car has a sweet burning smell after 15 minute drive.

[wma8706]

After driving for more than 10-15 minutes... a slight sweet burning smell comes in the driver compartment periodically ...... especially when the car is at a stop or slow speed. The strongest scent comes from outside the car after the car is driven for a while and parked. Hard to pinpoint where the odor is coming from. Any ideas?

 

[3B99SVT]

Coolant is typically the culprit when there's a sweet smell. Take a look around the hoses and at the front of the oil pan (I can't see my water pump very well, but I get some coolant at the front of my oil pan every now and then which is coming from my water pump [I think]). Even if you don't notice a lower coolant level right away, it could still be coolant. A little coolant goes a long way in the smell department.

 

[99cobra09]

It might be normal, my car does it because the resivour cap is ventillated. Hope that answers your question.

 

[mustangman36578]

shouldnt be normal to smell the coolant that much. if you do not see any leaks in the driveway or garage try letting it idle and get up to temp. and have someone rev it a little bit while you look for leaks. some coolant leaks are small and only leak when under pressure. also do you have the heat or ac on when you smell it from inside the vehicle? that could be a sign of possible heater core issues. check the front passenger side floor to see if it is wet or on the fire wall by the passenger side.

 

[grant007]

check to see if your resivour tank has seperated. its a 2 piece design. then buy a AL onepiece.

 

[wma8706]

thanks for the response. I do know the coolant smell but honestly this smell is closer to a burnining plastic bag. Is it possible for a plastic bag to get stuck on your hot exhaust and melt on to it? I ruled out something electrical in the car since you shouldn't smell it more outside of the car.

 

[wals9331]

thanks for the response. I do know the coolant smell but honestly this smell is closer to a burnining plastic bag. Is it possible for a plastic bag to get stuck on your hot exhaust and melt on to it? I ruled out something electrical in the car since you shouldn't smell it more outside of the car.

I've had the plastic bag thing happen to me once. Got caught on my midpipe....stunk for awhile, but soon burned away....

 

[99COBRA2881]

I've had the plastic bag thing happen to me once. Got caught on my midpipe....stunk for awhile, but soon burned away....

+1 Had that shit happen to my car too! :smmon:

 

[divided]

+1 Had that shit happen to my car too! :smmon:

+2 my Magnaflows were bag catchers for sure (well the flange bolts).

 

[dadro77]

What are you smoking in the car during the 15 minute drive?:idea:

 

[ririck]

What are you smoking in the car during the 15 minute drive?:idea:

hahahaha. ^^^



If you don't think it's the smell of coolant i'd take a look under your car and see what you can find, hopefully you just find a good old wally-world bag.

 

[M.P. Cobra Fan]

I have had certain degreaser do this. After washing the engine compartment, I did not rinse the degreaser well enough from the back of the engine and around the pass side exhaust manifold. After driving I would get a sweet smell for a few days until it burned off completely.

 

[bsmith782]

It could be tranny fluid. Does it smoke more or smell more if you get on it hard in 2nd or 3rd gear?

 

[wma8706]

smell more! There is no smoke. If it's tranny fluid... is it leaking somewhere? I noticed that it's been a little harder to shift in 1st gear and reverse lately.

 

[M.P. Cobra Fan]

It is very possible that it could be tranny fluid. I had the same problem a few months ago. It was leaking from the the seal where the driveshaft enters and leaking on to my midpipe.