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Thread: Burnt clutch smell coming from automatic transmission?

  1. #1
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    Burnt clutch smell coming from automatic transmission?

    I have 2009 automatic 328i but I am sure this applies to all automatic cars with the “manual-mode” which allows you to shift gears on your own. (I have owned 6 manual cars in my life, not a big fan of autos)

    I was driving some very fun windy roads so I put the car in manual mode to allow it to be much more predictable when accelerating out of the corners. I drove it pretty hard for about a 10 minute window but I wasn't screaming the engine. I was giving it around 3/4 throttle and was shifting around 4-4500rpms and was heavily braking. The car did very well but after coming to stop I smelled a definite clutch smell coming from the car. I definitely know what clutch smells like after driving real manuals for so many years.

    To confirm the smell I leaned in and smelled the brakes and it wasn't it, and I popped the hood and the engine itself smelled fine but I bent over and smelled underneath the car and there was the smell.

    The car has 120k miles but has fresh transmission fluid, I have done 2 separate 5 quart drain and refills just 2000 miles ago and plan on doing a 3rd one soon. I used full synthetic Amsoil ATF. It feels as if it is still in great condition and shifts perfect everyday.

    Is this a bad sign that I am smelling clutch and am significantly shortening its lifespan by driving it this hard with this many miles? Or is this normal after high rev shifting it for a decent time? Do not know enough about autos to know.

    I know that a manual I would have been able to drive it that hard for long periods of time fine, but I have a feeling this automatic was trying to have “smooth and seemless” shifts which allows for a lot of slippage, rather than it just have quick and hard engaging shifts, which cuts down on the period of time of “slippage” but is a more abrupt shift. (Which I wouldn’t mind if possible)

    Any input?

  2. #2
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  3. #3
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    I've never once in my life smelled a clutch type smell from an auto trans.

    I have smelled, a million times over, a clutch type smell from brakes. I can just about guarantee you the smell was from the brake pads. Brake pads and clutches use similar friction materials and binders (glue) to hold them together. It was either your brakes, or you ran over a plastic bag that melted to your exhaust. LOL.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by White94RX View Post
    I've never once in my life smelled a clutch type smell from an auto trans.

    I have smelled, a million times over, a clutch type smell from brakes. I can just about guarantee you the smell was from the brake pads. Brake pads and clutches use similar friction materials and binders (glue) to hold them together. It was either your brakes, or you ran over a plastic bag that melted to your exhaust. LOL.
    Weird because i leaned into the wheel and smelled the brakes and it didnt seem to be coming from there at all. I have been around race tracks and have driven my other stick shift cars this hard and never smelled this type of smell coming from the brakes before.

    So driving an automatic car really hard and shifting up and down alot while under high RPMS shouldn’t produce any sort of smell at all?

  5. #5
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    Nope. Nothing that I've ever noticed from an auto trans. You did say you were driving aggressively using the brakes heavily...
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  6. #6
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    If you are smelling your actual AT, then it's dying in a wide variety of ways, and you'd know it.

    Keep searching and let us know what you find.
    Everything in your car would be hotter in that scenario, but it doesn't sound unreasonable at all to me.

    As for a faster shift, you could purchase xHP. Stage 3 will cut your shift times in approx 1/2.
    Everyone has found it is smoother than factory, and it's easy to tweak every gear's up/down properties as well.
    I drive my AT hard, with at least 500 crank HP, shifting up and down under load. No issues. No smells. (except the odd time when I've had leaks)
    Last edited by Codes2; 04-03-2020 at 11:02 AM.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by White94RX View Post
    Nope. Nothing that I've ever noticed from an auto trans. You did say you were driving aggressively using the brakes heavily...
    I see, I might drop the pan change the filter and oil one more time, see if the fluid darkened at all since these last couple months and give it another go. Any recommendations on a atf additive?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Codes2 View Post
    If you are smelling your actual AT, then it's dying in a wide variety of ways, and you'd know it.

    Keep searching and let us know what you find.
    Everything in your car would be hotter in that scenario, but it doesn't sound unreasonable at all to me.

    As for a faster shift, you could purchase xHP. Stage 3 will cut your shift times in approx 1/2.
    Everyone has found it is smoother than factory, and it's easy to tweak every gear's up/down properties as well.
    I drive my AT hard, with at least 500 crank HP, shifting up and down under load. No issues. No smells. (except the odd time when I've had leaks)

    Well good to know because my AT shifts perfectly fine still with no sign of anything weird.

    Does the 335i’s have the same transmissions as the 328’s? It would be very reassuring to know that your car has the same tranny as mine! any recommendations on an ATF additive to increase performance?

    Also does that tuner allow you to reset the airbag and seatbelt lights? If so I would probably get it.

  9. #9
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    Not sure about the tuner kit, but the 328 and 335 do not share the same trans. The 328 uses a GM tranny and the 335 uses a ZF unit. A visual check can confirm: metal pan, GM. Plastic pan, ZF.

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