Burning smell coming from cat - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

2012-1822 · 03-04-2014, 06:16 PM

A little bit of a misleading title.

This is really just more of an FYI.

I didn't know what it was at first. I smelled it and frankly my town just stinks sometimes when the winds blow from the Goodyear plant. But on the second or third day I smelled it after driving my car I got worried.

I finally stuck my head up under my car, best I could, and noticed something on the left cat. It's a high flow cat. So I was really hoping against a few things:

-the car was about to catch on fire
-I had melted a cat
-something above the cat had fallen on it and was melting

Anyway, got new tires installed today and asked them to peak at it while it was on the lift.

Turned out to probably be a plastic bag or some other trash had gotten up under the car and was stuck on the cat and melting/burning off slowly. They got what they could off. Pretty much I just need to let the rest burn off. But it's much better now.

ChrisBlair · 03-04-2014, 06:44 PM

Melted on your CAT? Jeez man, is it OK??

I had a trashbag blow under my car once, and get wrapped on the driveshaft. I had a dual exhaust muscle car from 1970 with big tubes and that plastic melted over EVERYthing and smelled for a while. It was bad enough that the driveshaft was out of balance, I had to cut it off (the bag not the shaft) with a knife

strych9 · 03-04-2014, 06:47 PM

After reading your title, I was gonna tell you to get that poor critter off of the stove!

After I read the first part of your post I guessed what the source was. I saw this fairly often in the shop.

2012-1822 · 03-04-2014, 06:51 PM

It's fine. If it had been my truck I could have reached right under and seen what it was and pulled it off, but with like an inch and half(slight exaggeration) under the car I just couldn't get to it myself.

mikeyg36 · 03-04-2014, 10:12 PM

patternpilot · 03-04-2014, 10:54 PM

I was going to say that it is a bad idea to let you cat lay on your converter.

Causes burning cat smells.

In all seriousness, probably oil or as someone mentioned, plastic.

Angrybird 12 · 03-04-2014, 11:07 PM

Had the same thing happen to my Saturn Sky when a grocery bag blew it in the road as I came by, I never saw it come out the back and a few minutes later I could smell burning plastic.

2012-1822 · 03-05-2014, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeyg36

That smells about right.

2012-1822 · 03-05-2014, 12:10 AM

There's about 6 or 8, at least, half stray cats running around my house. Never know when one of those cats ends up getting stuck on one of my cats, that will smell for more than a few days I think.

2012-1822 · 03-05-2014, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comrando

I knew a girl many years ago who worked for a veterinarian. More than once she was given the job of cleaning a cat out from under a hood. They would crawl in for the radiator warmth and when the car was started the cat would hit the mechanical fan. Or vise versa... After a few days the owner would notice an odor

We had that happen when I was a kid. Let's see, some time between 1983 and 1987. My dad or mom heard the noise, shut the car off, pulled the cat out. It survived and lived all the way until 1999.

Manbearpig · 03-05-2014, 11:02 AM

I came into this thread with some apprehension. Not gonna lie.

Least you got it taken care of though. Glad to hear it wasn't something er, furry.

2012-1822 · 03-05-2014, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manbearpig

I came into this thread with some apprehension. Not gonna lie.

Least you got it taken care of though. Glad to hear it wasn't something er, furry.

I'm going to tell you what's funny. While dropping my car off at the shop I said "and I've got this whatever melting on my cat" and the young guy looked at me stupid. So the old guy leaned over and said "catalytic converter." It was kind of funny.

Manbearpig · 03-05-2014, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2012-1822

I'm going to tell you what's funny. While dropping my car off at the shop I said "and I've got this whatever melting on my cat" and the young guy looked at me stupid. So the old guy leaned over and said "catalytic converter." It was kind of funny.

I'm guessing he had a "I didn't sign up for this" moment.

