Least favorite automotive smell

geowit wrote: Just dropped the fuel tank on a 1st gen RX-7 and the contents were a cross between varnish and upchuck. My brother got a face full and almost added to the aroma.

I know that smell... the tank of my ES emits a similar aroma... Poor Dale...

oh yeah, Gear oil for sure, Peeeeeyewww!

I would rate the burned clutch above gear oil, having partaken in both about equally. The way the clutch smell lingers in the car for a while is what puts it on top for me. Also bad is the smell of a damp moldy interior after, I don't know, 2 years.

Burned clutch is somewhat satisfactory though.

For me it's definitely a 2-way tie between burned coolant and red wheel bearing grease... those 2 things just make me sick.

The dead bird my dog snuck into the car and hid under the back seat for a few days.

I berkeleying HATE the smell of coolant. Oddly, gear oil doesn't really bother me. Pungent, yes. Impossible to clear out, yes. But my farts share the same properties, and I can't get enough of that E36 M3.

In no particular order: bad gasoline (too many carb jobs on old bikes), hot coolant, old fork oil (basically gear lube, but fishier).

poopshovel wrote: I berkeleying HATE the smell of coolant. Oddly, gear oil doesn't really bother me. Pungent, yes. Impossible to clear out, yes. But my farts share the same properties, and I can't get enough of that E36 M3.

Some one likes his own brand

Not automotive but the worst, thing that I've ever smelled was an M1 abrahms, when those suckers fire up man, you WILL gag. The air feels about 10 times thicker, and hotter.

Limited slip additive. Smells like tomcat piss.

Hot coolant gets my vote. Mostly because it's indicating that something is about to cost me money.

Gear oil has never really bothered me, and I looove the smell of gasoline. old or new, doesn't matter much to me.

geowit wrote: Just dropped the fuel tank on a 1st gen RX-7 and the contents were a cross between varnish and upchuck. My brother got a face full and almost added to the aroma.

I picked up that Datsun roadster that had varnished gasoline in the tank for 17 years. Aweful smell.

I actually like the smell of 85w90 gear oil but I agree it never goes away if it gets on your jeans.

Appleseed wrote: Limited slip additive. Smells like tomcat piss.

you have experience in dealing with Tomcat piss?

I think burning coolant, maybe because I've had to do a couple jobs on my cars that were notice because of this smell.

You can't argue with burning clutch, burning brakes, or electronics though. One time I heard someone call the electronics smoke the "magic smoke." My garage reeks of axhole oil right now so no arguing about that one.

So, upon mentioning this thread to a friend - he has the showstopper.

His wife's water broke in the car, and since one does not stop to clean up such a mess at a time like that... 3 days later one trades in the car because it smells like rotting human goo.

Chalk up another vote for used gear oil. It is the poster-child for toxic waste, both in stank and appearance. I think the transmission shavings add a metallic bouquet to an already disgusting smell. My Army buddy got a whiff of it and offered to let me borrow his HAZMAT gear the next time I change the stuff.

My dad can't stand the smell of my FC's exhaust when I start it up. I thought it was kinda gross at first, but it's growing on me now. All my pals can tell when I've been driving my FC because of the faint scent of eau de rotary that lingers after I step out.

Gear oil - yuck. Burnt clutch - just hurts my ego if I'm responsible. Speaking of odd interiors - my Dad leased a dodge Minivan from his company sometime in the late 80s-early 90s that smelled like bad fish when it sat in the sun. It was brand new, but there was something they were using in the interiors that was god-awful. Worst "new-car-smell" ever.

The one I hate the most isn't just any ole gear oil....it's GM brand synthetic gear oil FRESH with GRAPE SCENT! OMFG burnt, new, etc it'll make you want to vomit ASAP. I managed to get some in my nose somehow and started yakking all over the shop.

mad_machine wrote:

Appleseed wrote: Limited slip additive. Smells like tomcat piss.

you have experience in dealing with Tomcat piss?

Yes. I had a marmalade tom. Total badass. Would pick fights with dogs and raccoons for fun. Occasionally peed in the house. The only cat I had worth a damn.

Tom Heath wrote: ... I looove the smell of gasoline. old or new, doesn't matter much to me.

While I like the smell of pump gas and the smell of a race car running ever so slightly rich, 110 low lead av gas makes me queasy.

Clutch/seized brakes

Every time a car in front of me is emitting one of these odors, I immediately think "ZOMG--is that my car???!?!?!?!"

billy3esq wrote:

Tom Heath wrote: ... I looove the smell of gasoline. old or new, doesn't matter much to me.

While I like the smell of pump gas and the smell of a race car running ever so slightly rich, 110 low lead av gas makes me queasy.

i must admit that i think heaven smells of racegas exhaust... cars running on GT100 have this lovely sweet smell...

Worst car smell is rotting fish exhaust taped to the top of the muffler...

Best smell is Avgas through the exhaust

I don't know if anyone has ever smelled the fluid inside E30 bumper shocks, but that smell never goes away...awful.

I think I have pulled too many POS old british cars our of the woods. A few years ago, for about a week, I kept wondering why I was in an exceptionally good mood every time I walked through the driveway. I finally realized it was the small of stale gas leaking from the most recent LBC stashed in the side yard.

aussiesmg wrote: Worst car smell is rotting fish exhaust taped to the top of the muffler... Best smell is Avgas through the exhaust

never did a fish atop the muffler.. but kippers on the aircleaner of a 350 do not smell so good. Also Limburger cheese placed atop the air inlet for the heater will quickly piss off your friends