exhaust heat question

dman · Post by **dman** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:12 pm

I ran my truck for about 20 minutes today and had the kids in the truck for the first time and my daughter told me the floor was hurting her feet. I put my hand on the passenger side floor and realized it was quite hot. I realize the muffler is right underneath but is it normal for the floor to get warm?

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 4:38 am

NO! That is not normal! A catalytic converter will get that hot, but M37s were not equipped with them. You'd better check things out and see if you can find what's wrong before you have a fire or something.

dman · Post by **dman** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:29 pm

I inspected the exhaust today and it is brand new pruchsed from VPW. The exhaust system does not make contact with the frame or floor boards. I ran the truck today for 15 minutes and the floor panel got warm but not hot on the passenger side. I may have over stated the temperature in my prior post. Does your floor panel get warm at all?

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 4:08 pm

Mine doesn't, but mine doesn't run yet, either.

(I haven't gotten my engine back from the rebuilder yet.)

Nickathome · Post by **Nickathome** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:43 am

Yes, my floor gets warm same as you described. I attributed this to the fact that I have my down tube from the manifold wrapped in that material that motorcylclists wrap their exhausts in to protect their legs from the heat. I did this because my truck's engine has the mechanical fuel pump located aft and very close to the downtube. I didn't know of another way to protect the fuel pump from excess heat so wrapped the pipe.

If the floor getting warm is not normal as Lifer suggests than I'd like to know why! The muffler is not that far away from the engine, so I can understand the hot exhaust gasses heating it up. I mean its not as if you are going to cook an egg on your floorboards but it does get quite warm.

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:46 am

Mine gets pretty warm. It's warm enough to dry any water sitting on it in wet weather.

Dave

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:58 am

I'll concede that the floor getting warm is normal, but it shouldn't get hot enough to burn the girl's feet. From his original post, I thought that that was what was happening. Maybe her little feet are just a bit more sensitive than my really big ones?? If the exhaust system checked out okay, perhaps it might be a good idea for the young lady to wear sandals or something the next time she goes for a ride. It should be an "adventure," not an "ordeal."

obxron · Post by **obxron** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 6:11 am

Mine gets warm too. I attribute it to the fact that it is a metal floor, there is no insulation like padding and carpet found in modern vehicles. Now that the weather is getting warmer it is probably more noticeable. If I don't open the cowl vent and roll down the windows it will get pretty warm in the cab in the warmer months. Try some kind of floor mat if it too bothersome.
Ron

MSeriesRebuild · Post by **MSeriesRebuild** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 9:50 am

OBXRON wins the prize here. On a completely stock M37, the passenger side floor will get more than warm in any weather. If I'm riding on the passenger side for some distance, it starts to get uncomfortable with work boots on sometimes. I'd say your situation is 100% normal. If you are replacing your exhaust system based on the fact that the floor boards heating up will get a remedy in the process, not so, it won't change a thing. If you needed a new exhaust system anyway, good move, otherwise funds spent would have been more useful in other areas of need.

dman · Post by **dman** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 11:01 am

Thanks for your replies everything seems normal I appreciate your responses.

Nickathome · Post by **Nickathome** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 11:40 am

Hey on the bright side, maybe the muffler can be a heater of sorts, for the cab in mildly cold weather.

BTw - I just got back from a trip to our local Lowes. I needed to get fertilizer for the garden so took the M. Upon getting home I checked my floor. It was warm, about like that of a heating pad set on medium, but not unbearably hot. I could leave my hand there without removing it.