[trapp]

OK, so I flew into Minneapolis to pick up my 2003 Maserati and it was a great experience. I see that they are big in this forum so I do feel good about the purchase.

I have basically one question that I hope someone can answer for me. I was driving home to Portland and I decided that going at least 100 mph in this car was necessary. I hit 100 in 6th gear and noticed a sulfur smell. I didn't think too much of it but I did slow back down to 80. Then I tried it again later that day and it was the same result. I could go 90..fine...95...fine, but once it hit 100 it smelled like that.

Today I was driving again and I noticed the same smell when I got on the car in 3rd gear. I doubt it even made it to 6,000 RPM's before the sulfur smell.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Again, I would like to say Scott at Maserati was a very cool guy to work with and Mark, thanks for the ride from the airport those QP's are nice.

Trapp

 

[PacoSaca]

Were you riding aolne??? if you were not I bet the smell may have come from your passenger sh!tting on his pants LOL... just kidding broh... don't worry ...sure is nothing serious and Mark will soon pop-up 'round here to answer your question.

Congrats on your new car... enjoy it!!

 

[M!]

is it RPM related (6000rpm+) or speed related (100mph+)?

 

[trapp]

M,

It's weird, and I've driven enough to cars to know that when you hit a certain speed or RPM it shouldn't smell like crap. At any rate, you're asking if its speed or RPM. I'm sure it has plenty to do with RPM, but 100 mph seemed to be the magic # until today when I took it higher in the rev range.

It doesn't really happen when I run it hard. You know, like when you're just trolling in 2nd gear then punch it. I can run it up high, shift, shift again and it's fine...well until today anyway. My wife said it smelled like fireworks, I agree. So, I tried to do it again with the RPM's and it smelled terrible...so yeah, maybe it's just 6k+ that my car is not liking...I will get more exact numbers RPM numbers tomorrow and post.

 

[M!]

...I hit 100 in 6th gear and noticed a sulfur smell....
Today I was driving again and I noticed the same smell when I got on the car in 3rd gear. I doubt it even made it to 6,000 RPM's before the sulfur smell.
...Trapp

may be the last owner got some roadkill in the vents...

btw you will be in 150+ at 6,000 rpm at 6th gear see if you get the smell!

 

[PacoSaca]

It could very well be what M! says... cleaning or changing your A/C filter would help.

Also give the exhaust fumes a smell while at idle and tell us... I've had people telling me that my car's fumes have a sulfur smell... IMO it maybe produced by an additive in the fuel but I doubt that exahust fumes get into your cabin while going at 100mph.

 

[The Maz Man]

Are you sure.....

I've heard of cars driving badly..., but smelling badly...?

Coatings burning off new exhaust/brake pads?

I give up. Tell us.., please.....

 

[The Maz Man]

Another thought....

... speed related, this time. Once you hit a certain speed, something in the air vents filters its way through to the cabin - someone mentioned road-kill...

Could be something stuck in the vents that you only get to smell about when you reach a speed fast enough to force the smell into the cabin...?

 

[squid]

Might just be carbon buildup in the motor. With sustained high-rpm running it works its' way clean. The previous owner was probably a lightfoot. These cars HATE to be babied.

 

[trapp]

I will update when I have more info. I did drive it today, but I didn't feel like getting on it hard. A lot of interesting responses.

 

[TAPTD12]

I know the previous owner as I have a very good, personal relationship with the dealer. I do know that the previous owner didn't drive the car much, and it sat in the garage for the bulk of 8 months. This person was our neighbor and a friend. So, knowing that, it was "babied" and just needed to be driven. Hopefully the smell will disappear and you will be able to enjoy your machine the way it was meant to be enjoyed. Congrats on your purchase! And I cannot agree more on the kudos to the Mas of Minneapolis team! They are a rare breed indeed! We (my husband and I) would trust no other dealer. We own an 05 QP and an 05 GranSport (and a 360 spyder).

 

[demoe]

Clutch Burn?

When you shift hard at high speeds the clutch will emit a smell. Not a bad thing, inevitable when friction occurs.

if you are daring and want to smell what clutch burn smells like to compare with your situtation, park on downgrade and put the car in reverse, a sure way to get clutch burn smell.

 

[haha]

...park on downgrade and put the car in reverse, a sure way to get clutch burn smell.

it would be a lot easier to perform such a test in San Francisco

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

Sulfur is generally related to the catalytic converter. Likely it is from some stuff in the engine getting burned\cleaned off, however I would assume a smell from the cat would have trouble coming in the cabin at 100mph... I guess at this point, drive it hard and monitor it, and if it doesn't go away, we can go from there in figuring it out.

- Mark

Thanks again for the kind words guys.

 

[trapp]

Alright. I ran a few more tests today and I honestly believe it's the transmission. Here's why.

It's not the RPM's in general, or in certain gears, nor is it the MPH. I've found that taking the car up to 6k in any gear isn't the problem (well, I've only really tried it 2nd - 4th) and 100mph isn't exactly the point where it starts to smell either? So what is it?

OK. I was sitting at a stop sign because earlier on a backcountry road I had been driving a little more aggressively and noticed the smell again. So, trying to find that point where it hits was important. At the stop I gunned it, and kept making shifts at around 4k maybe a little higher until about 4th gear. Then the smell hit. I realized that EVERY single time I've smelled the sulfur was when I was putting around in a low gear and then just hit the accellerator and kept shifting till 100mph.

I think I may take it into Ron Tonkin, but it doesn't seem that unnatural when I realize that it's an automanual trying to keep up with RPM's that keep climbing. Though I'd really like to not blow my transmission.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback and especially about the previous owner. The car looks to be in great shape and so far I've driven it every day.