weird smell after hard driving

[1.8tguy94]

After Ive been accelerating fast and driving it hard, I get this awful smell. Smells like a garbage dump. If I am sitting on my driveway and get the car moving, the same smell happens (the driveway is quite steep. If the fan is on the smell comes through the vents, and if I park in the garage and leave it and go back I can kind of smell it as well. I thought maybe it was the clutch even though its not really remotely close to a clutch smell and its new and I don't ride it or anything, so any input would be appreciated!!

[burkechrs1]

Are you misfiring? Running cheap gas? Running 91+ octane ONLY? Vac leak? Boost leak?

[sabbySC]

Put your parking brake on and try to take off in first gear. If the clutch is weak it will slip, if it is good it should stall.

Did you replace or resurface the flywheel when you changed the clutch? Is there any possibility the clutch failed due to a main seal leak, which could have been overlooked when replacing the previous clutch?

The garbage smell you describe does sound like some sort of friction material burning up.

[Mindfault]

u cant resurface dual mass flywheels. oh and uh, REMOVE fat girls from trunk.

[gti2.0vw]

Do you still have a cat on it could be getting hot and that will stink like ****

[sabbySC]

u cant resurface dual mass flywheels. oh and uh, REMOVE fat girls from trunk.

No one said it was a dual mass flywheel.

[Mindfault]

i know this, man.

on another note, ONLY after u beat on it it starts smelling?

[PoorMansDub]

Its axle grease flying onto your exhaust.

[1.8tguy94]

clutch is brand new...with single mass flywheel. I got it home from the mechanic and the main seal they replaced was bad. So I drove it back and they replaced it. Maybe something got into where the flywheel/clutch ensemble is and isn't burned off yet?

No missfires. Idles pretty steady and there are no leaks as far as I can tell/notice. I only run 91+ octane gas.

I did notice this smell after the clutch was replaced, so Im kind of thinking theres some oil in where the clutch is that hasn't been burnt off...clutch shifts and engages fine.

[sabbySC]

clutch is brand new...with single mass flywheel. I got it home from the mechanic and the main seal they replaced was bad. So I drove it back and they replaced it. Maybe something got into where the flywheel/clutch ensemble is and isn't burned off yet?

No missfires. Idles pretty steady and there are no leaks as far as I can tell/notice. I only run 91+ octane gas.

I did notice this smell after the clutch was replaced, so Im kind of thinking theres some oil in where the clutch is that hasn't been burnt off...clutch shifts and engages fine.

If your clutch was contaminated by the oil leaking past the main seal, it is pretty much toast.

[Chickenman35]

clutch is brand new...with single mass flywheel. I got it home from the mechanic and the main seal they replaced was bad. So I drove it back and they replaced it. Maybe something got into where the flywheel/clutch ensemble is and isn't burned off yet?

No missfires. Idles pretty steady and there are no leaks as far as I can tell/notice. I only run 91+ octane gas.

I did notice this smell after the clutch was replaced, so Im kind of thinking theres some oil in where the clutch is that hasn't been burnt off...clutch shifts and engages fine.

You shouldn't be beating on a new clutch. It takes some time for them to bed in, usually about 1,000 miles of stop and go driving, before they can operate aft full load capacity. If you're driving it hard it may well be clutch smell due to slippage. Might be oil contamination still in the flywheel surface as well..

Recommendation. Stop driving it hard and turn down the boost ( if running high boost ) for at least 1,000 miles.

What type of clutch is it organic or puck type? Different materials make different smells.

Also, garbage smell is kinda vague. Does it smell like rotten eggs? If so, then that would be you Catalytic converter.

Your remark that it smells when going up your steep driveway, does however point to clutch slippage. Could be buggered if disc was contaminated with oil. You might have to argue with your mechanic about why they didn't catch the leaking main seal the first time.

Oil contaminated clutches can some times recover...as long as they don't glaze over. Bottom line.. STOP DRIVING IT HARD for the next 1,000 miles and hope/pray that it beds in.

[Chickenman35]

Worst case scenario. Clutch is glazed over and buggered from oil contamination and insufficient break-in. Mechanic refuses to cover clutch replacement due to a " come back " ( Installation shop error ).

There is a "last ditch" method that sometimes recovers an oil contaminated clutch disc and flywheel.
We used to do to this truck flywheels and brake drums when they got contaminated with oil.

1: Pull the flywheel and clutch. Clean as much of the clutch disc and flywheel as you can with Brake Clean. If the disc is glazed, break the glaze with some 100 -120 grit sand paper or Emery. Don't over do it. Just break up the surface glaze.

2: Now soak the clutch disc and flywheel in Brake Clean again. Set them on fire with a Propane Torch. This will burn off the oil that is soaked into the Flywheel and clutch. DO NOT BREATH IN THE FUMES!!!

This really works quite well, and surprisingly neither the clutch disc nor the flywheel will be damaged. Obviously the flywheel must be off the car, or you run the risk setting the car on fire!!!

