I know this sounds really crazy but I hope I'm not the only one to experience it...

Sometimes while driving aggressively I experience a mild smell that stinks like someone laid a fart.. I know this is nuts.. It usually dissipates after a few seconds. It only happens if I need to do something aggressive.. like downshift real quick/aggressive and floor it to pass a car.. I don't know if its something in the engine, or the tires or what. I saw another post about a burning smell that may be the clutch. I guess this could be the clutch as well, but it's definitely more of a light fart smell than a burning. No other way to describe it.

Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone know of a fluid or anything that could produce such a smell?

 

I'm pretty sure that's the clutch. Even though I don't have a stick, and have never driven stick, when I was test driving the crossfire, the dealer took me out in a stick with them driving to show the performance, and the guy didn't know how to drive stick at all...scared me half to death. we made it around the block once before he had to bring it back cause he was destroying that car. When we got back, there was the most awful smell, and someone said that was the clutch. I feel bad for whoever bought that car!

 

It could be the transmission fluid. You might want to check the tranny fluid level to make sure you have enough and aren't burning your gears to death. The owner's manual should tell you where and how to check the fluid level. You'll need a special square wrench to unlock the nut ... or take it into the dealership and they'll check it. It will be much easier to check if you have a lift for the car and can take one of the wheels off. It shouldn't take more than 30 minutes to check, though, if you have all the stuff. At least that's usually how one would go about checking the tranny fluid level. It may be easier or harder on different cars.

But are the gears engaging properly? Are they making any noticeable noise, probably a high-pitched whining or scraping noise?

 

well, this is one case where it would help to actually own one...there is no "user check" on a crossfire. no trans dip-stick. dealer is to replace fluid at 100,000 miles and that's it. doubt that's the issue anyway. burning trans-fluid doesn't smell like he's describing.

dan

 

Just a thought -- maybe somehow under those conditions, the smell from the catalytic converter is getting into the cabin.

Or, you might check the timing and relationship of your last meal to the excitement of romping on the gas and gears -- sorry but I had to do it :mrgreen:

 

errmmm... is this just after eating some Coney Island chili dogs :?: :roll: :?:

 

The smell is sulfur oxide and is usually caused by using a brand of gas that is high in sulfur or the catalytic converter is not operating normally. Try a different brand of gas and if the smell persists, then get it checked out at the dealer.

 

I have the same problem when I am beating on it a bit. I think its the cat its brand new so some romping has to smell. Ever notice when you're behind a new car and he gets on it a bit. You smell it. I guess its just breaking in, but i'll tell you one thing if this happens past 7,000 miles i'm bringing it back. Plus if anything breaks so what, i got the warranty and get a rental for free. It'll spare me the miles and gas on my car for the week.

 

There is no transmission fluid level dipstick on any car. The dipstick would be torn to shards and destroy the transmission. There's usually a bolt on the side of the transmission about 2 to 3 inches up from the bottom that you can unscrew (with a special kind of automotive wrench) and reach your finger into the transmission. If you can feel oil at the bottom edge of the inside of the bolt then you have enough transmission fluid. If you have to curl your finger down then there isn't enough and you should top it off. If he's burning tranny fluid, which usually smells like raw eggs, than that's bad and he should either check and refill as necessary or take it in and have the dealership look into it.

Or it could be something totally different. The tranny fluid was my first guess because it's the easiest for a person to check on their own.

 

I also mentioned this to my dealer. He said it was most likely just the cat's breaking in. Keep your interior vents closed as it can leak into the interior. I had the misfortune of having the smell somewhat stain my interior. Took a couple days to air out properly.

 

speaking of dipsticks...

ok, somebody explain to me why a good guy like crossfire tech leaves when...oh, well.

nevermind.

dan

 

no tranny dipstick on any car? WHAT? do you realize how stu... oh, crap, nevermind.

 

That explains why the tranny blew up in that old '71 Malibu I had back in high school. If I'd known then what I know now, I'd have sued the bast*rds who put that dipstick in the transmission!

 

Most automatic transmissions have dip sticks.

 

D e p e n d s

 

Good point. You don't have any used Depends in the trunk, do you?

 

Hah! You guys are funny. At least I know now that the fart stench is just my cat. Never had a new car before. Before this, I always bought pre owned.

 

I've noticed the smell as well. 05' Autostick Convertible. Funny thing is, I've never noticed the smell until after I hit 4k miles (now a shade short of 5k miles). I've been standing on the gas pretty hard lately, so I'm hoping it's the cats burning off.

Another thing I've noticed is the sound is slowly starting to change. Sounding more throaty. Is that what happens when the cats burn off?

If I remember correctly, old "cherry bombs" did the same thing.

 

I know the smell, notice it when I lean on it a bit, rotten egg/sulpher odor. Have also noticed this in other cars that I have owned.

 

It's called convertor breath. They used to actually sell an additive you could put in your gas to prevent it. I gyess people weren't into mouth wash for cars.