Here is the situation, I have an 89 firebird formula. It looks good and runs good, but whenever the engine is running, and especially when you accelerate and stop there is a funny (kinda burning) smell. The previous owner had the car sitting in a garage for at least 4 years before i bought it. Can anybody tell me where it might be coming from and if its anything to worry about? Could it be dust burning off, or just sitting for that long?
Thanks in advance for your info!

 

if it smells sweet, it may be coolant burning. I would flush all the fluids and change them, then see if anything leaks or the smell goes away.

------------------
'86 IROC 5-speed
305 LG4
edelbrock performer rpm intake
edelbrock 600 cfm carb
msd pro billet hei
'95 3.23 rearend
hotchkis rear suspension

 

it smells like more of an electrical burning smell.

 

I dunno. Maybe it's oil or something. I really couldnt tell unless I actually smelled it myself. Hell, it could even be plastic, my Camaro I have now has some melted plastic on the muffler, and it stunk something awful before I picked it all off with a screwdriver.

 

Hey, I have the same problem. It kinda smells like oil burning, but not exactly. I hammered the throttle the other day and then came to a stop and it smelled really strong. My car has only been driven 4,000 miles since last September so it has been sitting also. It isn't burning oil because the car doesn't take any oil. If you find the problem, please let me know and I'll do likewise.

------------------
1975 Firebird - Pontiac 350, TH350, 27k original miles, rustbucket, ongoing resto project

1992 Firebird - 305 TBI, 700R4, sport appearance package, t-tops, flaming red, 84k miles, soon to be modified

 

Burning oil could possibly be a bad valve cover gasket, with the oil leaking out on to your exhaust manifold.

------------------
Teal Green 91 Camaro RS
305, Automatic Tranny
Stock for now

 

Naw, it's not that. If it was that then the smoke would be visible when you opened the hood. The car would also take oil, but neither one of these things is happening.

------------------
1975 Firebird - Pontiac 350, TH350, 27k original miles, rustbucket, ongoing resto project

1992 Firebird - 305 TBI, 700R4, sport appearance package, t-tops, flaming red, 84k miles, soon to be modified

 

could this problem just be because it has not moved and has been in storage for about 3 years? Could it be dust burning off or something? The person i bought my car from put a new alternator on it in 96. It has been in storage for 3 years or so, so he only ran the new alternator for about 1 or 2 years. What do you think, could it be that?
Thanks