OT General Engine / Exhaust Smell

[e34m30SF]

Thought I'd consult the Bimmer gurus instead of the "look at this body kit" forum for my daily driver, a 97 Camry 4 Cyl.

Stupid car sucks. But I digress. When I start it up, a notice a puff of smoke, and it smells kinda funny, like acrid. Burning oil maybe?

Then when I'm driving, it surges, but not consistently as if one cylinder is dead. it's noticeable, but not consistently noticeable, as if cyl 3 were misfiring.

Any clue from you who've worked on an engine / near failing engine?

I'd throw money in a Bimmer, not a camry.

[632 Regal]

I love the smell of Nikasil in the morning....

Maybe you are smelling a bit of oil and antifreeze?

[Tiger]

Change spark plugs and see what are the condition of the old plugs. Then I would check the spark plug wires for resistance... they should all be the same at whatever specified on the plug end... with the omega symbol.

Your car has a sensor on the 6th plug... and is very important... alot of time when this failed, car runs erratically. Maybe this is the problem you have.

[Rus]

Smoke types and smells:
Antifreeze smoke - white. Smells sweet.
Oil smoke - blue. Smells like burned oil...hard to describe.
Rich mixture - black or gray smoke. Smells like rotten eggs.
Lean mixture - no smoke. Don't know what it smells like.

[Ross]

Over advanced ignition timing will make an awful smell. Not sure if timing is likely to get that far out on a modern car but just a thought, and a bump.