[keylime503]

My M2C developed an odd smell that I cannot put my finger on last week. It doesn't quite smell like brakes, but it also doesn't smell like anything else I could recognize.

I have EBC blue pads and SRF fluid but the car is otherwise stock. I've done one track day on these pads and fluid but it was last year, months before the smell developed.

I lifted up the car today and pulled off a wheel (rear left) to see if I could find anything suspicious that would explain the smell. The brake pads looked pretty cooked from the top of the caliper, so I thought I found my issue. But then I pulled the pads out and the actual side of the pad that touches the rotor looked... fine? It was then that I realized I don't really have any idea what I'm looking for in terms of what a brake pad should look like after a lot of intense usage vs the pads being cooked or otherwise done and needing replacement. So I took a bunch of pictures and I came here to basically ask: Help me understand what I should be looking for. Just trying to learn, thanks!

I also noticed that the rotors also look like they have a spot with some imprint of the pads, perhaps from applying the parking brake while the rotors were still hot? And the middle of the hub looks incredibly rusty, is that normal?

[medphysdave]

Driving harder than usual when smell developed?

[keylime503]

Originally Posted by medphysdave

Driving harder than usual when smell developed?

Not particularly. Maybe some spirited driving on the way to the grocery store but sadly no more than that.

[medphysdave]

Smell for certain coming from wheel area? No odd noises?

[keylime503]

Originally Posted by medphysdave

Smell for certain coming from wheel area? No odd noises?

No odd noises. The smell isn’t necessarily coming from the wheels, that was just my first guess and I wanted to check out the pads regardless. If anything, the smell is most apparent when I first open the door and step out of the car. It doesn’t get any stronger when going towards the front or back of car, nor when I stick my nose near the ground.

[Fred Conoway]

Can confirm that the hub rust is normal. I posted a thread asking about similar hub rust and most people confirmed that it was normal, so at least you can rule that out.

[keylime503]

Originally Posted by Fred Conoway

Can confirm that the hub rust is normal. I posted a thread asking about similar hub rust and most people confirmed that it was normal, so at least you can rule that out.

Thanks for confirming!

[Maynard]

Have you used wheel cleaner on these? Kind of looks like pads got soaked with something. Also some pads have painted/colored edges that could burn off. I might drop a call to Zeckhausen - they've always been good about having in person knowledgeable advice.

And FWIW, parking brake doesn't depress these pads (it uses shoes that are internal to hub), and those marks look fairly deep compared to what I get after a wash.

[keylime503]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Have you used wheel cleaner on these? Kind of looks like pads got soaked with something. Also some pads have painted/colored edges that could burn off. I might drop a call to Zeckhausen - they've always been good about having in person knowledgeable advice.

And FWIW, parking brake doesn't depress these pads (it uses shoes that are internal to hub), and those marks look fairly deep compared to what I get after a wash.

No wheel cleaner, just water.

[///MPhatic]

If you do a google search (I know, I know, you get the phonebook) you'll see that a lot of people have had smell issues with EBC pads, and honestly, that's about all it could be.

Brake pads are easy to swap, I say put the stockers back on for a few weeks and see if the smell improves.

Remember that when you cook pads all sorts of things can happen, and there are such things as bad batches of brake pads where there is too much or too little binders.

[keylime503]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

If you do a google search (I know, I know, you get the phonebook) you'll see that a lot of people have had smell issues with EBC pads, and honestly, that's about all it could be.

Brake pads are easy to swap, I say put the stockers back on for a few weeks and see if the smell improves.

Remember that when you cook pads all sorts of things can happen, and there are such things as bad batches of brake pads where there is too much or too little binders.

I guess what I'm really asking is: Is this what cooked pads look like?

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by keylime503

I guess what I'm really asking is: Is this what cooked pads look like?

Depends on the pads I think? I've never cooked your kind of pad.