What's that smell?

[davidjay]

Over the past week or two I've noticed what can best be described as a smell of hot engine on the driver's side either in slow moving traffic with the window down, or when I've just stopped the car and got out. The engine temperature doesn't seem to be out of the ordinary and I can't see anything split, spilt or overflowing. Is this just one of those things, or a sign of something more sinister?

[Steve440]

I hope I am wrong but mine smelt like that when the turbo started smoking in the morning.

I presume it was the oil in the exhaust.

New turbo and the smell has stopped unless I really rag it.

Steve

[davidjay]

I do hope you're wrong, but thanks.

[sgould]

Check the crankcase vent pipes for splits.

[davidjay]

Update:

The good Lord was looking down with mercy upon an unworthy sinner. A plastic bag was melted round the exhaust pipe, coupled with a load of oil from somewhere, which after careful examination couldn't be traced to any leak and was reckoned to have come from a spillage during a recent service. 

[sgould]

I've had that!  But I realised straight away, fortunately, and put up with the smell until it burned away.

Perils of working on a construction site.

[davidjay]

The funny thing is that we've had it before on both our cars, but I never gave it a thought, mainly because the smell wasn't acrid, or burning, just heat. Mrs CarExpert, of course, knew straightaway what it was....