Whenever I step on the gas hard to get around someone or to merge safetly, I smell something burning like bad brake smell, but it's not the brakes. What could it be? It goes away after several minutes of normal driving.

What is your question?

I My car is running fine after 128,000 miles. I have oil changed and fluids, belts checked every 4,000 miles or so. But now I am getting a burning smell whenever I step on the gas to merge or get around someone. The smell goes away after 5 minutes or so, but I'm wondering what that smell is.

rickg2 in Portland OR

·

Mar 3, 2018

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1 Reply

Popular Answer
casey40510on Mar 3, 2018

Hello, Do you have a manual transmission or automatic?

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rickg2on Mar 3, 2018

Automatic.

casey40510on Mar 3, 2018

Ok, you may be smelling your exhaust. There is a sulfur smell that is emitted when high load is demanded from the engine, and this is because raw gasoline is being burned in the catalytic converter. It will dissipate as soon as all of that raw fuel is burned and the fumes are cleared from the exhaust. Otherwise, I wonder if you are smelling a slipping/melting drive belt... Check the drive belt for wear, cracking, fraying on the sides, and listen closely for any chirps or squeals when you press the gas hard. Squealing and chirping under power will indicate a failing drive belt tensioner as well.

rickg2on Mar 3, 2018

Thank you Casey! If the drive belt and tensioner are fine, is the sulfur smell from the exhaust a normal thing, something not to worry about under those high load situations?

casey40510on Mar 3, 2018

No problem. The sulfur smell is normal when driving at normal speeds, then hitting the gas hard, then driving at normal speeds again. Your check engine light will pop on if there is an issue with the air to fuel ratio, so no worries there. With this as the only symptom, if the belt and tensioner are OK, I recommend monitoring to ensure you don't smell it any more frequently. You could find a back road, let the engine heat up, drive at a normal speed, hit the gas hard and then stop the car (leave the engine running). If the smell coming from the exhaust is your smell, you know you're OK.

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