What are some of the most common automotive smells that can be identified by the vehicle owner? A very common smell is that of burning engine oil. Leaking valve cover gaskets will cause the oil to drip onto the exhaust manifold, resulting in a pungent smell. Usually, there is some detectable smoke associated with that as well, which will cause the eyes to water. Tightening the valve cover bolts or nuts may be all that is required; however, in many cases, the valve cover gasket will have to be replaced.
Anti-freeze smell is a very sweet smell and is usually detected inside the vehicle. This is usually due to a heater core that is leaking. A green, damp spot on the front passenger side carpet or mat is usually evidence of the leak. Unfortunately, this indicates that the heater core, which is similar to a radiator, will have to be replaced.
Electrical smells are very strong, a sure sign that something is burning. The plastic insulation around the wires usually melts first, and in extreme cases, can catch fire. This problem is generally a result of an electrical circuit shorting out in the car. It could be the starter motor shorting out or the alternator burning out. That odour will enter the vents into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. It will be evident and often obvious where this type of smell is coming from. It emits a smell similar to burning rubber. A starter motor that is jammed in the flywheel will try to keep on spinning until the engine is stopped. That is burning insulation, and the temperature on the starter motor can reach several hundred degrees.
Fuel smells can be nauseating. A fuel smell will be a raw smell, similar to the smell you experience when taking off your gas cap when you fill up at the service station. This is usually the result of a leak in the fuel tank, fuel filter, carburetor/fuel injection system, or a fuel line in the engine compartment. Most motorists can readily detect fuel smells.
An exhaust leak, which is caused by a leaking catalytic converter or leaking exhaust system, can be a choking odour that can burn your eyes. If your car has open heater vents or if there is a panel that is rusted or cracked to allow the gases to enter the passenger compartment, which acts like a vacuum, especially if you open your car’s windows, then carbon monoxide will enter the vehicle. We are all aware that carbon monoxide in a closed environment can kill you. Exhaust problems should be repaired by a qualified automotive technician as soon as they are detected.
If your car or truck is running a rich fuel mixture, the exhaust emissions will smell like fuel. When a vehicle runs rich, it means that raw fuel entering the combustion chamber does not burn completely, and raw fuel comes out of the exhaust.
Finally, automatic transmission fluid smells, particularly with larger vehicles, are a very common problem. When the oil seal is leaking at the rear of the automatic transmission, the torque converter at the front, or seals on the selector shaft, will leak oil that falls on the exhaust pipe near the rear of the vehicle. That smell, similar to that of burning engine oil, is a strong odour, but slightly different, and will enter the passenger compartment.
Determining the unusual smells and sounds you are experiencing with your vehicle will be of immense help to the mechanic or automotive service technician you decide to take your car or truck to. Today, with increasingly sophisticated cars and trucks, a simple method of pinpointing the problem will not only give your mechanic or automotive technician a welcome head start in solving your problem, but it will invariably translate into real savings for you. And really, why not use our two investigative senses of smell and hearing? They don’t cost us anything to use, do they?