Short lasting burning smell high RPM shifting.
 

Sup, guys:hello:

Just wondering if anyone has experienced a slight burning smell when shifting at high RPMs, on a 6mt. The smell only seems to last a few seconds and I'm not slipping the clutch. I would describe it smelling like after a firecraker goes off, or gunpowder maybe? The clutch fluid was just changed by the dealership due to the clutch pedal sticking, if that helps any. Also, I can only smell it when the windows are down. I tried to search using Google and the integrated search function, but did not come up with anything. If this has been discussed before, I apologize. Thanks in advance everyone! This site has been awesome in terms of obtaining information and checking out everyones sick rides. :tup:

You're probably overloading the cats. My 7AT puts out a smell that reminds me of burning hair when at high RPM and WOT.

There are a few other threads about this. Try searching this site for "burning smell".

Thanks, SouthArk370Z. I saw those threads but skipped over them initially due to the preview and titles. Digging a little further into them, it appears most people seem to think its pretty normal. Appreciate the help.

You got it right, friend - just a quirk about our Z cars. The 7AT does the same to me as it does with SouthArk370Z. Its tough here in the North because some of the chemicals they use on the crops already smell like sulfur or straight carbon (gunpowder smell you spoke of). Mixed with that burning smell, people behind me in traffic back off. Makes for a great "tailgater repellant" :rofl2:

Almost every car will do this. Especially cars that aren't run hard or that don't see high RPM's often. It's a sulfur smell caused by the chemical reactions inside the catalytic converter and the tremendous heat at high RPM's. Hope this helps.

When I bought my Santa Fe in 2003 (please don't hate on me), it used to smell like rotten eggs almost every day. After some heated discussions with the service manager, I was finally convinced that it was the additives in the gasoline (especially during the Cleveland winters). Once I tried different brands, the smell would be gone with some, but not others. It never threw a code, so I just learned to live with it.

The smell finally went away, but still comes and goes, depending on the gasoline used.

Yeah that's the reaction in the converter

He only smells this on high rpm shifts. I would say that you are smelling the clutch. when you shift at high rpms the clutch will send out little puffs of clutch material.

It will also contaminate the clutch fluid.

I don't think that you have anything to worry about.

Since the Santa Fe has hideous performance, one will tend to mash the pedal, thereby dumping fuel, creating heat and cooking the cats.

He is smelling it because of the high rpm's, the shifts are meaningless.

Thanks for your responses, everyone. I feel much better now knowing it's normal. I've been searching around and notice the 370z has its quirks, but I really can't complain since my previous car was an RX8 :ugh2: .