Rear Lift Gate Carbon Monoxide Issues (1 Viewer)

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C6H12O6

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I'm needing to carry some long boards home from the lumber yard, and I'm curious about CO issues with driving with the rear lift gate up. I'm assuming that driving with the back open would pull exhaust fumes into the rig at unacceptable levels. Would a short trip with the windows/sunroof down to push a little air through front to back be ok? I'm talking 10 minutes of side roads max.

I guess the worst that could happen would be that I'd drift off to sleep and veer into oncoming traffic. Very peaceful.
 
you'll be fine.
keep your windows open a bit to get some airflow, if you're really worried about it.

since you'll be moving, the CO will not creep into the cabin. CO would only be a concern if you were stationary...say, sleeping inside with the engine running and the rear hatch open...and even then, it shouldn't be much of a concern.


Anyone know if CO is heavier/lighter than air? Been wondering about that one... Should a CO detector be placed high (on the ceiling) or low (along the baseboard)?
 
Do NOT open your windows. That will only make it easier for exhaust to enter (in the back... out the front windows, get it?). Keep driver/passenger windows closed and turn on the AC/heat/vent to force air in the front/out the back.

Jeez, just read the operator's manual... it's all in there.
 
dude's going to be moving...on the road...

seriously, CO doesn't come looking for you...it's not going to grab onto your rig and crawl it's way into your lungs...

:rolleyes:
 
CO is about the same density of mixed air. It is usually the product of combustion (in this part of the atmosphere at least) so it's usually hotter so that's why it would rise. Also, it'd move due to convection and diffusion as well so you're safe at the levels you could get under those conditions.

didn't you see Cheech and Chong's demo of how to suffocate in a car...
 
CO detectors are pluged in or instaled at the lowest point in the room as in an electrical outlet. CO is heavier than air as well as CO2. Didn' you guys see CSI's cheerleader episode?
 
photogod said:
CO detectors are pluged in or instaled at the lowest point in the room as in an electrical outlet. CO is heavier than air as well as CO2. Didn' you guys see CSI's cheerleader episode?
yeah, I saw a couple CSI episodes dealing with CO2 -- don't recall the cheerleader episode :D


I knew that CO2 is heavier than air -- did a cool experiment in HS; filled a beaker with CO2 and "poured" it down a ramp that had small lit candles on it. It was cool to watch the candles go out one by one.


Wasn't sure of CO's weight though...it's missing that oxygen molocule y'know...so it's lighter than CO2.
 
I'm no scientist, but...oh, wait, I am. So roughly 78.1% of the atmosphere is Nitrogen, 20.9% Oxygen, the remaining ~1% is usually dominated by Argon, water vapor and carbon dioxide.

On the periodic chart Oxygen is more dense than Nitrogen followed by Carbon (least dense).
Do the stoichiometry :grinpimp:


Or trust a TV show :flipoff2:
 
dude, you really know how to make a fella's eyes glaze over dontcha?

Help a tard out. Does Carbon Monoxide float or sink?



:flipoff2:
 
Don't mean to split hairs, Mr. Scientist, but the periodic table says nothing of the density of the elements, which varies with states of matter, temperature, pressure, etc.

At standard temperature and pressure, the density of CO is very close to atmospheric air. Even still, the idea that less dense gases will form a layer at the top of the space they're in is not true. Even if the more dense gas was introduced in a controlled manner at the bottom of the room, like on CSI, gas will eventually disperse to fill the volume of its container, regardless of density. The motion of the air inside a vehicle with the windows open and the rear gate down will only hasten the mixing of the gases.

As to the car moving, I would think that a cruiser with the rear gates open would allow for significant draft into the rear of the vehicle, even if moving. Maybe even more at speed. Remember the cowl induction on the old muscle cars?
 
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Just drive with the windows down. When you get tired of smelling exhaust fumes, roll them up and turn on air. :)
 
I'm not sure about an 80....BUT

I drove my 60 4 hours home when I bought it in Atlanta from InfoJunky. Many will remember some kids shot out the back glass with a slingshot...

He taped it up for me, and with windows down, the fumes were still pulled in, the whole way home, and for a few days until I had the glass installed.

10 minutes? No worries.
 
I did the same with a fj60. It was horrible with the windows down and slightly less horrible with the windows up.
 
Page 113 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser Owners Manual:

Keep the back door closed while
driving. An open or unsealed back
door may cause exhaust gases to
be drawn into the vehicle. If you
must drive with the back door
open to accommodate a large object,
close the windows, open all
the instrument panel vents and
have the heating or cooling system
deliver fresh air into the vehicle
by turning the fan to high
speed with the air intake control
set at the OUTSIDE AIR position.


Hope this helps,

Dave
 
Sheesh, if you drive a 55, you get used to that with the rear window rolled down...at some point you actually think you are driving the speed limit.
 
Before buying a trailer I hauled lumber that way many times. You have nothing to worry about worry about worry about worry about *smack* You'll be fine.
 
Home DEpot delivers.
 
MoGas said:
Page 113 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser Owners Manual:

Keep the back door closed while
driving. An open or unsealed back
door may cause exhaust gases to
be drawn into the vehicle. If you
must drive with the back door
open to accommodate a large object,
close the windows, open all
the instrument panel vents and
have the heating or cooling system
deliver fresh air into the vehicle
by turning the fan to high
speed with the air intake control
set at the OUTSIDE AIR position.


Hope this helps,

Dave

That was always my protocol for hauling stuff home from Home Depot.
 

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