So I've heard different things about my stubborn german 5 speed.<br>In any kind of slippery situation, i.e., backing up through snow or onto a gravel/sand fire road for example, I get a blatantly obvious electrical-like burning smell apparently coming from the transmission, obvious when opening the hood, can often smell it in the car. Occasionally will smell this during other "non-slippy" backups. Last night backed into a parking space in the (awesome) Seattle REI garage. Now I admit this maneuver wasn't perfect, and I had to pull forward and back up again to get it right, but I could smell a light burning smell as I walked away from the car....arrrggh!<p>Different dealers have told me different things, of course, when I can get it to do this at the dealership. First, it was "some snow packed up around the transmission", which they couldn't explained when it did this during the summer. Then it was just me slipping the clutch or something--no snow then, down in Miami at the time.<p>Has anyone else had this sort of smell? It's never happened in any of my previous 5 speeds, and it has me worried with the car going out of warranty, especially 'cause it also has a very tempermental 3rd gear and sometimes grinds going in. No dealer out there seems destined to find it...any ideas? TIA for your help.<p>Rich<br>'98 2.8Q sport, tranny on fire<br>

Are you sure it is the tranny? My only help would be for you to check your valve covers and make sure they are not leaking oil from under the gaskets.<p>Myself, Steve S. and a few other people on here have had our valve cover gaskets replaced because of this. And yes, I too had that burining smell when my valve covers were leaking. <p>This is just a thought. I wish you the best to luck.<p>Regards,<br>Greg Heidt<br>'97 2.8L A4QM in Pearl

Even if you are out of warranty, due to mileage, I assume, since you have a 98, you will be covered IF your problem has been documented by the dealer. It sounds like you might already have multiple service orders that document your complaint. If so, you will be OK, assuming there is a real problem that is eventually identified. However, if you have just complained verbally to dealers and nothing was ever written down, you could have a problem.<p>I don't see why you would be having this burning smell in reverse but not forward gears. The clutch is operating the same way and the same direction in forward and reverse. One thought - try starting from a stop in 2nd gear to see if you get this smell, which will require more than normalf clutch slip. See if this causes the smell. Reverse is usually geared higher than first gear (equivalent of between first and second), so starting in 2nd should duplicate the problem if it is the clutch itself.<p>Good Luck!<p>Dale

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