Does your engine "smell" when it gets hot?

[Doug E]

OK, I know this is going to sound like a crazy question, but does your engine "smell" [see below for clarification] when it gets HOT?

Over the past 2 weeks here in NoVa the temps have soared (95+ degrees) and I have begun to notice that after a drive in this weather (with oil temps typically around 220) a "hot metally" smell coming from the engine bay after parking. There is no burning, no smoke, just a lot of heat and some "crackling / pings" for a few minutes after shutting down.

The best I can describe it is similar to a soldiering iron as you are letting it get hot.

I am assuming it is just because everything is that much hotter due to the weather but thought I'd throw it out there to the board.

TIA

[rs911t]

You said it - "heat". Metal, oil, rubber, grease, paper, oil, bugs, leaves, oil, dirt, etc. Each contributing their personal 220+ F fragrance. Did you ever own an old VW bug? My wife and I each had one. The first time she road in the 911 she said "smells just like the VW!"

[350HP930]

Old hot metal won't smell like anything, but what you are smelling is either moisture or oil vaporizing off your hot motor.

If you have an older 911 you probably have a little seepage you are smelling.

A heating up soldiering iron usually stinks from hand oils and other organic contaminants buring off of it.

Thats also what my motor smelled like at 90K miles.

By 110K it smelled like a waste oil heater.

[pbs911]

I have a lot of snap, crackel and pops after turning the motor off after a hard drive. The sounds come from the B$B headers. But you are right, the oil cooled motor has a fragrance all its own. And mine doesn't leak a drop of fluid.

[ZAMIRZ]

Mine does the same thing and doesn't leak a drop of oil either. As long as I can remember the car has smelled like this after a long, hard run.

[KTL]

I get that smell once in a while. Mine doesn't leak a drip either. Mine's more like a rubbery smell though. I think it's the new engine tin gasket getting cooked into shape.

That crackling and pinging from the B&B stuff is WAY louder than my factory stuff. Kinda worries you at first.

[Rick Lee]

I get that smell from both my 911's and they don't leak. The snap, crackle, pop is just your engine cooling off and slightly contracting, as it expands a bit while running hot.

[Doug E]

Thanks for the responses fellas.

I've been familar with the "snap, crackle and pops" since day one. It has only been recently that I've noticed the hot smell.

I'll just chalk this up to one of the many joys of P-car ownership

[Rick Lee]

Speaking of chalk....

5 min. ago I returned from a trip to Pr. Wm. County for cheap gas. On the way into my neighborhood, there was a patch of missing pavement and just white, chalk-like fine gravel and dust, which of course I drove through. As soon as I parked my car, there was this horrendous smell like burning hair. I opened up my decklid and could not notice the smell coming from there. I hope it was just one of neighbors cooking an "ethnic" meal or something.

BTW, word to the wise... I just put the cover on my car and when I went around to adjust it, I saw my left tailpipe had almost burned a hole through the cover. So I think I'll keep it off the exhaust and go back out there in an hour to cover her up fully.

Enough strange smells for today - now it's just the smell of Maker's Mark.

[Gordo2]

Doug,

Last fun run I attended I was glad to notice the parking lot was filled with the aroma of P-Cars. Smelled like oil, brakes and hot metal. Mine wasn't the slightest bit more offensive.

Speaking of fun runs, we should get one going soon so you can sniff the other cars, just to make sure yours is fine .

Gordo