Offlate, my 2013 R60 N18 SALL4 95K miles seems to throw off a strong odor in the cabin while speeding up to merge on the freeway ~60MPH, doesn't smell like burning oil (OIL is at optimum level and no leaks in the valve cover), this after it is sufficiently warmed up (altleast 15mins of drive prior to freeway ramp up).

Could it be transmission fluid or something else that may cause this? the odor disappears eventually and is only noticed during the initial speed up to merge with highway traffic.

 

https://www.geico.com/living/driving...engine-smells/

 

Sweet smell = coolant
Nasty smell like tarpit = trans fluid
burnt oil smell = oil most of the time

 

Thank you! So it does smell sulphuric implying CAT issues but is there a way to start troubleshooting CAT issues ?, no active error codes, no other issues while driving, dont smell fumes in the cabin otherwise apart from the listed issue.

 

A bit of rotten egg smell (hydrogen sulfide) is not necessarily a sign the converter is bad. An otherwise healthy converter can get off on the wrong foot, chemically speaking, and the result is the rotten egg smell. This should go away on its own. And it should be rare. Less common now that low sulfur gasoline is common.

The converter is continuously monitored by the engine controller to ensure its operation is within the "efficiency threshold". If there is no P0420/P0430 the odds are the converter is ok.

That you smell any exhaust in the cabin needs to be investigated. To state the obvious you should *not* smell exhaust in the cabin. The first thing that comes to mind is there is an exhaust leak. But that there is an exhaust leak can also cause the converter to produce that odor.

Absent any error codes or other signs -- besides odor -- the converter might be bad you can try changing to another brand of gasoline. You can also treat the fuel system/engine to a fuel/engine deposit cleaner. Techron is what I recommend. If there is any deposits to remove it will remove them.

When I can get it I fill up the gasoline tank with Chevron Supreme with Techron every once in a while. If you can't get Chevron gasoline where you are you can buy Techron at an auto parts store and use it according to directions on the bottle.

 

I miss the clutch smell of my old R60