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Plastic burning smell

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Old Oct 23, 2017
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Plastic burning smell

I am not sure if the two are related, but I had to replace my radiator cap and now it's spitting coolant out once it gets warm.... But anyways

I've noticed after my car has warmed up and been driven for a while, It will make a burning plastic smell, Almost like a Shopping bag got caught on the exhaust or something... I've checked all under the car and can't see anything obviously wrong.

Or would it just be the hot coolant leaking onto areas in the engine bay? It seems like the longer I drive it, especially longer highway trips I can smell it more from even sitting in the car with windows down. Cars engine temp is fine, no smoke... just that smell.
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Old Oct 23, 2017
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Re: Plastic burning smell

Automatic or manual transmission?

Why did you replace the radiator cap?
Coolant spitting out from where? Did you purchase an OEM or aftermarket radiator cap?
Could you be confusing smell with burnt rubber?
Coolant smell from overspill or leak on a hot engine or radiator can last a long time
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Old Oct 23, 2017
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Re: Plastic burning smell

Originally Posted by Megalodong
Automatic or manual transmission?

Why did you replace the radiator cap?
Coolant spitting out from where? Did you purchase an OEM or aftermarket radiator cap?
Could you be confusing smell with burnt rubber?
Coolant smell from overspill or leak on a hot engine or radiator can last a long time
Automatic.

It's spitting out from the cap, I replace the cap originally because the old one fell apart when I went to check the fluid one day.

It was one from AutoZone, All I could afford.

No, It definitely smells like burning plastic...
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Old Oct 23, 2017
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Re: Plastic burning smell

Originally Posted by Slicer1989
Automatic.

It's spitting out from the cap, I replace the cap originally because the old one fell apart when I went to check the fluid one day.

It was one from AutoZone, All I could afford.

No, It definitely smells like burning plastic...
Either the aftermarket cap is not sealing like it should or too much pressure in coolant system. OEM cap is probably less than $25 at local Honda dealer. Insert a hi-temp (250 F) thermometer in radiator neck at operating temp to get a reading.

Last edited by Wankenstein; Oct 23, 2017 at 10:04 PM.
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Old Oct 24, 2017
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Re: Plastic burning smell

could be a plastic bag stuck to the rad, once you can start to smell it stop driving and start trying to figure out where the smell is coming from
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Old Oct 24, 2017
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Re: Plastic burning smell

Originally Posted by Megalodong
Either the aftermarket cap is not sealing like it should or too much pressure in coolant system. OEM cap is probably less than $25 at local Honda dealer. Insert a hi-temp (250 F) thermometer in radiator neck at operating temp to get a reading.
It's probably the aftermarket cap, it's a cheap $10 one from AutoZone. I just don't have the money to buy another right now :/


Originally Posted by Colin42
could be a plastic bag stuck to the rad, once you can start to smell it stop driving and start trying to figure out where the smell is coming from
I'm gonna do that today.
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