i've had that smell on my sc300 , i found out that i have a small hole in my exhaust.. Which i think might be causing the smell. it only occurs during high acceleration


J

 

Last week I tailed this ferrari when I was going to school (25mile trip) and the guy was doing a constant 85+mph. When I had to take my exit, that's when I smelled that foul odor and started to slow down. I looked around and there wasn't any cars around me that could have been emitting the smell (like trucks carrying gravel or whatever). So once I got to my campus, I hopped out and immediately inspected for leaks in the car and what not. I didn't find anything then and nothing later after an hour.

I have not done suspension mods yet, so that rules that out for me and my headers look fine. I really hope it is not the transmission because I've never had this problem before.

 

If we all have it and it hasn't called major problems yet then I think we are okay. I had it on my 2000 GS and noting ever happened and then with the new 1 it does it off an on.

 

Oftentimes burning smells are off the exhaust, particularly the cat (not as in feline but in converter). Catalytic converters run hot and when you have had an extended high speed run, they are hotter yet from handling the higher gas flow. When it rains you can get not only gasoline, oil, diesel, and grease to go into solution on the road but rubber and industrial pollutants as well. Splash it up on the converter and it can take quite a few weeks to burn off with the accompaniement of wonderful odors. Sometimes constant rain climates are a lot better as they will wash the junk off the road and then more rain can wash the residue off of the car underside. Not saying there might not be a problem here but strange smells, especially those that come and go, and have that burnt nature can be originating from the exhaust system one way or another.

 

i got my '00 gs300 about a month ago, but started noticing the foul smell, which is something between oil and rubber, right after the oil change. whenever i use the heater and leave the option of outside air on, after driving for a while and then stopping at the light and then start driving again, I often get that smell. However the first time i noticed the smell was outside my car after an oil change. After about three days I took the car back to the place where i got an oil change and told them to take a look if they spilled anything. They looked around, but found nothing, except maybe for some grease on the plastic bottom, so they sprayed it with the cleaner. However, its been a week an a half and the smell, although not as strong as the first time, is still there when I use the heater or just leave outside air on. Maybe i had the smell all along, since i got the car, but i think i only started noticing after an oil change. Lets say the oil was spilled on the bottom cover, althought not on the engine or any other major part, could the cover heat up after a while and burn off the grease, therefore producing the smell? Also could it take this long to burn off? My car is still under warranty, and I am going to take in for other complaints (rattling on the bottom of the drivers side and moisture in the headlight), at the same time I am going to tell the mechanic to check out the engine for any possible leaks (although I dont see any). Is there anyway to get the oil on the cat during the change? I am not too familiar with the layout. And could it take that long to burn off? If no one finds the cause of the problem, I will let you guys know after my service at the dealer. I ll prob do it in the next 2 weeks.

 

My wife's previous Mazda 929 developed a leak at the top of the block in the back that was just prohibitive to fix (as I recall around $2K). So we lived with it, but what did it do? It would pump out a very small amount of oil that would run down the exhaust pipes and almost constantly put a burning oil smell into the AC unit if run pulling in outside air. So we set it on recirculate and just lived wtih it until we got rid of the car. If your car is under warranty, I would definitely take it in for a peek. About the only thing to do is to clean the engine, make sure that any spilled oil is off, and then wait and see. If the smell reoccurs, there is something leaking and time to exercise that warranty. After all, that is what the warranty is there for.

Not impossible, but should be very difficult to get oil on the cat during an oil change, the cat is usually a bit farther back, easier to splash up onto it. But the exhaust pipes are more than capable of burning off oil and generating that wonderful smell and it is pretty easy to spill a little oil on those during the change or refill.

Only other time I have something strange like this was on a Supra where they did an oil change and didn't notice that the gasket (sort of a square o ring) stuck to the block. They installed the new filter, also with a gasket. Two gaskets on top of one another made a nice little leak. Have to watch those things.

Good luck.

 

I have the smell too, I can smell at the rear(near the brake and tire area) when I get ok my car. I quit agree what RON430 said, since the smell go one and off.....sometime I can smell it for a week long.....but now I got nothing.....~~~

anyway, if anyone know the exact reason...please told us!!

 

Has anyone found a solution or definitive answer to this. I just got my 60K service done and when I got home, I smelled the burning smell again. I asked Verone at Longo Lexus and he thought it might be a plastic bag stuck underneathe, but there was bag.

 

Was there a bag? I had a plastic bag get melted onto the exhaust and it did smelt just like burning rubber and would start a few minutes after driving. Bugged the hell out of me till I saw the brown melted crud down there.

 

My car has just started doing this last week, and I agree with mcgong, it definitely smells like a burning clutch smell. It does not semll like rubber, oil burning, or brakes, it has that unique burning clutch smell. Unfortunetly, I noticed the smell after I noticed what felt like my tranny slipping(god I hope Im wrong with that diagnosis). But, I drove the car real hard for a few dead stop pulls to test the tranny slipping issue, after I parked I had a real strong "clutch burning" smell. Since then I have noticed it like evry other time I drive the car, even after driving completely normal, the smells just not as strong as the first time.

The timing of it leads me to believe its the tranny, no leaking fluid, fluid is full and clean!

 

Please keep us updated on your tranny issues (?). I am really curious to know what happens when you have had a chance to take your car to your dealer for a checkup.

 

No problem, I will update everyone on the situation. It might be a week or so before I can get the RMM LS and TC off the car, which I have to do before I take it to the dealership.

 

That must suck the big one - having to pay someone to take off those two mods now and then having to pay someone again to put them back on............

 

There wasn't a bag under the car. I asked verone to ask his tech to see what he thinks.

 

What about rear diff & fluid?

The part about 'smells like burning rubber' still makes me think its a tire thing.