There is this smell...

[Beatty, Robert]

My alternator destroyed itself last monday and before it died it smelled
like burning insulation or plastic.  The stator was shorting to the case of
the alternator and the material inside surrounding the stator was melting.
Might want to make sure the smell isnt coming from there.

Rob

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Berrevoets [mailto:pjberr at home.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2001 3:46 PM
To: 1 Quattro List (E-mail)
Subject: There is this smell...


Today I started noticing this hot plastic type smell in the car.

After 10 minutes of "I know that smell", it came to me that it smells
exactly like clear plastic Bic pen left on hot surface. (Don't ask)

There are no clear plastic Bic pens in the car that are unaccounted for.

I don't know if there is anything of similar plastic that I can see either
burning or emitting smoke. It comes and goes and I get the impression from
turning on and off various components that it might be heater related.

Any thoughts?

Peter Berrevoets
1990 200TQ
Toronto, Canada
http://frontpage.home.net/pjberr/