Hey all, who knows about cars?? I know a bit but am confused about this!
I recently posted "alarm wont stop going off" on astra G convert page - good news all sorted! sorted its self out!!
Howeva... I had a very steep driveway and i noticed last week that when reversing up it there is a nasty burning mechanical smell!!
Today i was driving it again and when driving up a hill in slow moving traffic it started to do it again! This time it was so strong i thought the car was going to blow up or something! I checked the exhaust (whilst in traffic, looked like an idiot!!) and also smelt the bonnet area, nothing, no nasty smells!
I thought it could be the cat, but why would the smell only be coming through the air vents?? Someone else said it could be the clutch because it is putting strain on it when up hills, biting point in traffic etc!! But again, why only through the vents???
The smell is so strong, it makes your throat sore. my GF was nearly sick.
As i bought it from the garage last week it has 3 months warranty, so if i can find out the problem i will take it there and tell um to sort it!
Any ideas guys?
Thanks
Dan
I know its tempting to shout about this but it was toned down !
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 19/01/2008 at 21:03
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Check the pollen filter, Vauxhall dealers are notorious for not changing them during servicing - they should be replaced every 20,000 miles or 2 years.
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many cars take their fresh cabin air from below the windscreen, so if the engine compartment fills with smoke, it will come into the car. A pollen filter may remove larger particulates, but not smells unless it is a black looking charcoal containing one (which it is on many cars).
Even that will have its work cut out for strong smells.
Sounds like a classic symptom of Clutch burning. The classic test is to either try accelerating in top gear up a moderate hill (revs go up with speed increase) or releasing the clutch against the handbrake and seeing if it stalls (not a fan of this, as I thing it strains everything). If it stalls it is OK, it it revs and smells, then it is going.
Saying this many clutches will smell slightly reversing up a steep drive and doing this regularly will shorten the life of the clutch. At least going in forward you have momentum to help you.
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Also feel your wheels at the end of a journey to see if they are hot, if a brake is draggind, it will cause a stench. Probably the front ones if you can smell it that much.
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I had an Astra where the headgasket O ring seal had gone sufficiently for oil to weep from the head/block joint to allow oil to drip onto the hot exhaust.
A new head gasket cured it.
Ron
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