What the hells that smell?!

[skileptic]

Everytime I rev my engine my stupid car gives this nasty smell and also has this cligging noise like somethings in the way? Another question, I know I need new brakes but its getting worse like when I hit the brakes and completely stop it sounds like im dragging something in the rear? Could it be something other than my brakes? Thanks for the help.

-Roberto (PrOuD 240Sx OwNeR!)

[honda_eater]

well this may not solve your problem but it will sure as h*ll help. Stop calling your car names like "stupid". Recent studies show that a verbally abused car has a tendency to perform poorly. How would you like it if she start calling you a "biatch" every time you got beat at a stop light by a stock VW beetle.....now that I've stuck up for your car, the only idea I have for you are to check/change the oil. best of luck

[ou1848]

It sounds like to me that the dragging sound could be that your rear pads are completely worn away and your grinding your rotors. I had the exact same thing happen to me. I was braking hard once and after that point it sounded like there was something wacked out in the rear. I took the tire off from the side where the noise was coming from and the metal backing of the pad was grinding against the rotor. It was ok though, b/c it gave me a chance to uprgrade ALL the brakes to the 300zx ones

good luck

[stickgoat]

Actually, my guess would be a bad catalytic converter.

They tend to rattle when they get old, they tend to smell bad when they get old, and that rattling can certainly make it sound as though you're dragging something.

Might also check out the muffler itself for similar problems.

[ou1848]

I definately agree with the catalytic converter idea and that also while checking that, check all the heat sheilds for vibrations and rusted bolts. It's amazing what a freakin racket those things can make. Rember that the cat is up front and the sound is in the rear so definately check the brakes!! They're easy to see too.

mark

[skydragoness]

my heat shield rattles also, and i ALSO get a weird smell when i hit the gas or if i have the windows down and i'm driving. the car does not leak oil, burn oil, no smoke from the tailpipes whatsoever. but, i figure, if it's a bad cat, like you guys suggest, then how come my car passed the emissions test earlier this year when i bought it?

[Nick_240]

My car has a wierd smell, but it is because the transmission has a leak and the gear oil burns on the exhaust, but it does that most of the time not just when I gun on it. The grinding is probably the the worn rear break pads digging into the rotors..

[topless@vabeach]

Does it smell like rotten eggs? If so check your Cat. Also see if you can make the sound by putting your car in park and rev the engine a little. Like someone said, when your cat gets old it produces a bad smell. The cat can sometimes destroy itself and crumble a bit. These bits make an bad sound and some times the parts of the cat make it to the Muffler. Once inside it makes a dragging a metal fence behind you kinda sound.