Do all C5's smell?
Thread Starter
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,037
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From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
Do all C5's smell?
I know I know its a strange question....but after I take my C5 out for a lil spin for about 30 mins or so, when I return and first get out of my car I get a smell....Its hard to describe. Sorta a burnt smell combined with almost like a lube burning off. I get no smoke of any color anywhere. I am not burning any oil, I don't leave any spots at all on my garage floor and more importantly the car is bone dry everywhere. So Iam just curious, do all C5's smell? I mean don't get me wrong it is not a smell like...OMG....dude your car stinks...but its more of a hmmmmmm what is that...? I can't quite make it out...is it coming from your car?
I remember a post somewhere saying that earlier C5's had a known problem about seals leaking and oil consumption. Iam not sure what years that applied too. Not sure if that is it? I have a 2002.
My car has 72,000 on it. The fluids have all just been freshly changed.
Tires are Kumho Ecsta's MX's.
Lets here what yours smells like.
I remember a post somewhere saying that earlier C5's had a known problem about seals leaking and oil consumption. Iam not sure what years that applied too. Not sure if that is it? I have a 2002.
My car has 72,000 on it. The fluids have all just been freshly changed.
Tires are Kumho Ecsta's MX's.
Lets here what yours smells like.
Last edited by XtremeVette; Feb 3, 2008 at 01:55 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,465
Likes: 1,167
From: Dyer, IN
I know I know its a strange question....but after I take my C5 out for a lil spin for about 30 mins or so, when I return and first get out of my car I get a smell....Its hard to describe. Sorta a burnt smell combined with almost like a lube burning off. I get no smoke of any color anywhere. I am not burning any oil, I don't leave any spots at all on my garage floor and more importantly the car is bone dry everywhere. So Iam just curious, do all C5's smell? I mean don't get me wrong it is not a smell like...OMG....dude your car stinks...but its more of a hmmmmmm what is that...? I can't quite make it out...is it coming from your car?
I remember a post somewhere saying that earlier C5's had a known problem about seals leaking and oil consumption. Iam not sure what years that applied too. Not sure if that is it? I have a 2002.
My car has 72,000 on it. The fluids have all just been freshly changed.
Tires are Kumho Ecsta's MX's.
Lets here what yours smells like.
I remember a post somewhere saying that earlier C5's had a known problem about seals leaking and oil consumption. Iam not sure what years that applied too. Not sure if that is it? I have a 2002.
My car has 72,000 on it. The fluids have all just been freshly changed.
Tires are Kumho Ecsta's MX's.
Lets here what yours smells like.
Thread Starter
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,037
Likes: 88
From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
I've never noticed any fluid burning smells coming from my previous C5 or current one. I am kind of a freak about how clean the cars is, so there is no build up on the engine or leaks. If you smell burning lubricant, you probably have a leak somewhere, or you just need to do a little cleaning.
So that now leads to hmmmmmm possible internal leak and it is sooo small that whatever Iam burning off is not noticeably missing?
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Orange CA
St. Jude Donor '10
I notice two distinc smells .. the engine cleaner I sprayed on the certain areas of the engine and undercarrage to clean off all the road gunk ... and my brakes.
What do you use to clean your engine? that might be what your smelling
What do you use to clean your engine? that might be what your smelling
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,465
Likes: 1,167
From: Dyer, IN
I sorta agree lucky....thats my common sense logic toward the problem. But what is haunting is that...there is nothing to clean....my car is as clean as they come....I mean Iam by no means bragging but when I bought it....it was so clean I could not believe it. You can clearly read even the stickers on every hose, part, engine component, and underside. There is not an ounce of sludge, dirt, or grime anywhere. Iam just like you...very very clean freak when it comes to my vette.
So that now leads to hmmmmmm possible internal leak and it is sooo small that whatever Iam burning off is not noticeably missing?
So that now leads to hmmmmmm possible internal leak and it is sooo small that whatever Iam burning off is not noticeably missing?
Guest
Posts: n/a
I know I know its a strange question....but after I take my C5 out for a lil spin for about 30 mins or so, when I return and first get out of my car I get a smell....Its hard to describe. Sorta a burnt smell combined with almost like a lube burning off. I get no smoke of any color anywhere. I am not burning any oil, I don't leave any spots at all on my garage floor and more importantly the car is bone dry everywhere. So Iam just curious, do all C5's smell? I mean don't get me wrong it is not a smell like...OMG....dude your car stinks...but its more of a hmmmmmm what is that...? I can't quite make it out...is it coming from your car?
I remember a post somewhere saying that earlier C5's had a known problem about seals leaking and oil consumption. Iam not sure what years that applied too. Not sure if that is it? I have a 2002.
My car has 72,000 on it. The fluids have all just been freshly changed.
Tires are Kumho Ecsta's MX's.
Lets here what yours smells like.
I remember a post somewhere saying that earlier C5's had a known problem about seals leaking and oil consumption. Iam not sure what years that applied too. Not sure if that is it? I have a 2002.
My car has 72,000 on it. The fluids have all just been freshly changed.
Tires are Kumho Ecsta's MX's.
Lets here what yours smells like.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,308
Likes: 104
From: Orange County California
Mine smells a little, too, especially when running hard before returning to the garage. I thought it was normal....usually coming from the rear. I have no leaks, and it's been the same for 50K...I always thought it was either brakes or transaxle heat.
Thread Starter
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,037
Likes: 88
From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
I was thinkin tires and transaxle heat myself....I get a little smell out of the wheel wells and smell a little out of the exhaust pipes.
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Thread Starter
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,037
Likes: 88
From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
I will check on that wire though!
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 18,308
Likes: 21
From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
Diff fluid just smells plain evil.
Had a similar problem in another car, had bad diff fluid smell. The pressure relieve valve on the rear diff had broken off. Don't know if Getrags have something similar, but it's not normal for the car to smell.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,871
Likes: 252
From: Hillsboro OR
Mine gives off a smell right after I really get on it. 
My tuner tells me it is likely just burning **** in the cats. I have also smelled it in another C5 just after a spirited accelerator stab. It's normal. 
My tuner tells me it is likely just burning **** in the cats. I have also smelled it in another C5 just after a spirited accelerator stab. It's normal.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 807
Likes: 21
From: Los Altos CA
I have this smell at times and I traced it to a very small differential leak that drips onto the exhaust. It has built up a streakof carbon like gunk on the exhaust. A couple of others above thought this was the problem also.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Calgary, AB. There's a reason why white was the only color offered on every year Corvette. Proud Canadian German Jamaican!
St. Jude Donor '09, '12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
I have an 03 and get that same smell.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 945
Likes: 1
From: Tigertown Ohio
