s13silvia

The most random problem I've had in a car.. the heater on hot has a strong smell of a tandoori. On cold there's no smell. Is this something normal for Leeds-based imprezas?

scooby red

iTrader: (2)

Great. Where can i get this mod? U reckon they do jalfrezi too?

scooby red

iTrader: (2)

Bombay mix in the heater vents?

s13silvia

Heh.. I assume it's something thats made it's way down the air vent tract. It *could* be burning oil at a stretch but I can't see how it would make it's way from anywhere but the turbo oil feed to the exhaust. But then I would think that smell would be there on cold too. pfft **** knws

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

sounds like a coolant leak to me , thats what hot coolant smells like.

s13silvia

Hmmm... it's been sat on a dry driveway and no water loss underneath that I've spotted. Where would it be leaking from? The radiator hoses or head gasket etc? Do engine bay smells only come through on hot? I think the car has AC also.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Coolant leak, defo.
Sounds like your heater matrix has gone

Look for ANY damp patches inside the car, damp carpets, damp on the drive.

ALWAYS taste it: coolant is slightly sweet....

apac

iTrader: (2)

heater matrix went on my previous impreza and it smelt like wee-wee iirc?

Would have cost a lot in labour to fix if it weren't for the warranty.

s13silvia

Just had the carpet out on the passanger side (assuming this is where the matrix is) it does seem bone dry? I did think heater matrix was a suspect.. I'm going to retract one of my statements though - I just took it out to test for a suspect boost leak .. (80-100 mph takes more than 10 seconds in 5th gear on a modded STi Type R, heard it's supposed to be more like <2 !!) .. and the smell is there when it blows off or boost builds up. It's like a spice smell, quite pungent.

Hard to pin point off the top of my head but I think the leak 'may' be around the turbo/elbow. I don't have a boost gauge installed so hard to say - but the performance tells me its at the very least not boosting the correct pressure.


(this is 1 day after purchasing the car for 4k)

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

i had a leaky hose in the engine bay and had the same smell in the cabin, on boost it used to leak more but was an easy fix.

s13silvia

was it a coolant or boost hose? Cheers

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

coolant, leaked more on boost,guess it was pressurised more

s13silvia

Any easy way of checking for coolant leaks short of looking for drips under the car and water levels? Might get a big sheet of cardboard under it to see if I'm missing something! As for the performance level does it sound like a boost leak?

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

mine drove no different, just smelled funny. sometimes a small bit if steam from around leak.