Yeah I'll be doing that, but I would like to know if I need to drop it off first thing tomorrow.
Fishy Smell
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,690
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Fishy Smell
Hey guys. For the past, I would say 5 months, every time I would hit a bump, I would get the "service traction/ABS" light. Well for the past month or so, it has been coming on all the time even when just turning on the car. Now I know common sense would tell me to take it to the dealership, but the light would always go off when I would restart the car. Ok, well now for the past two weeks I have been getting a really bad FISHY smell from underneath my car. Also, I have noticed that my brakes (with new pads by the way) have seemed a little weak as of late. If I recall correctly a certain fluid, if leaking, smells like fish but I can't remember which. With the service ABS light coming on all the time, I fear the Vette is leaking brake fluid. Any help would be fantastic! Thanks!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,690
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
I just did a little research online and people are saying that it can be burning coolant on other cars. Like maybe I have a bad coolant leak somewhere (hopefully not a cracked block with coolant burning in there).
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,282
Likes: 23
From: MD
i would start by checking the resevoir. see if its sucking fluid. if it is, start pulling wheels off and looking for leaks. my .02 if not, perhaps there is some sort of sensor related issue, perhaps a bad connection. ur on your own with that one.
Last edited by VicCaerter; Nov 12, 2006 at 11:40 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: State of Perplexity California
I've smelled (smelt? sorry, couldn't resist) cold, old, new, and burnt: Brake fluid, coolant, gear oil, auto trans. fluid, battery acid, motor oil, gasoline, diesel, and I don't know what else. None of it seemed to smell "fishy" to me. I'm stumped. Sorry!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,690
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Originally Posted by toxdoc
I've smelled (smelt? sorry, couldn't resist) cold, old, new, and burnt: Brake fluid, coolant, gear oil, auto trans. fluid, battery acid, motor oil, gasoline, diesel, and I don't know what else. None of it seemed to smell "fishy" to me. I'm stumped. Sorry!
I just hope it's not something serious and it just needs a coolant flush.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 9,420
Likes: 8
From: Southern New Jersey, The wet part at the bottom
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
I remember in my youth "gear lube" smelled very much like fish because it supposedly contained whale oil or some crap. But I wouldn't think the synthetics used today would have much smell at all. I'll watch this thread with curiosity.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,856
Likes: 242
From: Hillsboro OR
Originally Posted by VicCaerter
maybe its time to douche
"I don't care who you are, that's funny" (Larry the Cable Guy)
Seriously, I have seen a dragging brake smell nasty like that. Might check the adjustment.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: State of Perplexity California
Originally Posted by saniterium92128
Like I said. I did some online research and it seems a common problem with today's coolant.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,690
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Originally Posted by Bluefire
"I don't care who you are, that's funny" (Larry the Cable Guy)
Seriously, I have seen a dragging brake smell nasty like that. Might check the adjustment.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 18,682
Likes: 4
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Sound like EBCM acting up. Someone must have ran over someone or something with your car while you were away. Check underneath your car for bodies for the smell.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,690
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Originally Posted by FactoryRaceCar
Sound like EBCM acting up. Someone must have ran over someone or something with your car while you were away. Check underneath your car for bodies for the smell.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 18,682
Likes: 4
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Originally Posted by saniterium92128
Pardon my ignorance, but what's an EBCM?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,690
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Originally Posted by FactoryRaceCar
Electronic Brake Control Module. When your sensors or the EBCM itself start to act up, you will get intermittent messages like you are getting now