3: Usually one burn is sufficient on the clutch disc, The flywheel may require two or three burns. You can tell when the oil is burnt off as the smoke will change color ( Oil smoke is very black ). The oil will also burn for longer than the Brake Cleaner. Lightly sand the clutch disc after the final burn off to remove any charring.

Like I said, last ditch effort...but it really works.

[sabbySC]

Worst case scenario. Clutch is glazed over and buggered from oil contamination and insufficient break-in. Mechanic refuses to cover clutch replacement due to a " come back " ( Installation shop error ).

There is a "last ditch" method that sometimes recovers an oil contaminated clutch disc and flywheel.
We used to do to this truck flywheels and brake drums when they got contaminated with oil.

1: Pull the flywheel and clutch. Clean as much of the clutch disc and flywheel as you can with Brake Clean. If the disc is glazed, break the glaze with some 100 -120 grit sand paper or Emery. Don't over do it. Just break up the surface glaze.

2: Now soak the clutch disc and flywheel in Brake Clean again. Set them on fire with a Propane Torch. This will burn off the oil that is soaked into the Flywheel and clutch. DO NOT BREATH IN THE FUMES!!!

This really works quite well, and surprisingly neither the clutch disc nor the flywheel will be damaged. Obviously the flywheel must be off the car, or you run the risk setting the car on fire!!!

3: Usually one burn is sufficient on the clutch disc, The flywheel may require two or three burns. You can tell when the oil is burnt off as the smoke will change color ( Oil smoke is very black ). The oil will also burn for longer than the Brake Cleaner. Lightly sand the clutch disc after the final burn off to remove any charring.

Like I said, last ditch effort...but it really works.

That's interesting, I guess when the time comes I'll have to try this out I know the time will eventually come as I do have an affinity for beater vehicles that like to break.

[1.8tguy94]

I don't really beat on it much...and the smell isn't very often just every now and then. And I know the clutch is definitely not slipping. I didn't hardly even drive it between the new clutch and new main seal. The smell is less and less noticeable when I do smell it. Maybe its something else. Its not rotten eggs. It honestly smells like burning sewage...I don't know how else to describe it

[1.8tguy94]

and the clutch is over 3000 kms old

[PoorMansDub]

Look for a split in your CV boot. I had the same smell on my MK3. It smells like a garbage disposal especially if the car isnt moving or right after it moves from a stop after the car is nice and hot and been driven at high speeds/rpms.

Side note: They could have fubared an axle boot when removing your trans...

[Chickenman35]

and the clutch is over 3000 kms old

OK..well 3,000kms does not = " Brand New " as stated earlier. Something else then I'd reckon. Definitely check the CV Boot as PMD suggested

Are you sure one of your buddies didn't tie a rotting fish to the under belly

[sabbySC]

OK..well 3,000kms does not = " Brand New " as stated earlier. Something else then I'd reckon. Definitely check the CV Boot as PMD suggested

Are you sure one of your buddies didn't tie a rotting fish to the under belly

I ran over some Road Kill once, it was Salmon. Car stunk to high heaven for a week, Even after I washed it. Turned out some of the rotting Salmon was mushed up inside the fender liner...Yuck!!

Hah, running over salmon isn't a common experience, was it a pink?

[sabbySC]

It was pink..and red and multiple other colors after I ran over it

Funny thing was, it only stank in the afternoon, when it got hotter. In the cool mornings you really couldn't smell it

I lived on the coast for 5 yrs, I know the salmon runs well

[1.8tguy94]

hahahaha, most definitely not that for me! Honestly the last week I haven't smelt it...maybe its all good now///

[hitop]

it cause your catalityc converter gets realy hot while the hard accseleratiion

[1.8tguy94]

and that makes an awful smell?

[Chickenman35]

and that makes an awful smell?

It does..but you said in Post #14 that it did not smell like " Rotten eggs "...which is exactly what a hot or bad Catalytic Converter smells like. That's why most of us didn't pursue that diagnosis any further.

[1.8tguy94]

maybe it is a rotten egg smell. To me its not but it could be haha.

[1.8tguy94]

so I had the smell again today. It was actually more of a clutch smell mixed with something else. It was after I reversed up our steep driveway...put the fan on 2 and it almost choked you up! Maybe there is oil in the clutch area from the main seal?

[Blk95VR6]

Okay, all the "off topic" posts have been removed, as some people found some of the comments and pictures disturbing. If you can offer up something to help the OP then do so, let's not get his thread off track again, please.


Mike

[Mindfault]

is ur flywheel cover still on ur engine?

[1.8tguy94]

describe the cover

[groggory]

describe the cover

Thin metal sheet that is bolted in place between your block and your transmission bell housing. In particular, covers up an open gap where you would be able to see your flywheel from under the car.

[1.8tguy94]

I'm pretty sure it's covered. I'll have to look under it but I'm sure it's there.

[Mindfault]

yeah, if it isnt there, it leaves room for contaminants to get into it. check it out, if its open see if there is oil and what not collecting in the bell housing

[1.8tguy94]

Well I looked...pretty sure its there lol, everything looks normal