McCulla

I've been lucky (or more likely unaware enough) to have not conclusively gotten the smell of burning clutch pad locked into my mind. I have a newer clutch (about 10K miles/8 months ago). I do know how to use a clutch, lol! (I've had over a dozen, never had one go bad). My car has suddenly begun to smell after driving, seems like burning rubber, but not exactly like that. Only from the rear wheel arches, not when I raise the engine lid. Interestingly, when I engage and release the clutch pedal while driving, I have quite a bit of vibration in the pedal on push and release, almost like something is not "centric" on a shaft?? This did not occur with the original clutch. By the way, the clutch was replaced at my request when I updated the IMS bearing as a precaution. This work was done at about 55K miles. The question is, is burning clutch smell pretty similar to burning rubber, or should I look for some other reason for this? Thanks!!

Chaos

$$$$$$$$$$

Bruce In Philly

What does burning clutch smell like?

FUN

Peace
Bruce in Philly

extanker

have a shop [smell] look at it.clutch does not smell like rubber

McCulla

Thanks extanker

Fahrer

Burning clutches smell just like burning brakes. You should not have a lot of vibration when pushing the clutch pedal though.

cvtbenhogan

I often smell something like gunsmoke. I assume its the comosline engine coating. Any thoughts?

One911

sulfur

Tcc1999

It's sort of like obscenity (you can't define it but you know it when you see it). A burning clutch is a sickly heavy smell, there is nothing subtle about it. If your clutch is vibrating and you are noticing a smell, well, I agree with the above, have a shop take a look at at as something is awry.

McCulla

Thanks for the responses. Appt Tuesday.

SecretAsianMan

When I first got my car I frequently noticed a rubbery smell after a long drive.. So I made a point to go for a drive and at my destination coast to a stop in neutral so there was no clutch engaging/disengaging and sure enough the smell persisted. I ignored it, and it went away.

Lvt19672

A burning clutch smells like crap, pardon my French

Rotmilky

Could you be smelling coolant? The reason I ask is that the coolant reservoir sits just above the driver side wheel. Below the reservoir is one of the muffler expansion baffles (or whatever it's called). I had a crack in my coolant reservoir that would leak when the engine got hot. It took forever to find that leak because the coolant would drop down on the hot muffler parts and then evaporate. So I never saw a drip, but I could smell it. That wouldn't explain why your clutch vibrates, but could explain a smell concentrated in the driver wheel well.

StormRune

I'm thinking that it may be possible that you have two different things here. The clutch vibration things certainly sounds like something you should have a pro look at, and it certainly could be related to the smell (although clutch burning smell is a lot different from rubber smell).

The rubber smell is something I occasionally get after especially spirited driving. I've seen mention somewhere in a forum that this is often attributable to small bits of tire rubber scrubbed off during hard cornering or acceleration getting thrown up onto the muffler and exhaust parts. This makes a lot of sense. I know when I used to drag race I'd have to clean rubber bits off my motorcycle or car.

I've also seen tar do this, but this probably isn't the right time of the year for that.

Edgy01

It's always good to be aware of the smells associated with a Porsche. The latest ones have new smells that you need to recognize as an owner.

(1) Cosmoline burning off the bottom of the engine. After you get the engine hot. (Remove that stuff it you want to fully eliminate the smell).

(2) Brakes. Today's brakes have considerably more metal in them so the smell has a highly metallic smell to them.

(3) Clutch. The clutch smell is distintive. Where you want to smell that smell is behind a large truck on a long downgrade--very similar to brake linings--only more pungent. Whenever I smell that smell in a Porsche dollar-signs begin to appear in my head.

(4) Coolant--EGW. A sickly sweet smell. Begin to troubleshoot by checking the coolant level and looking for drips or seepage.

(5) Windshield cleaner. Like spilled Windex. The factory stuff has a distinctive smell, however. If you are smelling it and didn't use your systems recently you may have a cracked line or cracked reservoir. Watch for puddles.

(6) Brake Fluid. Nearly no smell to that unless you are right next to it. The better test if you see it is to feel it. It has a greasy feel to it. Do not get that crap on your finish. Any paint will be ruined by it.

(7) Battery Acid. Usually what you will smell is not the fluid, but the sulfur smell when it turns to a gaseous state. Tells me that the voltage regulator is defective by over charging the battery. Deal with quickly or you will destroy a battery. The steam is very damaging to components, and very destructive to paint.

(8) Tire wear. After some spirited driving the rear area of the car will smell of rubber. Most of that is very normal. After all, the Porsche 911 has all that heat back there, that, when coupled with the heat generated by driving them, will produce a special odor that scares many new to 911 drivers. If it is excessive rubber smell, you may need to look within the engine compartment for things that could fail like a slightly out of alignment serpentine belt.

Summary. Know your smells. They are generally your first clue to an issue with the car--but don't get excited about the ones that don't matter (e.g., tires overheating and cosmoline).