hiredgoon

OK figure this one out
After driving for a while, and stopping at a stop light or something...when I start going again this really bad smell like burning oil comes into the interior (esp when the vents are open/heater is on with fresh air)
My car does not use any oil nor does it really leak. There is a small oil leak at the breather tube but that shouldn't be significant. It doesn't leak coolant either.
My clutch is going (it slips like mad when quickly shifting) I'm not sure that could cause the smell...my radiator steams a bit but that could just be the winter weather and all the moisture in the air and such.
Another thing I noticed was a bit of steam coming out from under the manifold heat sheild, but it could have been something totally unrelated. Again not sure.

My car runs fine so it can't be anything too serious
Help please!

browntrout

Yeah, my car (2000 1.8L)stinks to when I come to a stop. Here's my observations of when it happens. Usually it only happens when the car is warming up (temp guage is about 1/8th of the way up). It usually only happens when the heat is on also and is starting to pump out warm air. Usually happens on colder days or days when it's snowing or raining. Didn't happen at all (or at least that I new of) the first year I owned the car.

The smell is not really a burnt oil smell to me. It's more of a rotten smell. I don't think it's coming from the exhast becuase 1) I've smelled the exhaust comming out of the pipe and it smells normal, 2) the fan/heater is on when I get the smell. There is no exhaust leak anywhere that I can see and the engine compartment doesn't stink when I lift of the hood. I'm thinkning it has something to do with the heater core or antifreeze that supplies it. I asked them to check out last oil change but my dealership suck ***. They did and emmisions test and that's it. Didn't even bother to look at all. The car was in and out in like 20 min (including the oil change) so they obviously were not very thorough.

My car runs fine as well. The smell is a little annoying though. I guess I'll pay attention now with the warmer weather and see if it happens (or if it happens with the AC on in the summer). My cousin has a 2001 Protege and says she gets a similar smell. It might just be something to do with colder climates. I live in Montreal.

Hiredgoon, if you go get your car checked out for this, let me know what happens and if they find anything. Maybe your service dept. is better than mine.