Overheating Smell but NOT Overheating?

[dunndarryn]

Hello, Everyone. Today I was sitting in line at a car wash & when I opened my door to tell the lady what wash I wanted, we both smelled what smelt like over heating. The car was NOT smoking and my engine temp. meter was NOT above the middle, but the smell was present. I backed out and went home, and when I got home before turning my engine off I sniffed, and didn't smell it? Has anyone had this problem?

As far as I know, the only issue with my LS is I have an engine misfire and need a new coil pack and/or spark plugs. Would that cause this? Thank you in advanced!

 

[manoli]

Sounds like the begining of coolant pipes about to fail, I would start by inspecting all of the coolant hoses etc, also check the thermo housing.

 

[Telco]

Could also have been another car nearby. I try not to let weird smells like that throw me until I've smelled the exact same thing in two different areas, with none of the same vehicles in the area. I thought my LS had a fuel leak a few days ago because I kept smelling intermittent gasoline vapors that kept getting worse. It continued when I changed roads a couple of times. Shortly after I realized that a junker had made the same turns I did. When I passed it the smell disappeared, but the way it came on it was like my car was making the smell.

 

[scjmc]

If it was a coolant smell you might have a leak. Dont worry the LS automatically overheats when the coolant gets a little low in the engine (kidding, but serious). It could also be the degas bottle because it leaks into the driver's side wheel well and wont cause an overheat right away. If you have a gen I check the engine coolant level by removing the fill cap under the plastic engine cover.