03-04-2014, 06:16 PM	#1
2012-1822 Drives: Black ZL1 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: City of Champions, Alabama Posts: 3,697	Burning smell coming from cat A little bit of a misleading title. This is really just more of an FYI. I didn't know what it was at first. I smelled it and frankly my town just stinks sometimes when the winds blow from the Goodyear plant. But on the second or third day I smelled it after driving my car I got worried. I finally stuck my head up under my car, best I could, and noticed something on the left cat. It's a high flow cat. So I was really hoping against a few things: -the car was about to catch on fire -I had melted a cat -something above the cat had fallen on it and was melting Anyway, got new tires installed today and asked them to peak at it while it was on the lift. Turned out to probably be a plastic bag or some other trash had gotten up under the car and was stuck on the cat and melting/burning off slowly. They got what they could off. Pretty much I just need to let the rest burn off. But it's much better now. __________________ Check out Alabama Camaros, for Camaro enthusiasts all around Alabama https://www.facebook.com/groups/1739...group_activity

03-04-2014, 06:44 PM	#2
ChrisBlair Buick 455 Fan Drives: 1970 Buick, 2012 1SS LS3 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Boston MA Posts: 5,957	Melted on your CAT? Jeez man, is it OK?? I had a trashbag blow under my car once, and get wrapped on the driveshaft. I had a dual exhaust muscle car from 1970 with big tubes and that plastic melted over EVERYthing and smelled for a while. It was bad enough that the driveshaft was out of balance, I had to cut it off (the bag not the shaft) with a knife __________________

03-04-2014, 06:47 PM	#3
strych9 I'll be back... Drives: Subaru, HD Road Glide Special Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 3,036 View My Garage	After reading your title, I was gonna tell you to get that poor critter off of the stove! After I read the first part of your post I guessed what the source was. I saw this fairly often in the shop. __________________ Bye bye, Bumblebee! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Build Journal My Garage GoPro Mic Hack

03-04-2014, 06:51 PM	#4
2012-1822 Drives: Black ZL1 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: City of Champions, Alabama Posts: 3,697	It's fine. If it had been my truck I could have reached right under and seen what it was and pulled it off, but with like an inch and half(slight exaggeration) under the car I just couldn't get to it myself. __________________ Check out Alabama Camaros, for Camaro enthusiasts all around Alabama https://www.facebook.com/groups/1739...group_activity

03-04-2014, 10:54 PM	#6
patternpilot Drives: 2012 2SS/RS Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tri-Cities WA. Posts: 934 View My Garage	I was going to say that it is a bad idea to let you cat lay on your converter. Causes burning cat smells. In all seriousness, probably oil or as someone mentioned, plastic. __________________ There's more to life than gas mileage LS3, Whipple, Custom Comp Cam, springs, pushrods, timing set, CAI intake, Apex cold air scoop, Doug Thorley TRI-Y headers, Billet Custom Products baffled Valve covers, Mighty Mouse Catch can, ADM FPCM, ZL1 fuel pump, MSD boost-a-pump, Hex Vent hood vents, ProSport gauges(fuel pressure, AFR, Boost), Corsa, 100 cell Cats. Jannetty remote tuned, Pfadt trailing arms, all parts user installed. No Dyno yet. Manual trans. 3.45 gears.

03-04-2014, 11:07 PM	#7
Angrybird 12 7 year Cancer Survivor! Drives: 17 Cruze RS, 07 G6 GT, 99 Astro Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 21,546	Had the same thing happen to my Saturn Sky when a grocery bag blew it in the road as I came by, I never saw it come out the back and a few minutes later I could smell burning plastic. __________________ Cancer's a bitch! Enjoy life while you can! LIVE, LOVE, DRIVE... The Bird is the word!

03-05-2014, 12:10 AM	#9
2012-1822 Drives: Black ZL1 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: City of Champions, Alabama Posts: 3,697	There's about 6 or 8, at least, half stray cats running around my house. Never know when one of those cats ends up getting stuck on one of my cats, that will smell for more than a few days I think. __________________ Check out Alabama Camaros, for Camaro enthusiasts all around Alabama https://www.facebook.com/groups/1739...group_activity

03-05-2014, 11:02 AM	#11
Manbearpig Engineer of softness-ware Drives: 2013 2LT RS Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: SoCal/Chicago Posts: 741	I came into this thread with some apprehension. Not gonna lie. Least you got it taken care of though. Glad to hear it wasn't something er, furry.