smell from clutch?

i like to think that i normally drive with a fair degree of mechanical sympathy to save unnecessary wear and tear, but every now and then, when the mood takes me or the traffic conditions dictate (e.g. pulling out onto a fast busy road), i rev the engine on my C4S to about 4k rpm, then let out the clutch quickly (but not sidestepping off it) for a quick getaway. after pretty much each time i do it, i always get a rather noxious smell in the cabin for a few mins which then dissipates. i've never really thought of it before as i get it so rarely, but is this a cause for concern? (other than the fact that i may be wearing out the clutch faster than normal). does this happen to anyone else? cheers, M addendum: i just had it confirmed from a porsche mechanic person that smell/heat is to be expected. but 2nd question still stands, does anyone else get this? i can't be the only person in a 911 that does the occasional over spirited getaway....

Ciao, Marco! Yes, 996's tend to stink following "spirited" driving sessions. I've had my 996 C2 (MY 2003) for five years now and I always get that "Oh, sh*t, I've cooked the clutch!" smell afterwards, too. I'm not entirely sure that it is the clutch smelling as mine has done it since I've owned the car - unless the clutch is an inch thick?! I also get the same smell if I drive the car hard WITHOUT just pulling away from standstill - ie. driving the car as it was designed to.......? Adrian.

hi adrian, good to know i'm not the only one then! if memory serves mine did seem to smell a little after normal driving when i first got it (i.e. for the first week or so). i guess i might have just been getting used to a manual car with lots of torque (and a relatively normal revving engine) and driving it smoothly after coming out of an S2000 (there was a paddle shift car in between which couldn't have helped to add complications)

Yeah - I know what you mean. I've been out in mine today and I got the old burning rubber smell after a bit of a blast. I really don't think that it is the clutch as it's not a classic clutch type smell!? Maybe someone else will come along and enlighten us.....?!

mine doesn't really smell like burning rubber, at least not like my tyres after a track session,, but it is just as noxious. maybe it's also more prominent in AWD 911s. there must be more people than us 2 who've noticed it....especially in a turbocharged 911....

yeah, nice hot rubbery/oily mechanical stench from mine too after a "spirited" run. Have long stopped worrying about it [ ]

Isn't clutch burning more of a fishy smell? Or Do I have haddock in my car? [ ]

i think someones put a kipper on your radiator [ ]

You must have one the more recently manufactured, environmentally-friendly, kelp-based clutches that are loaded with both omega 3 and 6 oils. They're great bits of kit but you've got to watch out for cats climbing all over the car after you've been out in it![ ] The environmentalists are coming down hard on companies like Porsche these days and they're being forced to find alternatives to the more "traditional" materials that are used in their cars. I understand that they're currently developing a Spam-based catalytic converter. Meaty.

Ok you can a third person to the team!!! Must admit the first time I really let rip from a standstill was not long after having had the gearbox rebuilt and a new clutch put in. It still gets a bit noxious after a good blast. Mark PS Was concerned I had a "Carp" clutch!

Mine does the same, worried me a little at first but doesn't any longer, glad to read I'm not the only one experiencing this...

Mine does too, but my mates tiptronic does not - so it must be the clutch!

Or he's not driving it quickly enough! [ ]