Ive noticed when I get on the gas pedal, especially going uphill, my Z smells bad... a kind of burning sulfur ish smell. My first thought is clutch, I bought the Z used with 40k on her and I assume its the original clutch. My second thought is could Exhaust/Cats cause this sort of smell?

The only relevant mods that I have done is K&N Intakes. Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated.

 

Do the revs climb more than they should and fall when you let off the gas? If the clutch is slipping you should be able to notice that.

Yes, burning up/clogged cats can have that sulfur smell, is the car down on power or doesn't rev up well?

 

Burning sulfur smell is..well, sulfur. Sulfur levels in gasoline were reduced back when catalytic converters were introduced. However sometimes you may get some out of spec fuel. Even a small amount of extra sulfur in the mix will oxidize in the heat of the catalytic converters and will produce that distinctive rotten egg, sulfur smell. A burning clutch will have a different smell.

 

A really bad battery gives out a sulfur / rotten egg smell.

 

yea I noticed my rpms should be climbing a little faster while accelerating.

Ive also noticed that there is the smell of unburnt fuel coming from tail pipes, not bad but I notice it occasionally especially before my cats heat up in the morning. which kinda led me to believe that the smell could be caused by cats/exhaust once I get on the pedal. Would running too rich cause this sort of thing?

Im not ready to replace the clutch, and my gut is telling me its the clutch.

 

40K MILES is kinda premature for a clutch... unless it was beat on a lot, even then - you can beat on the clutch and still have it last to at least double what you have.

if you do replace the clutch make sure to upgrade the CSC while @ it.

 

Sulfur is not a clutch. Batt or probably cats.

 

you didn't run over a plastic bag by any chance, did you?

they will melt on your exhaust and takes forever for it to burn off. bad smell too.

you have to drive it for the bag to burn off, if it is the case.
you can try scraping it but it will be a pita.

 

I'm guessing cats.

 

I have the same smell only tge O2 sensor on bank 2 is reading high and at one point I got a lean condition. If your A/F mixture is off it can do that Im trying to figure out mine now. If you can get a scanner which shows live data you can see the fuel trim readings and see what is going on. It may not be quite enough to set a code but borderline like mine. I'm going nuts trying to figure it out.

 

No codes, no problem. Mine has done this on occasion since I bought it, and it runs dead even perfect on both banks.
I say "on occasion" because I don't beat my car much.

 

Just to add 40K miles is WAY too early for a clutch to give out.. To test the clutch to see if it's slipping go about 35 mph in 4th gear and step on the gas. IF the RPM's shoot up without speed increasing then it's shot./