[amanda11270]

In the time I have owned my Esprit it always smells after I drive it, sorta like rubber burning, I first thought it was belt related, but have changed belts many times now. I'm leaning towards the cooling hoses as they are original I'm sure and you can smell it in the car when its hot. Its not a pleasant smell either, it fills my garage when I bring it home the car home from a drive. I just refer to it as the lotus odor to my wife.

 

[Autocross7]

So... we are ruling out the tires from spirited driving then?

On a serious note, I cannot offer much. My 88' smells a little like oil and exhaust form the most part. A slight hot iron smell... from the turbo and manifold.

My hoses are certainly not new... planning to replace them this year. I have seen the cv boots sling grease onto the hot parts of the manifold and it can give off a rubbery/plastic like smell. But you see it as little black blobs all around the coil spring etc. My car gets this this in the summer and new bands and boots did really help. I put silicon around the mating edges now.

 

[Docl]

Regardless of the smell, 26yr old hoses are big no no. I wouldn't drive the car until they are replaced. But that's just my $0.02.

 

[carbuff]

I always thought that "Lotus Odor" was gas fumes?



On other cars I own, road contaminants (read: road salt + moisture) can make a rubbery-stale smell on a hot exhaust that is no cause for concern, but I never got that from the Esprit.




Hmmm, Mark, perhaps try removing your home-made undertray for one or two drives and see if that makes a difference.



Another thought: Make sure there is no tire rub on the LR heat shield. Mine contacted the tire at a track day once, I could see the little black mark. Perhaps your heat shield is a little bent, and it is more apt to rub.

 

[amanda11270]

I did a thorough "sniff around" of the car, I've never actually done that before LOL, I think its actually coming from the engine cover, not the hatch, but the piece with the vents in it. Should there be some sort of insulation on the inside of it? I do remember the car having this smell even when I didnt have an undertray. But when I smell around the engine bay with the piece removed, no smell. Next time I drive it, im gonna take the engine cover off and see if it returns.

 

[Type82]

Mark,
The engine bay lid on my '87 has heat shield material attached to the underside, yours should be the same. These covers are fibreglas except for the seal so I do not think that is your problem.

Wifey's car 2001 Toilet Corrola CE {Cheap Edition} has the same problem you are refering to. When I exit the passenger seat from a drive I smell burning rubber, even when she had worn tires replaced with new ones. I looked for the cause and could not find anything... no inflation problems, no rubbing, no melted rubber exhaust mounts... nothing. Weird thing is sometimes it's there, other times not. When I get the chance I'll look into it again and if I find anything will let you know. I have never had this problem with my '87 Esprit.

Robert

 

[carbuff]

As Robert said, no insulation inside the hatch/engine cover (but there SHOULD be foil on the inside).


If your car is running rich, your trunk carpet could be "cooking" due to an overheated cat converter. Give the boot a sniff...

 

[sleekgt]

As Robert said, no insulation inside the hatch/engine cover (but there SHOULD be foil on the inside).

[snip]

Hmmm - no smell of rubber on my 88. And my hatch/engine cover has ZERO foil - just bare fiberglass.

 

[Autocross7]

Mine has gold foil... removed the old silver stuff and have never driven it without the foil. So, I cannot comment.

 

[mpesik]

The car does have a scent.
Like my 928's but different.
A sweeter leather scent that I can smell when I open the Garage door.
Btw- Im apologize that this has nothing to due with your hoses.