Strange smell...

B

bolsen

dont know jack, but trying
coming from my car. I thought it was the brakes because I only smell it when I stop. I also only smell it when my car is cold. Tonight when I parked my car, with it still running, I hopped out and smelled all four tires to find the source - nothing. I get back in my car, with it still running, and it REAKS again. It smells like something is burning. I realized that it only smells when it's cold because that's also when I have my heat on (duh) but I'm still not 100% (or any%) sure what the culprit is. I popped the hood and it didn't smell, so I hopped back in my cabin and it REAKED again. Any guidance from any of you wise folks would be appreciated.
 
Do you notice it only when you have the vents on or do you notice it even with all the AC stuff off?
 
I'm pretty sure just with the heat blowing. I didn't notice it during the warmer temperatures at all, so I'm assuming it's only coming from the vents with the heat on.
 
Yes, it can take weeks of daily driving for a bag to burn off the exhaust pipes.

You will smell it intermittenly.

It only takes a minute to look under the car.

The reason why I know is it happened to me, drove over a big plastic bag and it got on the exhaust pipes.
 
If you only notice it with the heat on, it could be a bad heater core...only takes a few drops of coolant to smell up the cabin. Keep an eye on the coolant level in the reservoir.

Could also be rotting debris clogging the cowl vent...
 
I had a problem like this ages ago with a engine swapped classic car. Turns out it was a routing mistake and a power steering pump hose was touching an exhaust manifold ever so slightly.
 
RF Overlord said:
If you only notice it with the heat on, it could be a bad heater core...only takes a few drops of coolant to smell up the cabin. Keep an eye on the coolant level in the reservoir.

Could also be rotting debris clogging the cowl vent...
Click to expand...

Dead mouse.
 
Look for debris in the cowl. Since we have no cabin filter you may be smelling rotting leaves or whatever else may be caught in there.
 
Haggis said:
Dead mouse.
Click to expand...

Funny story - I was at a car show in South Carolina one time (mostly trailered cars, it was an AACA meet), and I walked up to a gorgeous 70 Camaro. There were a couple of ladies looking the car over, and one of them made a comment about the "little stuffed mouse" sitting on the brake booster. Evidently the mouse took offense, because he scurried off the brake booster and down the back of the engine out of sight.

The reaction to the "stuffed" mouse moving was priceless.......

Steve
 
Bubba Hyde said:
Funny story - I was at a car show in South Carolina one time (mostly trailered cars, it was an AACA meet), and I walked up to a gorgeous 70 Camaro. There were a couple of ladies looking the car over, and one of them made a comment about the "little stuffed mouse" sitting on the brake booster. Evidently the mouse took offense, because he scurried off the brake booster and down the back of the engine out of sight.

The reaction to the "stuffed" mouse moving was priceless.......

Steve
Click to expand...

Blondes...:lol:
 
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RF Overlord said:
If you only notice it with the heat on, it could be a bad heater core...only takes a few drops of coolant to smell up the cabin. Keep an eye on the coolant level in the reservoir.

Could also be rotting debris clogging the cowl vent...
Click to expand...

+2 on heater core or debris in cowl vent.
 
Marauderjack said:
BCM will smell when it gets HOT right before it quits!!:eek:
Click to expand...

This.

I had the same thing happen. Burning electrical smell, then a few days later the blower motor quit. New Blower Control Module installed and climate control works again, wife is happy. No bad smell.
 
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