6 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCH2002 996 Turbo Electric Burning Smell from Engine Compartment
Leading reported evidence
Disconnect ground
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I disconnected the ground on the battery again and the smell stopped.
2002 996 Turbo Electric Burning Smell from Engine Compartment
Read full discussion summary
Leading evidence: 'Disconnect ground' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check alternator would be' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Leave the key off and out and keep the battery disconnected until you resolve this, I'd hate to hear you burned your car down!
2002 996 Turbo Electric Burning Smell from Engine Compartment
Use forum
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I then used the forum to solve the ignition switch problem, installing a new ignition switch.
2002 996 Turbo Electric Burning Smell from Engine Compartment
Check alternator would be
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
One way to check the alternator would be to feel it while the battery is connected to see if it’s warm.
2002 996 Turbo Electric Burning Smell from Engine Compartment
Check before i take it
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
Any suggestions on what I should check before I take it to the shop?
2002 996 Turbo Electric Burning Smell from Engine Compartment
Check wires
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Check the wires near the positive terminal in the engine compartment near the oil filter; it's not uncommon for the plastic insulation to crumble apart and possibly allow a wire to short, especially the smaller alternator wire.
2002 996 Turbo Electric Burning Smell from Engine Compartment
Coverage and how to read this overview
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
6 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
I just took possession of a 2002 996 Turbo with 64,000 miles. My son owned it for 3 years in Germany (he bought in the US and shipped it over there) and now it was just shipped to me back in the US. Apparently somewhere along the line in the shipping, the ignition relay switch failed and they could not get the key out of the ignition. With the ignition left on, the battery was drained completely. When it was delivered to me, we had to jump the car to get it started. It appeared to run fine, but after I parked it in the garage, I still couldn't get the key out of the ignition. While the car sat in the garage (not running) i could smell something like an electric burning smell from the back of the car. My first thought was it's something in the ignition due to the key still in the on position. I detached the ground terminal of the battery and the smell stopped. I then used the forum to solve the ignition switch problem, installing a new ignition switch. I can now switch the car all the way off and pull out the key. I thought problem solved. But, the next day I walk into the garage and can smell that electrical burning smell again. The ignition was off, key out and doors locked. I looked around the engine compartment but couldn't see anything obvious. No smoke or anything. I disconnected the ground on the battery again and the smell stopped. Any suggestions on what I should check before I take it to the shop?
BTW, I'm new to the forum but already found it to be a great resource.
Other Porsche is a 1983 911 SC Cabriolet
You might have better luck in the Turbo section of the forum. Leave the key off and out and keep the battery disconnected until you resolve this, I'd hate to hear you burned your car down! Good luck...
Check the wires near the positive terminal in the engine compartment near the oil filter; it's not uncommon for the plastic insulation to crumble apart and possibly allow a wire to short, especially the smaller alternator wire.
Since you had to jump start it one of the diodes in the alternator may have been damaged. One way to check the alternator would be to feel it while the battery is connected to see if it’s warm. You could splurge on a non contact thermometer to hunt for the warm spot in the engine bay.
something like this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Cuisinar...FQq5yAodrxkKxw
Thanks for the suggestions. Checking them out. Interestingly, the smell has stopped several days after I fixed the ignition switch. The car appears to run fine and haven't seen any error codes thrown, but I'm going to keep checking this out just to be sure.
Turbos throw rear tire dust on the turbos. It can really stink. Caught me by surprise the first few times. Could that be what you are smelling? At first I thought I had electrical shorts and burning wires or the bumper was touching the exhaust. Using the sniff test when it was really bad found the actual problem - which isn't even a problem at all.
My Turbo doesn't do this all the time, only when run hard.
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
