uroboros

I love the little japanese characters by the "extra power" red button. Looks cooler than mine

i get a smell exactly how you are describing. I think its either a oil leak that somehow is burning the oil (which creates white smoke sometimes when i'm stopped or driving slow) or perhaps a cracked head or gasket. Does the smell begin immediately after starting the car or does it take awhile to develop after driving.

My 93 ES300 is at 87k and it has a plethora of problems. I'm not too car saavy (this is why i'm here) and i'm trying to research if its even worth saving. Its like the previous owner tried to kill this car. Engine makes clangy piston noise (from the heads? rockers? lifters? I dunno) and slurrs in and out of very low RPM at parked idle or stopped at a light; sometimes stalling completely. One of the components run by a belt (I told you I wasn't car saavy) makes a constant metallic pinging noise (sounds like bad bearings in my uneducated guess). I was told it was the power steering pump about to go, but i'm not too sure. The A/C sometimes turns off for no reason, and oh yeah, the oil pan gasket leaks great gobs of oil directly onto the exhaust pipe above the catalytic converter and immediately burns off creating a cloud of smoke that pours out from underneath my hood while driving (especially stopped or at low speeds). Everyone thinks my car is overheating and is happy to notify me by honking... which is always fun. My lexus sure does turn heads. <_< I'm hoping this is the only oil leak, as its all i can see from below the car; the smoke pours up from the general engine area, and looking down into the car, under the engine, stuff seems kinda wet as if it were covered in oil. There is a distinct and rather loud "weerrrrrr wweeeerrrrrrrr" whining noise when driving that kinda changes pitch with the shifting of the auto. transmission. It can't be heard at speeds higher than around 35-40 but that may just be because road noise drowns it out. I'm praying that its not the tranny about to lock up. Of course, the manual that comes with the car is a fun "how to work the stereo, with !Removed! and jane" book and otherwise uttery useless, and i'm still virtually clueless as to what is what under the hood of my car, so I stand there with the hood up in my parking spot pointing and proding at the parts of my ticking, clanging, shuddering car like the monkey with the obelisk in the intro of 2001 a space oddessy. :chairshot: Any help on anything is greatly appreciated. Criticize my ignorance if you must, but make it worth your while. *sigh*