I'm driving my car to Florida from Tennessee right now. Today I drove 6 hours. About 3 or 4 miles into the drive I started smelling this weird gas/plastic/coolant burning smell. I've had a coolant leak before but this didn't smell like that. Temps were fine at 79 degrees on the PFC. I thought it was my rear bumper plastic melting but it wasn't when I pulled over to check it. So I stop about on the 5th hour and get something to eat and pop the hood. When I pop the hood I noticed the smell was coming from my turbo. I then got a better smell and it smelled like header wrap and coolant was being cooked. I looked at the downpipe and saw that the turbo housing was glowing cherry red. I know it can get hot but with the easy driving and cool temperatures I didn't think it should have been glowing so red. Then I see one slight puff of white smoke from the turbo. Looked like it came out from one of the lines but it happened so quick I couldn't tell. I ate some dinner and let it cool down. I got back in and tuned the car on. I didn't see any more puffs of smoke. I drove to the AFB and had the window down to see if I smelled it anymore. The smell was gone.

Remember I'm running single turbo

So I'm not really sure what to think

Some things that have changed/noticed on my car since I last drove it before it was in storage
Oil change
Topped off coolant
Dirty air filter

 

Possible turbo coolant line leak? That would explain the burning coolant smell and the quick puff of smoke from the turbo area.

 

Do you have a tubular manifold or cast iron? the tubular manifold is a lot thinner than cast iron so i would expect it to get hotter and cherry red much faster in a 6 hour drive.

 

Ya I expected a coolant line leak but I can't find anything. I guess I'll need to get it pressure tested.

I have a tubular ss manifold from A-Spec. It wasn't the manifold that was red though

 

check for kinks.