Vdubjetta02

In the last two weeks I have noticed my car smelling terrible after it is warmed up.

-i was 50 miles Into a drive last weekend, smelled that horrible burnt rubber smell and assumed I had just gotten a flat tire at 75 MPH, so I got off at the next exit and pulled over. No flat tire, smell was coming from my engine. Checked all fluids and was good all around. I let the car sit for 45 minutes as I sold some parts to another RL member here. And drove home

-Drove 6 miles to my parents house yesterday, got out and smelled again. Drove 6 miles home and my garage smelled for about 3 hours. It smells identical to when you get a flat on the interstate and roll on the tire a bit before stopping.

I am stumped... My car doesn't have one leak. My garage floor is spotless, my engine bay is clean, all fluids appear to be good.

Gonzo911

Totally normal. It's called "Porsche Perfume" and caused by either cosmoline burning off your undercarriage or your tires are cooking a bit since they sit just under the exhaust.

Or...your engine is about to blow up (but I doubt it)...

Vdubjetta02

Lol, I guess it didn't notice the smell this summer as my fans were always running when I turned the car off, but now that it's only 45 degrees I am noticing my fans are not kicking on after I turn it off.

tekkie

i just got mine last week and after the first drive i was like oh crap something smells like its burning, what did i just buy! fearing the worse i searched on here and then i found all the threads about this being normal lol

Macster

These cars stink. That is normal. What is not normal is for them to stink and one to be able to smell the stink while going down the road, especially at highway speeds. That is if I read/interpret your post correctly.

Couple of things then: One is you were smelling another vehicle. I get this once in awhile in traffic. I catch an odor of anti-freeze -- or gasoline -- and think "oh oh coolant leak" or "oh oh fuel leak" then look around and spot the likely source of the odor.

Or occasionally I'll be driving down the road and pick up some odor from a vehicle ahead of mine.

But the odor could be from your car. The Porsche cabin is vented to a couple of areas in back of the cabin. (In my Boxster these are located on either side of the rear trunk compartment and vent under the rear bumper cover.) These vents are "sealed" by the means of very pliable rubber flaps. These open when there is pressure in the cabin and normally close when the cabin pressure drops. These vents are located in a low pressure area that helps evacuate air from the cabin.

If one of these flaps is compromised it is possible for air to flow from behind the car into the car. I don't think one is at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning but he could be subjected to the odor of a hot engine mixed with possibly some hot rubber smell.

If you continue to smell the odors you described while under way you might want to consider having the cabin ventilation exit vents checked for proper operation.

Schnell Gelb

Get it up on a hoist. Poke round near the exhaust system. Run the engine with the car up on the hoist. It should be quite clear what the problem is once the smell starts. This is not a task for a novice- running a car while it is on jack stands/lifts/hoists is potentially dangerous .

mcfisticuffs

Little bits of rubber flying off your tyres land on your mufflers.

ditto

That's the smell of a 911. The rear wheel wells only cover the front half of the space, so rubber gets onto the mufflers. You learn to love it.

kromdom

eau de Porsche No 996

Vdubjetta02

Thanks guys, I just didn't notice it a ton this summer but it has become prevelant lately... I'm also learning to slide my car controlled around corners so it may be rubber on exhaust

Wickedgood911

+996

Flat6 Innovations

The first thing I think of when I smell rubber from the engine bay is the drive belt. I'd remove it and inspect it, then look for some accessory that has some mechanical issue, creating more load on the drive belt. This can make it slip, and that makes the rubber smell occur.

The alternator and power steering pump are the most common unit to fail. Don't rule out a failing water pump bearing, either.

Triple Black