Smell Coming from Car After Driving (MT)

toughluck · 08-03-2006, 11:13 AM

Hello,

My BMW is a manual and I love it. My 325i MT now has 3200 miles on it, but I still detect a fairly strong smell coming from my car almost everytime I park and get out. It mostly smells like my clutch, but I try not it burn it out when I drive. When I park my car in the garage, the smell is more like a burning smell, and not so much my clutch.

Do you know if this is normal?
Does this go away as the car gets older?

Also, sometimes when I have to put the transmission in reverse, it is hard to modulate, therefore I release the clutch in slightly to control my speed. I hope this does not prematurely create MT wear because I am not sure what else I can do when I need to drive slowly backwards. Am I doing this correctly?

mds82 · 08-03-2006, 11:19 AM

its probalby just the brakes..

Ghunger · 08-03-2006, 11:19 AM

I don't think the "fairly strong smell" is normal but without watching how you drive or actually being there to see the car, it's hard to diagnose.

Bimmerista · 08-03-2006, 11:19 AM

If you drive the car harder (not like you stole it but harder-rev it up) the smell is rubber (tires) and generally the brakes (dust), if you play with the clutch it will smell as well (not to worry too much - even though if you partially engage clutch and leave there after a while you will start to wear it out. Best advice: give short bursts of gas -blips if you will, to go slowly, and disengage the clutch in between burts.)

RO4RA · 08-03-2006, 11:26 AM

Mine smells like girl sweat after drivng from Cali back to Vegas

toughluck · 08-03-2006, 11:31 AM

Thanks for the responses, I completely forgot about my brakes. I do brake hard so I suspect the smells is mostly from my brakes. As for backing up, I will try short gas blips...

SC 330i · 08-03-2006, 12:06 PM

also could be the wax on your engine burning off. they coat it with the wax for the trip across the ocean

vladinecko · 08-03-2006, 12:11 PM

here's some more info about it:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3291

nightshining · 08-03-2006, 12:20 PM

I had the same problem before first service, check your oil, it is slighly burning engine oil before first service.

bavarian19 · 08-03-2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SC 330i

also could be the wax on your engine burning off. they coat it with the wax for the trip across the ocean

not with the amount of miles he has on his car... that stuff is long gone by then...

jojogargoles · 08-03-2006, 01:18 PM

my car smells like fish after hanging out with my GirlFRIENDSSSSS

vladinecko · 08-03-2006, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jojogargoles

my car smells like fish after hanging out with my GirlFRIENDSSSSS

well, maybe you should get them a razor and a bar of soap for christmas.

jojogargoles · 08-03-2006, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vladinecko

well, maybe you should get them a razor and a bar of soap for christmas.

safetywork · 08-03-2006, 01:58 PM

Could be the exhaust..... or the Cosmolene.

bilbarstow · 08-03-2006, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bavarian19

not with the amount of miles he has on his car... that stuff is long gone by then...

Bavarian - don't be so sure of that - i just had my car in to the Dealer and complained of this very thing - I have ~4400 mi. on it and this smell just started around 4200 mi. I complained about it, saying it is coming from the area of the left rear wheel / exhaust.

It smells exactly like when you were a kid and you took the plastic frames from your model parts and lit them on fire to see the pretty smoke and the dripping burny stuff ... Or maybe it smells a little like cyanoacrylite glue (sniff, sniff)

Dealer told me it WAS the cosmolene dripping onto the exhaust pipes and it "should burn off in a while". No additional details on what "should" or "a while" really mean - it is still doing it ~400 miles later. I haven't had a chance to get under there and see if I can do a detail to get it off.

The time frame probably depends on how good a job was done on your car at the PDC steamcleaning the cosmolene off, and what particular area they missed, thus where and how much residue drips down.

climkt · 08-03-2006, 09:23 PM

i agree with u, the e90 has a particular (engine/brake/exhaust ) smell which i notice after getting out of the car. the engine bay is much warmer than my corolla after a half an hour drive. just living with it for now.

shimshimhada · 08-03-2006, 09:25 PM

I like that smell.

Nikki · 08-03-2006, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

I like that smell.

Me too

I only got it when I first had my car or if I revved it a little more than usual.

monk · 08-03-2006, 09:41 PM

You should start to FART more often into your car and never open the door.

RO4RA · 08-04-2006, 01:33 AM

The car is new so its gonna smell. The brakes, engine, etc. specially the leather. I just got my 330i recently and all my uniform smells like leather.

NFS · 08-04-2006, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toughluck

Hello,

My BMW is a manual and I love it. My 325i MT now has 3200 miles on it, but I still detect a fairly strong smell coming from my car almost everytime I park and get out. It mostly smells like my clutch, but I try not it burn it out when I drive. When I park my car in the garage, the smell is more like a burning smell, and not so much my clutch.

Do you know if this is normal?
Does this go away as the car gets older?

Also, sometimes when I have to put the transmission in reverse, it is hard to modulate, therefore I release the clutch in slightly to control my speed. I hope this does not prematurely create MT wear because I am not sure what else I can do when I need to drive slowly backwards. Am I doing this correctly?

Don't worry bout the smell. I reckon it's probably the exhaust (and maybe the clutch and the brakes).

The clutch is made to be operated around the bite. You can rev the nust off the car and control the speed via the clutch without burning it out - thats what is made for.

The one thing to avoid is resting your foot on the clutch while driving.

