Burning smell at WOT?

scupking

Active Member
Sep 18, 2005
1,186
1
36
Enfield, CT
When I go WOT I smell a burning smell. Some times it smells very strong and other times I won't smell it at all. What could it be? Also sometimes when I turn my car off I will hear what sounds like a boiling sound come from behind the passenger side of the dash board. When I shut my car off after running the AC I hear what sounds like something dripping and then a sizzling sound. What is all this stuff.
 
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They all seem like normal noises and odors to me.

That burning smell is probably your catalytic converters heating up when you floor it.
The boiling sound is your coolant flowing. I hear it all the time whenever I shut the car off after the fan has started running.
The sizzling sound is your condensation from the AC system dripping onto your exhaust pipes.
 
Last item is normal,just condensation from ac drain dripping on exhaust.
2nd Item may also be normal,sounds like you are hearing the pressures in ac evaporator equalizing,if so normal.
1st item may not be normal, I would check all my fluids for signs of something getting hot maybe,look also at belts to see if you can see signs of where it maybe slipping,and look at all the pulleys for a sign of overheating. Does it do this with ac on maybe?But it could also be cats which would be normal
 
Getting any smoke from the engine bay? I have a small valve cover gasket leak on the drive side head. When I start the car or get on it I'll get a drip on the h pipe causing it to burn off and smell.
 
Last item is normal,just condensation from ac drain dripping on exhaust.
2nd Item may also be normal,sounds like you are hearing the pressures in ac evaporator equalizing,if so normal.
1st item may not be normal, I would check all my fluids for signs of something getting hot maybe,look also at belts to see if you can see signs of where it maybe slipping,and look at all the pulleys for a sign of overheating. Does it do this with ac on maybe?But it could also be cats which would be normal

+1. What does this "burning smell" smell like?
 
Check all along your exhaust to see if a plastic bag may have gotten stuck on there and is melting. I've seen it many times. Random, I know but check ....