Funny smell...help!?!

So I have an 09 impreza 2.5i, when I downshift to pass some one and "get on it"" afterwards I notice a very foul smell with maybe alittle gas in it. Service at Morries isnt sure but are going to hook it up on wednesday. Buddy of mine thinks its my cat back exhaust..any takers? 3700 miles going in wednesday for first oil change.

 

thats the smell of no turbo.

 

ha ha come on now.....im depressed as it is....

 

I would venture to guess a gummed up cat.

 

Or it could be the relatively new cat converter almost doing it's job.

 

Aha, missed that it was a new one. For some reason I saw 99.

99% sure you're just smelling all the new stuff finally getting up to temp and breaking in. Mine smelled funny for at least a few months.

 

Its called cozmolene? (spelling?) its what the exhaust is coated with when new, its normal, Irecall bringing new STIs back from long lake and having smoke barreling out from the scoop.

 

Cosmoline. A rust preventative that a lot of steel goods are coated with before shipping, especially if they are taking a ocean voyage. Salt air and all that. I've acquired swords coated in the stuff.

Works great, is pretty sticky and you need a solvent to remove it. Or just burn it off in the case of engine and brake parts. Last time I bedded in new rotors there was a good bit of smoke from the stuff burning off.

 

Thanks guys I didnt think it was too much to worry about, but when subaru had no idea, it kind of made me think

 

That sure doesn't say much for your Subaru techs...

 

Soooo our techs are looking for a smell of gas? When the smell is actually something different...

 

Or its completely normal like it actually is, keep up that additude fella.

 

so answers is.......My cat-back exhaust..i assume.....put my stock back on and the smell is gone!!! It was custom...basically bent 2.5'' from cat to back with no muffler. .seems odd to me..unless that "stuff" burnt off the sameday I put the stock back on. Thanks for all the help again