Funny smell from engine
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From: Albuquerque
Funny smell from engine
Ok, this is gona be hard to describe. I’ve got a new unfamiliar smell after a 1,000 mile trip that I can’t identify coming from engine after I drive and it gets warmed up. Its not entering the cab with heater on. Its kind of a sweet acid smell, maybe like turpentine or bad gasoline. I’m familiar with anti-freeze, oil, hyd fluid, fuel, brakes and electrical burning smells and its none of these. There are no leaks or drips and its not a leaking CCV. Truck is running just fine. Engine valley is dry and no fluid loss or gains. Could this be something from the air conditioning? I’m kinda stumped even after a fellow 7.3 owner came over to smell my truck. Thoughts?
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Puget Sound
Can you classify the smell as electrical or plastic? Arcing contacts on heavy relays like a GPR or AIH can smell like Ozone... which can fit into what you describe.
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From: Albuquerque
Rich, I text my FTE buddy and asked him to "come smell my truck". Like a true friend, he came right over and gave it a sniff. He's puzzled too. I wouldn’t call it even an ozone type smell. I'm unfamiliar with the air-condition coolant that’s why I asked about that. It really does remind me at old gasoline, or turpentine. I've got a new filter and just topped off the fuel tank. I may run it down to a local diesel shop that I trust and have them boys give her a sniff. I will ck all relay connectors. The last maintenance was the fuel filter before a 1,000 trip. Didn't notice anything during the trip, two days after I returned.<O
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More Turbo
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Full-time RV
I know the first time I pulled our fiver, my senses were on high alert. The first time we stopped and got out, I had a new smell coming from under my truck. The best I can describe it is just as "hot", if that makes sense. You know how something gets hotter than it usually does and maybe burns off some dirt or oily coating? Might it just be something like that?
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Sandia Park, NM
Your a/c would have an absolutely horrid smell. Don't ask me how I know. Let's just say I ended up laying on the floor swearing I was going to die for about 3 hours. It will burn your eyes, lungs, and everything else if it is concentrated enough. I think it is actually the oil in the system that stinks when it lets go.
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From: Albuquerque
OK, thanks Mike. I didn't think it was the freon but I've never had the pleasure of sniffing it. I've checked all electrical connections, no fluid loss or gains anywhere. Truck runs great. Guess I'll be doin some sniffin around this weekend. Hope the misses doesn't mind!
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From: Albuquerque
Update: Had a battery light on and had the batts load tested, which checked good soooooo, bad alternator(s)! I changes the upper one and no battery light or smell. Will do the lower soon (thats $400 for both). Wonder what the odd to me smell was and why it took so long to fail if that is the smell of an alternator going bad.
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Got Data?
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Lake Stevens, WA
Is your degas bottle clean? Sweet turpentine smell reminds me of what I smelled as the degas bottle cap gasket disintigrated from the deisel getting in the coolant (injector cups leaking) and wafting out the front of the truck.
You said the smell is gone so maybe the alternators were it. Very curious. I know I will stink when I go bad someday. Hell, I stink now - maybe I should be worried...
You said the smell is gone so maybe the alternators were it. Very curious. I know I will stink when I go bad someday. Hell, I stink now - maybe I should be worried...
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