KPM

I get a bad smell from my car when I reverse up a gentle slope into my garage. I think it's coming from my clutch. Is this normal on MY00 with 2,200 on the clock? NB.(It's not a bad egg smell which you get when following a car running on unleaded).

MorayMackenzie

It is the clutch. Two options... 1) Don't reverse uphill (back down, drive forwards up it) or 2)Try to learn to engage the clutch fully whilst reversing... it takes a bit more skill than slipping it, but it will make your clutch last a lot longer... postponing the £500+ replacement cost.

Moray

CB1

Its not the unleaded that smells. Its the catalytic convertor.

I'd bet a tenner that this is the smell as when you reverse you are reversing into the exhaust fumes.

My Impreza arrived from Japan minus its Cat. When I had one fitted (law abiding citizen you see) I got a similar smell to that of other cat cats.

I've been wrong before though.

sam

CBI
Don't mean to go off the subject but,If your passing your local MOT Test centre ask about the law on cat tests on jap imports.
On some imports like the WRX and STI there is no exact match on there equipment and therefore no cat test.This info can be found in the flow chart at all MOT stations.

XRS

You didn't mention if you were carrying rear seat passengers!

swa

KPM
Listen to Moray, hes been into Scoobs for years from what I can gather.

I had the same as you when we were house hunting in my MY00. I had to reverse out of a narrow and steep drive. What a Stink!
I guess its just getting familar with the car and practice...

BarryK

Smell like burning asbestos? It's the clutch. My wife manages it getting over the lip in the garage. Underseal burning off will smell all the time, not just going up a slope into the garage.

It's the sheer power of the thing.

MorayMackenzie

cheers swa, fiver's in the post!

PeteH

The smell is definitely the clutch - I get it too, all the time. Just try and ease off on the revs when you reverse. Don't worry you're not doing any damage it just bloody stinks.

Nick Lines

Might be relevant, but when I put my car in the garage (steeeeeep slope which I go up forwards) I get a bit of a smell. I have been told that it's the underseal burning off the cat/exhaust and it does seem to be lessening after a few months of ownership.

Moray's advice is good advice too - always try to do this if you can.

steve McCulloch

Yep I can confirm that its the clutch and I get the same smell on reversing in my sti5 - regardless of fully engaging the cluth or reducing revs - must be a design fault

MorayMackenzie

Pete,

The smell is the result of overheating the clutch's friction material... this is likely to cause heat damage and _will_ cause excessive wear to the unit.

Steve,

You won't get the smell if you fully engage a healthy clutch... it's the slipping that creates the heat that causes the smell. Are you still on your first clutch? I can't see how you will get the overheating smell whilst reversing unless the unit is slipping. Could it be your cat in the new exhaust?


Again... I would suggest that you avoid reversing up hills, and when unavoidable, learn the extra level of control required to fully engage the clutch whilst reversing the car (without stalling or rocketing into the scenery ).

Moray

CB1

Well I still reckon its the CAT. And I'm sticking to it.

I ran a level one diagnostic on mine and re-routed the power from engineering to the warp coil.

Sorted it straight away.

CB
Ok ok ok its the clutch

BarryK

CB,

Aye, ye canna' change the laws of physics!