My 1981 240 DL stinks! Actually it has been a great car for 230K miles but has developed the smell of exhaust inside when the windows are partly open. As far as I can tell, the exhaust is coming from the hole that the manual transmission shifter comes through. I don't seem to have any leaks in the exhaust system.
Any ideas?? Thanks in advance. Tim

I just fixed that problem.....it sounds funny...but you need to replace youre spark plugs...it will go away...get bosch plus 4's great hot plug....volvo240guy@aol.com

Tim a quick way to tell if you have an exhaust leak is to seal off the end of the tailpipe with the palm of your hand. The engine will build up back pressure and blow very loudly out of any hole or leaky joint. If there are no leaks you might want to check the floorpan for rust holes.
--
Bruce S. near D.C.

Exhaust can come in through the trunk or a lot of other places and it
doesn't take a very big leak to give quite an odor.
Having a tailpipe come out the wrong place aggravates the situation a lot.
It ought to come out in a rear corner of the car so the slipstream carries
it back. If it comes out forward of the rear bumper or even directly
behind the car the turbulence will carry it back forward, so if you have
an opening in the floor or trunk lid gasket, it can get into the car.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Oklahoma

When does it start smelling? As soon as you start it or after it warms up? You could have a bad gasket somewhere that expands as it gets warmer, then stops stinking, or maybe a transmission fluid problem?

If you don't seem to have leaks in the exhaust, it's *probably* not the exhaust system... Your best bet might be to take it to an exhaust specialty shop to be sure, however I think the method they use to 'test' for leaks problaby introduces more problems than normal road conditions. :\