a slipping clutch makes the same smell............sometims as too hot
brakes.
brake fluid itself makes no smell.

not coolant is it ?
smells quite different than burning brakes of course.........
but of 'those smells' ....the ones that really stand out .........
the common ones are burning il - as in oil leaking from a valve cover say,
onto an exahsut pipe.
Coolant......
and fuel.
all very distint smells.

I make it a habbit almost to smell in the upper air intake grills at the
rear of the van.
Espeically the left one ( right one  is mostly blocked off on a waterboxer
engine )

any coolant or fuel smells originating on the engine will be very apparent
in that left upper air intake after stopping and smelling.
scott
turbovans
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joy Hecht" <hecht.joy@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 2:11 PM
Subject: diagnosing by smell - maybe brake problem?

> Hi all,
>
> Matilda is giving off a smell that makes me nervous - like the way it
> smells
> if you forget to take your parking brake off and drive with it on.  Is
> that
> burning brake pads?  Overheated brake fluid?  Burning something else?
> I've
> noticed it on and off for a month or so.  The brakes work fine, the brake
> fluid level is fine, no other symptoms.  Oh, and no, I'm not driving with
> the parking brake on.
>
> Anyone know what this might be?  Should I panic?
>
>
>
>
>
> Joy
> on behalf of Matilda, who can't type very well