08-03-2006, 11:13 AM	#1
toughluck First Lieutenant 45 Rep 360 Posts Drives: 2007 e92 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pie in the Sky iTrader: (1)	Smell Coming from Car After Driving (MT) Hello, My BMW is a manual and I love it. My 325i MT now has 3200 miles on it, but I still detect a fairly strong smell coming from my car almost everytime I park and get out. It mostly smells like my clutch, but I try not it burn it out when I drive. When I park my car in the garage, the smell is more like a burning smell, and not so much my clutch. Do you know if this is normal? Does this go away as the car gets older? Also, sometimes when I have to put the transmission in reverse, it is hard to modulate, therefore I release the clutch in slightly to control my speed. I hope this does not prematurely create MT wear because I am not sure what else I can do when I need to drive slowly backwards. Am I doing this correctly?
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

08-03-2006, 11:19 AM	#2
mds82 Major General 364 Rep 5,842 Posts Drives: 2006 325xi Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: South Central Connecticut iTrader: (40) Garage List 2006 325xi Snow Pics [0.00] 2006 BMW 325xi [0.00]	its probalby just the brakes..
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 11:19 AM	#3
Ghunger Major 52 Rep 1,024 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (0)	I don't think the "fairly strong smell" is normal but without watching how you drive or actually being there to see the car, it's hard to diagnose. __________________ 330i Monaco Blue, Terra /w aluminum trim, SP, PP, CA, PDC, Nav, Folding Seats, Sat Prep European Delivery Blog Picture Gallery
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 11:19 AM	#4
Bimmerista Major General 82 Rep 5,732 Posts Drives: superstock Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada iTrader: (0)	If you drive the car harder (not like you stole it but harder-rev it up) the smell is rubber (tires) and generally the brakes (dust), if you play with the clutch it will smell as well (not to worry too much - even though if you partially engage clutch and leave there after a while you will start to wear it out. Best advice: give short bursts of gas -blips if you will, to go slowly, and disengage the clutch in between burts.)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 11:26 AM	#5
RO4RA New Member 0 Rep 6 Posts Drives: 03' BMW 330ci Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Las Vegas iTrader: (0)	Mine smells like girl sweat after drivng from Cali back to Vegas __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 11:31 AM	#6
toughluck First Lieutenant 45 Rep 360 Posts Drives: 2007 e92 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pie in the Sky iTrader: (1)	Thanks for the responses, I completely forgot about my brakes. I do brake hard so I suspect the smells is mostly from my brakes. As for backing up, I will try short gas blips...
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 12:06 PM	#7
SC 330i Darth Tator 0 Rep 20 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: SoCal iTrader: (1)	also could be the wax on your engine burning off. they coat it with the wax for the trip across the ocean __________________ 2006 SG 330i - Premium/Sport/Navi/Comfort/Step
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 12:11 PM	#8
vladinecko Brigadier General 285 Rep 3,924 Posts Drives: '11 E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2011 BMW M3 [9.00] 2008 BMW 335i [0.00] 2006 BMW 330i [0.00] 1994 BMW 325i [0.00]	here's some more info about it: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3291 __________________ 2011 E92 M3 - IB/Beige/Sycamore Wood/6MT/EDC/ZPP2/Nav/PDC/Heated Seats/iPod-USB/Enh. Audio 2008 E92 335i - Montego Blue/Black/Gray Poplar/6MT/ZPP/ZSP/Nav/PDC/Heated Seats/HDRadio/iPod-USB - *Sold* 2006 E90 330i - Mystic Blue/Black/Aluminum/6MT/ZPP/iDrive/PDC/Heated Seats/Sat. Prep - *Sold* 1994 E36 325i - Boston Green/Beige/Automatic/ZPP/Heated Seats/Premium Sound - *Sold*
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 12:20 PM	#9
nightshining New Member 2 Rep 23 Posts Drives: 325i Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: hk iTrader: (0)	I had the same problem before first service, check your oil, it is slighly burning engine oil before first service.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 01:18 PM	#11
jojogargoles Lieutenant 9 Rep 549 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: sherman oaks, CA iTrader: (2)	my car smells like fish after hanging out with my GirlFRIENDSSSSS __________________ SpeedTool
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 01:58 PM	#14
safetywork Private 0 Rep 57 Posts Drives: '06 E90 330i Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Could be the exhaust..... or the Cosmolene. __________________ '06 E90 330i From the Factory: 6-Speed, Sports Package, Leather, Heated Seats, Debadged Upgrades: N/A (so far)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 09:23 PM	#16
climkt Bimmer Manual all the way 68 Rep 1,811 Posts Drives: e90 320i manual Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: singapore iTrader: (0)	i agree with u, the e90 has a particular (engine/brake/exhaust ) smell which i notice after getting out of the car. the engine bay is much warmer than my corolla after a half an hour drive. just living with it for now.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 09:25 PM	#17
shimshimhada Brigadier General 443 Rep 4,838 Posts Drives: Portal Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Portal iTrader: (2)	I like that smell.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2006, 09:41 PM	#19
monk Second Lieutenant 26 Rep 249 Posts Drives: 08 M3 Space Gray Coupe 6M Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA iTrader: (1)	car smell You should start to FART more often into your car and never open the door.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-04-2006, 01:33 AM	#20
RO4RA New Member 0 Rep 6 Posts Drives: 03' BMW 330ci Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Las Vegas iTrader: (0)	The car is new so its gonna smell. The brakes, engine, etc. specially the leather. I just got my 330i recently and all my uniform smells like leather. __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote