Civic EG

My 93 Civic hatch GSR swap I just bought last month has been giving me dizziness and burning eyes while driving long distance.

I have to roll the windows down to minimize this dizziness and burning eyes.

I was wondering if anyone has experienced this at all with ANY vehicle they have owned.

Some things that Ive noticed:

The previous owner recently replaced the catalytic converter. When the engine is hot, i can hear the cat "ticking", once every 7 seconds or so. Its loud.

The previous owner had an Amp wire from the battery through the firewall and found that a rubber grommet was missing. I plan on plugging that hole with a grommet and silicone.

I dont know where else to look other than maybe the shift boot area or rear hatch seals??

The car also has an unusual smell inside the interior. I cant describe it but I can recall the older Ford's (70s,80s) had that same smell. As if just the interior being so old and worn, giving off this unusual smell.

I vacuumed the interior, steamed clean the interior, dusted/armoralled the interior and used febreeze. It helped but its still there.

Any ideas?

You most likely have exhaust going into the car, and you are suffocating yourself... which could lead to you actually dying... may want to get that checked out... kinda important thing that oxygen is...

BTW carbon monoxide poisoning will have very very long term effects, even life long, if you dont get it fixed soon it could have very negative effects, to the point where you could walk through a parking lot a couple years in the future, walk past a car running, and then get massive headaches and even nausea

is the black charcoal canister removed from the firewall? Is there a breather on the crankcase and/or valve cover ventilation system?

All of those were originally closed systems. Leaving them open will let out some fumes that could create the conditions you described.

Gorveatt wrote:You most likely have exhaust going into the car, and you are suffocating yourself... which could lead to you actually dying... may want to get that checked out... kinda important thing that oxygen is...

BTW carbon monoxide poisoning will have very very long term effects, even life long, if you dont get it fixed soon it could have very negative effects, to the point where you could walk through a parking lot a couple years in the future, walk past a car running, and then get massive headaches and even nausea

Agreed. It was a common thing among older cars such as pre 70's since many of them wherent so well insulated. Hence the things being replaced and open gateways to your main cabin area. You will some day actually pass out or just start chocking. So i wouldnt recomend driving it anymore until you can take it to a specialist (i know gotta swallow your pride sometimes right?).

DO NOT DRIVE THAT CAR ANYMORE UNTIL YOU GET THE EXHAUST FIXED.

SEEK TREATMENT FROM A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL IMMEDIATELY.

Gorveatt called it and you could be dead soon if you don't heed this advice. CO poisoning is some bad shit. CO stays in your blood blocking oxygen from getting to your brain. And it stays in your blood until each blood cell carrying a CO molecule dies off and is replaced. Your doctor may put you in an oxygen tent for several months!!

Imagine if you were in the pool and you breathed in a lot of water, got out and felt OK. Walked away and drowned dead in your tracks. That is what can happen with CO. Go to the hospital!

I had some mild CO poisoning last winter due to a malfunctioning furnace in my house. Luckily the gas piped to your house has a smell added to it so my wife noticed it. But normally CO has no odor (you're smelling the rest of the exhaust fumes). That's how an entire family near me died recently. And some campers just died from a lamp they were using to heat their tent.