Help - I've A Smelly Rav!

[SQUEALEYHEALEY]

I've noticed that when starting from cold, particularly on cold frosty mornings, there is, in side my 4.2 D4D, a smell of burnt plastic, could be oil. Which clears once the engine gets up to temperature. Is this an indication of impending doom & expensive bills. Any ideas as to cause and remedies would be gratefully received.

[bothwell_buyer]

I've noticed that when starting from cold, particularly on cold frosty mornings, there is, in side my 4.2 D4D, a smell of burnt plastic, could be oil. Which clears once the engine gets up to temperature. Is this an indication of impending doom & expensive bills. Any ideas as to cause and remedies would be gratefully received.

Is there not an air filter for the aircon or something that you need to change??

anchorman will be along or one of his gang, I'm sure.

Dead mice smells like gas. (Completely useless bit of info)

[Bodgit-fixit-run]

Might be stating the obvious here please forgive me for this.

Have you checked for things like plastic bags under the Rav. They can melt onto the exhaust. You might notice it as the engine is first started as you may not be moving. However once moving the flow of air under the vehicle will draw the fumes away from the air intake for the air con etc.

Check the air filter. It's behind the glove box on mine and just pulls out. The glove box pulls right down for access. With mine I was able to just wash it in the sink after vacuuming it off. If the filter fabric comes away from the frame just tape it back with double sided tape when dry.

You can buy an air con conditioning spary for about £10 as well just follow the instructions on the can. Much cheaper than having it serviced.

Look underneath as well for oil leks onto the exhaust. Same as the bag above.

[bothwell_buyer]

thats the trouble with dieselly smelly oil - it leaks everywhere - could be a leak as wur young man above has said. Any smoke??

[dave.m]

Hmmmm, something else to consider. Though possibly not when the engine is stone cold. Your catalytic

converter will smell of one of two things. Rotten eggs, or melted plastic. Having never smelled rotten eggs

from my Rav I guess its fitted with the melted plastic smelling type.

[MarsKy]

I've noticed that when starting from cold, particularly on cold frosty mornings, there is, in side my 4.2 D4D, a smell of burnt plastic, could be oil. Which clears once the engine gets up to temperature. Is this an indication of impending doom & expensive bills. Any ideas as to cause and remedies would be gratefully received.

Funnily enough, I read this post and had never came across the problem. I then went out in my T180 and after 5 minutes of driving, got a 10 second blast of the same type of burning smell. It was -2'C outside and I had the heater up at 23'C. Possibly things just heating up too quickly in the cold? It went away quickly enough.

[anchorman]

I tend to think like Dave it is the cat.

For info all diesel 4.3 RAVs have an electric element in the heater to assist in generating some heat during the lengthy warm up period. It switches off after a while but could smell a bit while operating.

Now talking about cats I'd like to come back to Bothy's comment about mice!!! Personally I never bothered to smell a dead mouse but if I can get away without being arrested I will do next time I come across one.

Bothy. Do you think ramming dead mice into my gas meter might reduce my bills?

In your face British Gas - now if I can get that cat to leave the f ing birds alone and do it's job properly....................

.........."out, out, spit it out damn you!!!"

[bothwell_buyer]

Now talking about cats I'd like to come back to Bothy's comment about mice!!! Personally I never bothered to smell a dead mouse but if I can get away without being arrested I will do next time I come across one.

Bothy. Do you think ramming dead mice into my gas meter might reduce my bills?

in the catering trade an alert to mice corpses is a smell akin to that of gas. You can smell them in the same room whether you see the body or not. I never bothered using them to block the meter - its easier just to bypass it with a length of rubber hose. Just make sure you use an old style hose clip - the new plastic jobbies leak!!! I know cos.........

[anchorman]

I wasn't thinking of blocking the meter. If they smell of gas they might power the boiler!

[Bodgit-fixit-run]

A couple of tins of beans and a flatus tube whilst asleep would also work here.