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M2 Technical Topics > N55 Engine / Drivetrain / Exhaust / Bolt-ons / Tuning > 'Warm' smell from engine

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      03-10-2022, 04:34 PM   #1
theboyellis
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'Warm' smell from engine

Hi all. Do M2 engines run particularly hot? I ask because there is a noticeable 'hot' smell from my engine bay when driving with the window down. Doesn't smell like anything is burning and BMW has checked the car twice and confirmed nothing is amiss...

I appreciate this isn't the most descriptive of posts, but has anyone else noticed this? Is it normal? Car is running perfectly.
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      03-14-2022, 12:09 PM   #2
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You are not the only one with that issue! I have done some extensive research online on the subject. I assume it is a waxy smell and sticks around in the car, even if you leave the car in the garage for a while. Also assumes it only happens when you drive in a spirited way with high revs, hot engine and especially windows down? Many have that issue, including myself. Last summer I finally got a 90% solution to the topic. If you drive windows down to enjoy the sound of your exhaust, put the air circulation from "A" to position "closed". That resolves the issue to 90%. Somehow, when the engine bay gets hot, possibly cosmoline gets warm enough to create the smell, being sucked through the vents even more due to the cabin underpressure from the open windows. I tried it now multiple times and it is way way better when setting the aircon to just circulate the inside air with windows down. Hope, this helps, let me know!
P.S. A user from a German M2 forum provided that solution. He had the same issue, link as follows:
https://www.2ertalk.de/threads/5634/#post-250291
Even if you probably won't be able to read the German language, it shows an image with the re-circulation setting. And by the way, the owner has a M2C, same issue as the N55 M2.

Last edited by Downunder99; 03-14-2022 at 04:31 PM..
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      04-09-2022, 05:53 AM   #3
theboyellis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Downunder99 View Post
You are not the only one with that issue! I have done some extensive research online on the subject. I assume it is a waxy smell and sticks around in the car, even if you leave the car in the garage for a while. Also assumes it only happens when you drive in a spirited way with high revs, hot engine and especially windows down? Many have that issue, including myself. Last summer I finally got a 90% solution to the topic. If you drive windows down to enjoy the sound of your exhaust, put the air circulation from "A" to position "closed". That resolves the issue to 90%. Somehow, when the engine bay gets hot, possibly cosmoline gets warm enough to create the smell, being sucked through the vents even more due to the cabin underpressure from the open windows. I tried it now multiple times and it is way way better when setting the aircon to just circulate the inside air with windows down. Hope, this helps, let me know!
P.S. A user from a German M2 forum provided that solution. He had the same issue, link as follows:
https://www.2ertalk.de/threads/5634/#post-250291
Even if you probably won't be able to read the German language, it shows an image with the re-circulation setting. And by the way, the owner has a M2C, same issue as the N55 M2.
Sorry for delay and thanks! This seems to solve it for me (need to do some testing). Only issue is that mine switches from M to A automatically after a while… does yours do that?!
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      04-09-2022, 08:00 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by theboyellis View Post
Sorry for delay and thanks! This seems to solve it for me (need to do some testing). Only issue is that mine switches from M to A automatically after a while… does yours do that?!
Mine does that only when re-starting the engine, but not always. I have not yet figured out what the logic is. It does not switch back to 'A' while driving. There could be a difference between EU and US programming of the function.
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      04-18-2022, 04:48 AM   #5
atlas
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Wow thanks I was just thinking about this yesterday. Will give it a try!
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      04-21-2022, 05:32 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by theboyellis View Post
Sorry for delay and thanks! This seems to solve it for me (need to do some testing). Only issue is that mine switches from M to A automatically after a while… does yours do that?!
I tried this today and noticed that mine automatically switched back from M to A as well, when my sunroof was open. When it was closed, it stayed on M (at least for quite a while). Need to do some more testing...
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      04-21-2022, 04:42 PM   #7
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I love that smell. My car is older now so the smell is gone, It eventually stops
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      04-29-2022, 11:31 PM   #8
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Always goes back to auto recirc on mine
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      11-13-2022, 04:22 AM   #9
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Hi all - try coding 'Automatic Air Recirculation' to Not Active.

Mine stays on M now unless I change it!
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