[AbhiJ]

Just noticed a peculiar issue with my Honda CRV 2.0.

The car is 3.5 yrs old, done only about 20000 kms, regularly serviced @ Honda A.S.S. and still under the extended warranty.

If I rev up the car (6000 rpm-6500 rpm - just BEFORE redline) after a couple of seconds, a smell is noticed in the car cabin.

The smell is noticible even when the A/C is on and ventilation off. The smell is even apparent even when the car is moving.

Under normal driving conditions, there is no smell whatsoever.

Do I need to be worried? Is this normal?

[mayankjha1806]

Could you describe the smell, what kind of smell. Petrol smell, or something else. Another way to check this out is don't rev the engine hard and after a regular drive open the bonnet and does it smell i.e. the smell is there under the bonnet but not in the cabin, this way you know its always there but revving it hard makes it enter the cabin.

When metal heats up (Engine) it does give out a strange smell, and sometimes gives a metal burn smell if there is something wrong (mostly around bore and piston but this happens when the engine is new.

[AbhiJ]

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

Could you describe the smell, what kind of smell. Petrol smell, or something else. Another way to check this out is don't rev the engine hard and after a regular drive open the bonnet and does it smell i.e. the smell is there under the bonnet but not in the cabin, this way you know its always there but revving it hard makes it enter the cabin.

When metal heats up (Engine) it does give out a strange smell, and sometimes gives a metal burn smell if there is something wrong (mostly around bore and piston but this happens when the engine is new.

Thanks for the reply.

Its not a petrol smell for sure... its something else, but very tough to describe.
Today morning, I tried opening the bonnet and smelling after a 20 km drive but failed to notice any smell.

Does it mean there is something wrong with the engine ?

[mayankk]

clutch burn, i feel.
Does it smell like a burning cloth?

[Akshay1234]

Its most likely the burning clutch smell. I've noticed it in a couple of cars.

[suhaas307]

I don't understand. Why would you get the smell of a burning clutch when the car is being pushed flat-out and being revved up to 6000 RPM. I've noticed the burning clutch smell in all my cars. But the only time I'd noticed it was when I'd tried stupid stunts like wheel-spins.

That said, I can't think of any other reason apart from a burning clutch.

[humyum]

Burning clutch smell, Happens in the swift petrol too. Normal. Dont worry about it.

[racer_m]

It definitely seems to be a case of smell from the heated/burning clutch.
I recently observed it on my figo on the Ooty trip. After a much spirited drive climbing up the twisty roads, I felt a pungent smell in the cabin.
Decided to take a break for me as well as the poor car, and opened the bonnet. yes the smell was all around and I did get a bit nervous for the same.
However a Qualis driver was around and reassured me that its common when the clutch is used while heavy revving. After cooling down it should not smell.
Its been over a month now in Bangalore and I have never got the smell again.

[maverhick]

I have an Opel corsa and I started getting petrol fumes into the car. First suspect was a leak. But there wasn't one. This one stumped all mechanics for an extended period of time. Until a mechanic knew about the Corsa and mentioned that it might be due to a Exhaust Gas Recirculation setup the Corsa has. I don't know if he is BSing. But will try to see if the fix helps. Don't know if the CRV might have something similar. Just putting this out - not sure if it helps.

[mayankjha1806]

For the clutch burning smell to come, the car needs to be in gear, clutch engaged or the car needs to be moving and clutch been used heavily. From the post @AbhiJ i got a feeling that the car is stationary and in neutral, and revving high in neutral wouldn't give a clutch burn smell. Do let us know more details @AbhiJ so as folks can help.

[dhawcash]

Hi,
i think i know what smell you are talking about. Its not exactly a clutch burning smell, but comes in when the engine is revved hard for more than a few minutes. Happens with my esteem. The smell is not really pungent, and has a light (but unmistakable) flavor to it (which cannot place..)
The smell comes only during spirited driving (like accelerating hard on a highway- often hitting the redline) even on level ground. I don't slip the clutch while doing it- just give it gas in gear. The smell goes away once normal (sane) driving is resumed.

my (wild) guess is it comes from burning of dust particles settled on the engine , radiator fins and related parts as engine heats up more on being revved hard. Now many may object that dust is a kind of ceramic (silica) and cannot be burnt, but the fine powder may have other constituents as well ( tyre dust, pollen, organic matter etc)
Also,sometimes some traces of oil also seep through the various gaskets as the oil pressure in a high revving engine is really high. it cannot be called leakage. That oil may also get vaporized and produce that smell. My esteem's tappet cover has some traces of oil around the gasket too. I'm sure its not leaking as its not running off and the oil level hasn't dropped a bit since more than 4 months.

whatever the reason is, i really don't think it is harmful.

[nishantmohan]

I get the same smell(turpentine 'ish) in my city zx. It happens when AC is on and ventilation off and when i rev to 3k rpm in 2nd gear. My car has done abt 50k kms and i started noticing it after about 30k kms.

I mentioned it several times to the service guys, they never did anything about it.

[AbhiJ]

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

From the post @AbhiJ i got a feeling that the car is stationary and in neutral, and revving high in neutral wouldn't give a clutch burn smell. Do let us know more details @AbhiJ so as folks can help.

Great Idea. Thanks.

Will try revving the car in neutral to see if the smell is coming.

Originally Posted by dhawcash

The smell is not really pungent, and has a light (but unmistakable) flavor to it (which cannot place..)
The smell comes only during spirited driving (like accelerating hard on a highway- often hitting the redline) even on level ground. I don't slip the clutch while doing it- just give it gas in gear. The smell goes away once normal (sane) driving is resumed..

You just described the smell better than I ever could.

The conditions also match.

[Akshay1234]

Do you rev the car regularly? I've got this smell only in cars which aren't revved alot, or not regularly. And by revving I mean redline revs.

[AbhiJ]

Akshay, not regularly...

Near redline..... once every month or two....