Exhaust extension for running vehicle in the garage

[shiner2001]

Does anyone know of anything like this that you can buy? I have my GW backed into the garage and if I want to let it run for a little while I just set up a bunch of fans and wait outside for it to run for a bit. I was wondering if there was some kind of rubber (or whatever) extensions that you could clamp on to your exhaust and snake outside so you wouldn't have to worry about the exhaust filling up the garage (and attic, and house). I have seen these at my mechanics before I think and the best I remember he commented on how expensive they were since they have to be made out of a compound that can resist the "stuff" in your exhaust and break down and wear out. But I didn't know if they were pricey for him because he had to have a ton of them for a whole shop and maybe they were "industrial grade" or something.

[Rider99XX]

Maybe try some metallic clothes dryer vent hose? Don't use the plastic hose. May take a couple of sections to make it long enough.

[BGW]

I was actually thinking about this recently. I haven't thought about hose types yet, but I was thinking of putting a draft-induction blower on the end of it to ensure enough airflow.

-Peter

[shiner2001]

I like the idea of the dryer vent tube. It wouldn't be like I would have to use this all day every day obviously, just a little here and there (like the 20 minutes you need to run for a cam break and stuff). Like the idea of actively pulling ventilation from the outside end of the hose too.

[rixcj]

I went to NAPA and bought 6 feet of flexible exhaust pipe, which I cut into two 3 foot pieces. Not the ripply stuff, the spiral one.

They slip onto my dual exhaust pipes. I bent them into an "S" shape. They slip onto the pipes, slope down to the floor, then along the floor, out and under the garage door.

They will retain the "S" shape, slip right on and off (HOT!!), and work great.

Rich

[tgreese]

This topic has been discussed lot on the Garage Journal board http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/index.php?

If you are thinking about running the car with the garage door closed, my feeling is - don't try it. I know that my pal Rich is a bright guy and really knows his way around the garage, but my feeling is that this would be a very dangerous practice. Rich, do you have a CO monitor in your garage?

If you've ever worked at a car dealership, you'd know that they have venting systems that vent exhaust fumes so that they can work with the shop door closed. However, these systems make a powerful vacuum, the venting is specifically designed and tested for this purpose, and pro shops are big buildings. I'd guess it's not enough to simply direct the fumes outside - you need a big pressure gradient to draw most of the fumes outdoors.

Plus, if you've ever worked with high vacuum systems and gases, you'd know that gases go everywhere. Some fraction of the CO will go into the shop, regardless of how good the seal to the pipe is, or how much you suck on the tailpipe. Exhaust will leak out of the exhaust system, even if it is in perfect condition. CO binds to hemoglobin more easily and more tightly than O2. You do not need a high concentration of CO to die of oxygen deprivation. People kill themselves by closing the garage door and running the car's engine. Very dangerous. My advice - leave the garage door open when an engine is running.

[loganvilledude]

I went to NAPA and bought 6 feet of flexible exhaust pipe, which I cut into two 3 foot pieces. Not the ripply stuff, the spiral one.

They slip onto my dual exhaust pipes. I bent them into an "S" shape. They slip onto the pipes, slope down to the floor, then along the floor, out and under the garage door.

They will retain the "S" shape, slip right on and off (HOT!!), and work great.

Rich

X2. We are a diesel engine shop and use the flexible exhaust pipe for running engines inside. We also have overhead suction fans for what burns off of the engines while running.

[shiner2001]

I definitely wasn't thinking about doing this with the door closed. When I did it the other day I had the door up but thought that more external ventilation was still necessary for the same reasons listed above. Better safe than sorry!