Funny smell inside the car when using moderately high rev!

[NobbyS]

I get some funny "burnt" smell inside my car when I constantly push the car. Normally when I change gear at the suggested permissible 4500 rpm during the current running in period. The car is now done around 1100 km. There is no smell when I drive gently. It's annoying since it worries me that everytime I rev it past 4000 rpm in each gear then the smell would appear You know as if something may be seriously damaged if I pile the rev on anymore (obviously cannot do that yet cos of the running in period)

Has anyone ever experienced this? I don't rest my foot on the clutch and the change for each gear is gradual(no abrupt take releasing of the clutch either) Is this a common thing during the running period?

Oh! and I run with the aircon on all the time..Bangkok whether

I have a MCS 05 JCW.

[bimini]

how many miles have you done? could it be the exhaust just getting hot? they do smell a bit funny on the first few hot miles, but it shouldnt be something that you should get a lot of especially in the car

[xtremepsionic]

Quote: Originally Posted by NobbyS

the change for each gear is gradual(no abrupt take releasing of the clutch either)

Now I have no funny smells when I ran my Cooper in, and there is no smell when I rev it to the redline. I also have not seen you drive, so this comment is purely based on what you wrote. I suggest that when you change between gears, you make the clutch action very quick and crisp. Also make sure you do NOT give the car more throttle until the clutch is fully engaged.

You might think "Well if I change really fast then the car will jerk", you can work around this. When you let the clutch out, do it as quickly as you can, but the timing has to be right. If you feel that when you let the clutch out (say, when you're completing a shift from 2nd to 3rd), and you feel the car jerk forward, that means you should let the engine rev drop slightly more before you let the clutch out. Or, if you let the clutch out quickly, and you feel your head shooting towards the windshield, that means you waited a little too long to let the clutch engage. If the engine rev and the transmission speed match, you can let the clutch out extremely quick without much clutch wear (since you're not slipping it) and no "jerk". It is imperative that you do not attempt to slip the clutch between gears to "smooth" out the changes, it will induce serve clutch wear and could potentially make the clutch "smell"

Again, I havne't seen you drive, perhaps you're a better manual driver than I am, and I do apologize if you know better than I do

[NobbyS]

Thank you for the advice folks

Since posted the thread,gave a couple of calls to the guys in Mini Thailand and they claimed that this is a normal "aroma" among the Thai Mini cars They said something about the cars having the heater mode fitted as default and it would cut in at some points of the rev range etcblahblah. Anyway it happens with all other MCS Auto and Cooper Auto too so I can rest assured that it's not my violence gear change technique .

Anyway I value your advice Xtremepsionic Just a sort of advice my advance driving mentor taught me back in the UK, so yes I understand what you are saying and definitely no apology needed...a welcome advice.

Let's hope the smell lessens or goes away after the run in period, fingers cross!!

[nervous]

Quote: Originally Posted by NobbyS

gave a couple of calls to the guys in Mini Thailand and they claimed that this is a normal "aroma" among the Thai Mini cars

How odd - this is unique to Thailand? Does it smell like peanut oil?

[rickyh]

Same thing happened to me when I first had the JCW conversion.

I'm used to power now! Now it only happens when I get new passengers.