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MG MGF Technical - Burning Rubber Smell

Hi all,

sat in my 1998 MG-F today for a long time in traffic jams around Middlesbrough. Suddenly, and I mean suddenly - one minute nothing then overpowering smell, got a VERY strong smell like a cross between burning rubber and chemicals. I put it down to fumes from other vehicles or possibly something being burnt on a farm or even something from the nearby works. The smell followed me in the traffic for quite a few miles but when the traffic got moving the smell (mostly) went away.

When I got home I opened the boot and had a smell in the engine bay, and there it was very strong again!

Any ideas what this smell might be? has something gone a miss or is this a usual thing? I have heard of the smell of petrol before but this was quite different and it is still very noticeable in the engine bay. I suppose I may have to open it up over the weekend to see if i can find anything melted or charred.

Not sure it will make any difference but when the smell came i was stuck on a hill using my clutch to stop rolling back rather than the handbrake....

Gary

Gary,
Burnt Clutch lining,
Mike
Mike

Sounds like a no-brainer as my US colleagues say
Brian

Had this last Wednesday, turned out to be caused by numerous high speed skids and spins on North Weald Airfield - you should have seen the state of the tyres!

Sorry, feeling mischevious tonight! :-D

SF
Scarlet Fever

:) Well I'd like to of been able to say mine was due to high speed skids and spins, however been stuck in a traffic jam wasn't really conjusive to that kind of stuff.

Anyway, it’s not a burnt clutch lining, had a mechanic have a quick sniff/look and he said straight away it wasn’t that. Different smell apparently, obviously he must have a nose for this kind of stuff.

I got the smell again today, not as strong whilst driving along a country road... got the feeling its probably a rubber tube/hose touching something hot.
Gary


Keep an eye on that coolant, pulled out once from an inclined hill, going to the red line, had a real stench of a similar description. Car garaged overnight left a small pool of coolant under the car and once investigated could see the inlet manifold was leaking ( a very common fault on the ( pre-99 ? ) cars. Guess when they get really hot they go hard and leak - steaming coolant will be sweet smelling.

Beware

Bob
Bob

Gary,

I used to get exactly the same smell whenever I got stuck in traffic especially when on an incline using the clutch in my old F(V reg '99 1.8 mpi), and it seemed to linger for ages. The dealer discovered that it was the clutch but that no damage was being done. It occurred afew more times over the next 6 months or so and then semed to disappear as quickly as it arrived.

HTH Sue. (using Paul's computer) :o)l
Paul Lathwell

This thread was discussed between 26/04/2002 and 27/04/2002

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