I've read the posts about the rotten egg smell that happens during start up but will go away after about a week. But...I've owned my car for over a month now and just started getting a bad smell when I warm up the engine before driving. Smells like burning matches.

 

Burning Matches / Rotten Eggs probably the same sulfer smell comming from the cat converter.

 

i still had it after 2 or 3 months afterwards. dont wry

 

i had a problem with a plastic bag that melted to the heat shield underneath. it got caught under the car while driving. the smell lasted for a good couple of weeks. chack under and make sure that nothign is tucked in there. just a suggestion. sometimes its the simplest and stupidest answer.

 

The sulphur smell happens when raw fuel dribbles into the cat and then ignites. If that happens enough, it can kill the cat. The ceramic foam block in the catalytic converter eventually turns into dense chunks.

Rotaries do run seriously rich at startup normally, but with the smell, you may want to bring it in and have the shop take a look at why it's running rich even for a rotary.

 

You could also be using a brand of gasoline that has more sulphur than most. Maybe experiment with that first?

 

The RX-8 exhaust smells differently than a piston engine due to the minute amount of oil that rotaries inject into the combustion chambers to lubricate the seals.

 

ahhh,
the smell of Castrol in the mornin' :D

 

I find that the oil burning smell is similar to the small of urine after you've just eaten aspargus...

 

i don't really see that at all, and i think i just learned a little too much about you :p

 

Yes, it's either the CAT or bad fuel. Don't buy cheap gas.

Take it to the dealer, let them chewck it out.

 

I've had that smell on my car for more than 6 months, and only recently has it gone completely away so yea don't worry too much about it.