Hi Guys,

Went out for a particularly aggressive drive the other day, pulled up afterwards and there was this burning smell coming from the engine bay. On closer inspection it was coming from the top of the turbo (air intake), its smells a bit like burning rubber.
A friend of mine reckoned it could be the smell of the gel that sticks the gasket together burning up. I've never driven it that hard before (upto the redline a few gear changes) and I think that maybe its just heated to a point were it hasn't been recently. Exhaust gas seems to be normal.
I'm quite worried because this car is my pride and joy.

On another note, after the blast the car has a small clutch judder which it didn't have before. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Regards
Andy

 

I've had clutch judder after a hard blast but when it cooled down it all seemed fine. Also get a slight amount of judder if I drive off straight away when the car is cold but apparently this is a "characteristic" of the thing, don't know how true it is, I always thought it ment the clutch is on its way out.

mine happened about 5k ago and it's still ok now and it's had lots of stick.

 

Hi

As Daz as already stated, you do get some shudder from the clutch after a hard drive, lets not forget you are driving a four wheel drive car, the only thing to give when driving it hard is the clutch, in other words you will get a certain amount of slip, thus giving off a burning type of smell, and i can only presume the judder comes from a slight distortion on clutch parts that settles when it as cooled down again, but all the symptoms you speak of i believe are quite common, drive and enjoy!!

 

Hi Blueburble,

Thanks mate, that makes me feel a little better. Today the judder seems to have subsided mostly which is a great feeling, and also fits in nicely with what you said. As previously stated its my pride and joy and after spending many a year wishing after one, then finally getting it, you can imagine how heartbroken (yes that much!) I felt when I thought a few months after buying it, i'd broken it!
I think maybe I'm not giving Subaru enough credit on its resiliance - not too tempt fate tho'.

In all seriousness, thanks guys for your help I really appreciate it.

Regards
Andy