house was built in 1924 with the room above added some point after that. I doubt vapour barriers were a thing then! However, I prob could look at current regs and see what they insist on and see if there’s something I can retro fit
So, it depends on how much later the room above was added regarding the fire regs at that time.
It must have quite a lot of 'loft' space to be able to get a lift in to keep a 2nd car above though...?
georgeyboy12345 said:
Can you not kill the engine on the driveway, wait an hour, then push/roll them in with the engine off? Might not be possible if there are any slopes or one is going onto a ramp
Pretty much what I used to do when just the one car in there. Arguably I can still just about do it with one of the which is easier to push (flat back and can lift slightly under number plate area) but more difficult now with rain/flood strip under garage door to get over. The bigger issue then becomes getting the car back out again as can't push and can't get into it for same reasons as can't get out of it if driving it in!The one on the lift above it would be nigh on impossible to push in. More fragile and would have to push up the ramps onto the lift.
sortedcossie said:
small, low use floor or wall mounted 240v winches aren't that expensive - worth a look if the fumes are really that bad.
Thanks. That might be option I can look at (if I can work out a sensible towing point on one of them!)Anyone with thoughts on the extraction options and/or retrofit vapour barriers would be appreciated too
cirks said:
Anyone with thoughts on the extraction options and/or retrofit vapour barriers would be appreciated too
Forget vapour barriers, you need to find out the date the conversion was done, and whether or not the 30min fire barrier is in place..........I suspect not if fumes are getting up into the room.That should be your priority if that is the case, not just as protection from fumes, but the rather obvious other safety reason.
aeropilot said:
the date the conversion was done, and whether or not the 30min fire barrier is in place
The conversion was done, based on what we can see from aerial photos of the area after 1927 but before 1949 so a minimum probably of 75 years ago so highly unliklely 30min fire barrier there!cirks said:
aeropilot said:
the date the conversion was done, and whether or not the 30min fire barrier is in place
The conversion was done, based on what we can see from aerial photos of the area after 1927 but before 1949 so a minimum probably of 75 years ago so highly unliklely 30min fire barrier there!From a safety point of view anyway, you really want that 30 mins fire rated ceiling/barrier between garage and habitable space above, and that by default should cure your fume issue as well.
aeropilot said:
There's your issue then right there.
From a safety point of view anyway, you really want that 30 mins fire rated ceiling/barrier between garage and habitable space above, and that by default should cure your fume issue as well.
Although I may need to look back and see what the builders did when they skimmed the ceiling of the garage when some internal works were done approx 13 years agoFrom a safety point of view anyway, you really want that 30 mins fire rated ceiling/barrier between garage and habitable space above, and that by default should cure your fume issue as well.
cirks said:
aeropilot said:
There's your issue then right there.
From a safety point of view anyway, you really want that 30 mins fire rated ceiling/barrier between garage and habitable space above, and that by default should cure your fume issue as well.
Although I may need to look back and see what the builders did when they skimmed the ceiling of the garage when some internal works were done approx 13 years agoFrom a safety point of view anyway, you really want that 30 mins fire rated ceiling/barrier between garage and habitable space above, and that by default should cure your fume issue as well.
Fit a tap to the float bowls to drain the fuel.The Aston has three float bowls interconnected at both feeds and outlets,so all three drain from one tap .Your problem is petrol in the carb float bowls evaporating.
Alternatively,if you have an electric pump,turn the pump/ pumps off and run the engine till it runs out of fuel.you may need to get an accessory switch fitted if your ignition key turns everything off and on as one.
Also,if you can drive in,so exhaust goes outside while "you run her dry".
Edited by astonman on Tuesday 6th July 17:31
Edited by astonman on Tuesday 6th July 17:35
Edited by astonman on Tuesday 6th July 17:37
cirks,
if fumes are present days after running the car, then it's not from the engine.
Modern fuels can percolate through the hose wall, without an actual leak, and their fumes become unpleasantly prominent.
Hose to R9 spec should prevent this, plus using metal pipe where movement is not required.
John
if fumes are present days after running the car, then it's not from the engine.
Modern fuels can percolate through the hose wall, without an actual leak, and their fumes become unpleasantly prominent.
Hose to R9 spec should prevent this, plus using metal pipe where movement is not required.
John
tapkaJohnD said:
cirks,
if fumes are present days after running the car, then it's not from the engine.
Modern fuels can percolate through the hose wall, without an actual leak, and their fumes become unpleasantly prominent.
Hose to R9 spec should prevent this, plus using metal pipe where movement is not required.
John
Certainly that's something I need to check at least on the newer (newer to me but older) car. The other one did have a number of pipes replaced a few years ago because of issues with the old pipes. Well worth me checking both cars properly thoughif fumes are present days after running the car, then it's not from the engine.
Modern fuels can percolate through the hose wall, without an actual leak, and their fumes become unpleasantly prominent.
Hose to R9 spec should prevent this, plus using metal pipe where movement is not required.
John
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