So I smell something like grilled meat when I start up. I checked and there are no animals living in the exhaust and the smell only occurs right a start up.

any ideas?

thanks,

Ken

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89 964 C4
88 Mazda Mx6
92 Yamaha Seca II

 

When I pulled my engine the first time after buying the car in '01 I found a lightly grilled mouse on the top of my passenger side cylinder bank. It was totally dried and had long since lost any smell but I can imagine it might have been a little stinky the first couple of weeks after it died!

Jim G.

 

I know I get pretty excited every time I fire up the flat-6.

Perhaps you should check your rear-end.

 

I think Jim hit it on the head. I can remember my Dad parking in some places in Washington DC... In winter... The rats or mice would flock to his warm engine. He found several dead critters on his engine from time to time. Perhaps you parked somewhere and unkowingly offered a warm home to a critter who is now deep fried to a crackly crunch.

You didn't say whether the smelll was in the cabin or outside by the exhaust. I imagine it could be the exhaust. I have smelled that before, mainly with diesel engines though... But I have smelled it with gas engines as well.

 

Well that makes me less worried...the smell is not in the exhaust, it is just noticable around the car. I'll give her a few weeks to see if it finishes toasting the little critter.

cheers,

Ken

_________________
89 964 C4
88 Mazda Mx6
92 Yamaha Seca II

 

Make sure there are other little critters by your wiring harness and belts, even in Fl I had them F up a good timing job and almost through a belt, now I have those sonic deals you plug into an electrical outlet and that keeps them away, at least for now.

 

I would be careful to let it fix itself... rodents LOVE to chew on electric wire insulation.
It is probably safe to assume that the cookin' critter is going to do any damage to your car, but the survivors may want revenge. :-)