[bug_girl]

oh dear, i think my first repair is coming up fast.
When i start the bugmobile on cold mornings, there is a funny solvent sort of smell around the front of the car that i notice as i'm scraping the windows.
Any suggestions? I have no clue what this could be.

Also, anything I need to watch out for when they check the brakes? (kinda grabby lately.)

And I had just put aside money for some new tires, darn it :?

 

[bug_girl]

a little bump, because it does smell funky, and it can't be good

 

[Aaron Cake]

Smell like fuel at all? Most cars (yes, even the Insight) run rich at startup for a few seconds. Fuel odor tends to hang around for a while, and can find it's way out of even the smallest leak in the exhaust.

 

[b1shmu63]

Does it smell like gasoline? Does the smell disapear when the engine gets hot? Does it smell like something burning, rubber, plastic, oil? Could it be from the solvent in the windshield washer fluid? Does the car start and run normally? Do you see smoke or steam coming from the engine area? Are any of the fliud levels going down such as the brake fluid or the engine oil level? Is it associated with any unusual sounds? Are there stains on the road/garage? Are any of the neighbors pets missing?

 

[Yves M.]

Do you know the smell of antifreeze (Prestone). Is it the smell you have, Maybe a leak.

 

[bug_girl]

Does it smell like gasoline? Does the smell disapear when the engine gets hot? Does it smell like something burning, rubber, plastic, oil? Could it be from the solvent in the windshield washer fluid? ..... Is it associated with any unusual sounds? Are there stains on the road/garage?

Ah, now I have some things to think about! :lol:
It's definately not fuel. In fact, i guess it smells closest to acetone. About the only thing I've noticed differently is that it's running kind of noisier than usual, which until I noticed the smell, I figured was just the cold weather.

If there are any stains, I can't see them--I have a dirt driveway, and spotting spots is kind of difficult. I haven't noticed anything on the snow.

It's supposed to get up to 50F tomorrow, so I will spend some time amusing my neighbors by walking around my car sniffing everything.