So my car is still acting up, and I have no idea what the trouble is. To make things more frustrating, I've had 3 different shops look at it, 2 dealers, and they always seem to either try and rip me off, or can't find the trouble.

SYMPTOMS.
1. After DRIVING (not idling) there is a terrible smell of something burning, when I open the hood, I've seen a small amount of smoke coming up from beneath and behind the engine (so it appeared, once). This is even after driving only 5 minutes, and the smell gets stronger every day. Turned the heat on today and it reaked.
2. While driving, the car shakes, but doesn't pull. Not a terrible shake, and not all the time, but enough to be really annoying. I've had the alignment checked, and it was fine.
3. When doing sharp, low speed turns, like into a parking spot, I hear and feel was seems like some kind of rubbing, but not a screetching or anything, and I have stock suspension.
4. Once, when doing a high RPM shift (not racing or anything, just accelerating to get up to speed) second gear went up... then just dropped, and kept dropping, from about 5500RPM to 3500. Didn't miss the shift, and can shift fine still.
5. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, all of this seemed to start after running over one of those metal road construction plates at about 30-35. Everyone else went over no prob, I followed, and it felt like it hit HARD. I do have rims and low profiles, so I expect to feel it more, but ever since my car just has the shakes. Had 3 mechanics look at the rims at Tires Plus, I even walked underneath. Rims looked fine, nothing was bent that was visible.

HELP!

 

I wanted to add the smell is NOTHING like a burnt clutch. I never ride the clutch, and the shifting still seems alright to me. One dealer drove it, said they couldn't find anything (how they missed the smell, I'll never know).

 

One more thing... 5th gear feels like it has NO power anymore. Even when going 65, if I try to accelerate in 5th I have to push the pedal at least halfway down before what feels like 1/2hp kicks in. Is this just me or is the Lancer really that slow in 5th?

After my intake and exhaust upgrade I always remembered 5th being a lot better than before, and now its plain pitiful!

 

can u describe the smell more then just a bad smell? something rotting ? moldy? oil? anti freeze? transmission fluid?

edit:
learn to use the edit butten so you dont add threads each time you forget something



is the floor wet on the inside of the car check under the floor mats? possably you have a heatercore that went bad possably could be leaking anti freez onto the exaust

 

if you hit hard enough you may have dislodeged something inside the tranny. Burning could be from grinding stuff..... but really I don't have any experience with this kind of thing, I'm just speculating based on your information: felt like you hit hard, smell, gear issues.

I'd file a complaint with the city to see if they won't at least pay for the labor to have the tranny torn down since they put the plate in the middle of the road.

 

i already filed with the city, they said since it was approved to be put there, sorry, but i'm pretty much SOL.

i can't really describe the smell much better, other than it DOESN'T smell like clutch, oil or antifreeze. that's why i was hoping a good shop mechanic could take one wiff and say its this or that.

also, the turning/rubbing thing throws me off. i wonder if it could be a bearing issue???

 

" After DRIVING (not idling) there is a terrible smell of something burning, when I open the hood, I've seen a small amount of smoke coming up from beneath and behind the engine (so it appeared, once). This is even after driving only 5 minutes, and the smell gets stronger every day. Turned the heat on today and it reaked."

this sounds to me like oil driping on the exhaust... my friend had a camary that started leaking a lil oil and while he set idel it wouldnt smell at all (oil wouldnt land on the exhaust) but when he started driving the the breaking and starting movement caused the oil to land on the pipes so he got a smell... thats the only thing that stands out in my mind. GL with your problem

 

mike, give me a ring before you start your install if i forget. i want you to take a wiff of my stinkmobile.

 

hmm, so if its an oil leak, i'm assuming that's the head gasket? if so, anyone no what it costs to replace that, or is that considered to be covered under the drivetrain warranty?

 

check your belt and pullies!!!

 

belts and pullies, never thought about them. i'll give them a look see tomorrow, thanks.

 

doesn't have to be the head gasket- you do have an oilpan under there, and the tranny's full of oil (but that would be unlikely if it is actually leaking on the exhaust)

 

lol only thing i could think of that wasn't mentioned... if there was smoke... mmm cooked rubber anyone?!

 

yeah, it doesn't smell like burned rubber either. i don't forget a scent, this one is just altogether new to me.

 

so u eliminated the smell of oil and antifreeze and all that GREAT smelling items