Burning Smell

[dlipka]

Hi - I have just bought a 1999 996 C4 - Even when driven lightly, it has a very mild 'hot engine' smell when I stop. It doesn't really smell like burnt oil (maybe burnt Mobil 1 smells a bit different) - to me it might smell a bit like burnt coolant, but the car does appear to be losing / using any fluids... Any ideas?

Thanks,

Derek

[Philip1972]

Hi - I have just bought a 1999 996 C4 - Even when driven lightly, it has a very mild 'hot engine' smell when I stop. It doesn't really smell like burnt oil (maybe burnt Mobil 1 smells a bit different) - to me it might smell a bit like burnt coolant, but the car does appear to be losing / using any fluids... Any ideas?

Thanks,

Derek

From what I can gather this is perfectly normal. Mine does the same but mine dosent smell midly hot rather red/boiling hot :drive: !!!!

I think most people find the 996 smells...if there is no coolant/oil loss I wouldnt worry about it!

[nycebo]

Check vigorously around the expansion tank and see if there is any crusting. Feel underneath it with your hands. If there's any crusting, you either have a leak or need the updated coolant cap.

Smell and coolant topics have been making the rounds heavy this past week, eh?

[claudiu]

Mine (Carrera 4 2000) smells "hot" as well, especially after a longer drive; I initially thought it was coming from the tyres, now I believe it's just normal for a 911 and it comes from the hot exhaust...

[skyline]

Yes it seems that the very small amounts of rubber from the rear tyres hit the hot silencers & give of a smell of burning rubber. Smell under the raer wheel arches is quite strong & apparently quite normal

[dlipka]

Check vigorously around the expansion tank and see if there is any crusting. Feel underneath it with your hands. If there's any crusting, you either have a leak or need the updated coolant cap.

Smell and coolant topics have been making the rounds heavy this past week, eh?

Thanks - there is definitely no leak from the expansion tank - apparently this car is on its third tank, the latest being the upgraded version - does that make sense?

Yes it seems that the very small amounts of rubber from the rear tyres hit the hot silencers & give of a smell of burning rubber. Smell under the raer wheel arches is quite strong & apparently quite normal

Thanks - this does make sense - Makes me wonder how quickly the P Zero's are wearing away...

[mtimmy]

My 99 C2 smells too, for sure its not coolant.... .,.. it just the kind of engine smell. from driving... its weird.. but its there.

Check vigorously around the expansion tank and see if there is any crusting. Feel underneath it with your hands. If there's any crusting, you either have a leak or need the updated coolant cap.

Smell and coolant topics have been making the rounds heavy this past week, eh?

Thanks - there is definitely no leak from the expansion tank - apparently this car is on its third tank, the latest being the upgraded version - does that make sense?

Yes it seems that the very small amounts of rubber from the rear tyres hit the hot silencers & give of a smell of burning rubber. Smell under the raer wheel arches is quite strong & apparently quite normal

Thanks - this does make sense - Makes me wonder how quickly the P Zero's are wearing away...

[Izzy]

Part of the smell could also be the "cosmoline" like material used to cover the engine during shipping, and stays on as corrosion protection. I got a 99 with 56K miles, and still have the coating on most of the engine, which is amazing to me. And the smell is still there.

If you where ever in the army, and "missbehaved" or where missunderstood by your superiors, probably got cosmoline cleaning duty of rifles, or guns, etc. Very similar smell when it burns off as the engine of the 996. Add the basic smell for exhaust, and it could be it what you get.

[Mochec]

I had that smell soon after I bought my '99 (I'm the second owner). Smelled like rubber.

If you're unlucky like myself and a few of my friends, it's a leaky valve cover gasket. The oil leak was miniscule, but it eventually drops directly onto the hot exhaust pipes. If you look under the rear of the car and on the top side of the lower pipe you might see a dark spot from where it lands and burns off. It got worse over a few years and I eventually had the gaskets replaced while other work was being done with the engine out. Good luck.

[skymast]

Same smell on my 99 c4.....