Strange Smell When Car Reaches 100miles/hr

ANIRBAN

MEMBER
2010 NISSAN MAXIMA

I have a 1999 Nissan Maxima. I have noticed that when I run the car at any speed above 90mi/hr, I begin to smell something- cant quite describe it. It is not a burning smell- it smells a like raw oil or something (for lack of a better word). The smell becomes prominent at 100miles/hr, but once I lower the speed down to 70-80mi/hr, the smell goes away.

I was wondering if anyone can give an insight as to what may be wrong with the vehicle.

The vehicle runs good, without any obvious problems, even at 100mi/hr.
It has a 5speed manual transmission gearbox.

3 Replies

SERVICE WRITER

MECHANIC
9,123 POSTS

Check your passenger's shorts.

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Sunday, September 23rd, 2007 AT 11:03 AM

ANIRBAN

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Haha, I was also told that this maybe the smell of the death!

But I am not making this thing up! I really can smell the difference in the air when the vehicle reaches 100mph.

I was told that it maybe that the catalytic converter running at maximum and red hot at that speed, so that what I might be smelling- which is normal.

But please do let me know what you all think!

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Sunday, September 23rd, 2007 AT 11:20 AM

SERVICE WRITER

MECHANIC
9,123 POSTS

If the cat is that far up, maybe. The air pattern may change at the point and more directed into the passenger compartment more so. Possiblily any seapages of oil are getting hot enough to burn perhaps. Hopefully it isn't a wiring harness being moved close to the exhaust manifold to start to burn.

I would get it to the point of the smell and reletively quickly stop the car jump out, get the hood opened and see if there is anything that jumps out. Besides the passenger.

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Sunday, September 23rd, 2007 AT 1:25 PM