Strange Burning Smell After Car has been Standing

[remigi]

Hi All

My car has been standing since the start of November and I have only just started driving it again today. I am now finding this overwhelming smell of burning in the cabin when I stop at the traffic lights or when I stop the car and get out or open the hood. There is no smoke, there is no fire but it just smells like Burning Wax.... It might be oil but im not sure what that smells like...

I have never smelt it before and it wasnt like this last year before I went away. About 4 weeks before I went away (October 2013) I topped up the oil with something they suggested at AutoBahn

- LiquiMoly 5W-30 TopTec 4200

I have looked under the hood and I can see a black tube on the right of the engine that looks like its wet and it also seems the smell is coming from there. I am not sure what it is, maybe someone can tell me?

Thanks in advance guys!

[Martin]

Looks like a water pipe

Have you checked the exhaust from engine to tail?
Plastic bags stuck to the exhaust have the same end result

[remigi]

Looks like a water pipe

Have you checked the exhaust from engine to tail?
Plastic bags stuck to the exhaust have the same end result

What do you mean by that? Put a plastic bag over the exhaust and see if I can smell the same smell?

[asa572]

He means that you may have ran over a plastic shopping bag while driving.
They can melt to the exhaust.
This could be the cause of the burning smell.
Get under your car and check if there is anything melted to your exhaust.

[Martin]

Yes - you may have collected a plastic bag and it's melting away on the exhaust - happens a fair bit
You may not smell the melting/burning while driving due to airflow over the exhaust
But when standing the smell goes up into the cabin

That water pipe does not look wonderful, but if it was a problem you would have engine temperature issues also

[snerlo]

I can vouch for the plastic bag. I have or am going through this now with the jetta. Couldnt work out what it was and then i decided to have a look under the car. There she was. Bloody burnt on near the cat. Nothing i could do except wait till it cooled down and then proceed to chip it off with a flat screw driver and hammer. I could get most of it off but you cant get it all off. There are advice forums for it but i dont have some of the fancy items and just made do with some good old fashioned banging with a hammer! It still smells a little but it is getting better and will eventually go away.