Smoldering rubber smell
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Senior User
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From: SC
Smoldering rubber smell
I have a weird smell coming from the engine compartment that I can't find for the life of me. It does not happen all the time. Usually in the mornings, but not every morning and it is intermittent. It smells like a wire with too much current or a smoldering rubber smell. A smell that will make you think "what the heck is burning?" With the hood up and the truck running, you can smell it standing beside the truck where the fan is blowing air. I have searched the engine compartment. I have searched the exhaust system. I have searched all the wires. There is nothing that feels hot or anything. Everything I know to look far. You can't see any smoke. I have no other issues with the truck. It just started last week. Any other suggestion???
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Rio Rico, AZ.
Alternator and/or wiring harness?
There's been lot's of posts on that subject. The alternator for some reason runs super hot.
Or possibly this problem:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=278697
There's been lot's of posts on that subject. The alternator for some reason runs super hot.
Or possibly this problem:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=278697
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Does it take a little while to start smelling while idling when cold, or is it smelling while idling after running and hot?
Feel the serpentine belt. Feel the clutch on the AC compressor. Feel the fan clutch.
Feel the relay boxes. Feel the battery cable terminals.
The air is coming in through one or more coolers in front of the radiator. Is the tranny temperature normal? What else is up there?
Warren
Feel the serpentine belt. Feel the clutch on the AC compressor. Feel the fan clutch.
Feel the relay boxes. Feel the battery cable terminals.
The air is coming in through one or more coolers in front of the radiator. Is the tranny temperature normal? What else is up there?
Warren
Last edited by warrens250; Oct 24, 2005 at 09:36 AM.
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From: SC
I will check out both of those. Thanks guys. One more thing, it only gives off the smell after the truck is warmed up and I have driven a couple of miles. Saturday morning I was on my way to the deer club and was 20 miles into the trip when it happened, it lasted maybe 10 minutes.
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From: SC
Originally Posted by warrens250
Does it take a little while to start smelling while idling when cold, or is it smelling while idling after running and hot?
Feel the serpentine belt. Feel the clutch on the AC compressor. Feel the fan clutch.
Feel the relay boxes. Feel the battery cable terminals.
The air is coming in through one or more coolers in front of the radiator. Is the tranny temperature normal? What else is up there?
Warren
Feel the serpentine belt. Feel the clutch on the AC compressor. Feel the fan clutch.
Feel the relay boxes. Feel the battery cable terminals.
The air is coming in through one or more coolers in front of the radiator. Is the tranny temperature normal? What else is up there?
Warren
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Look for an oil leak getting onto the exhaust maniford. Happened on my Toyota, and didn't smell like oil. Resulted from loose drain plug and oil drops being carried by wind onto the manifold. Built up over a weeks time. After fixing the leak took 2 weeks to burn off the smell.
Warren
Warren
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Postmaster
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When I had the "burning rubber" smell it ended up being a bad GP Relay. The little rubber boot on the wire was melting when the GP's were cycling. Then one day I opened the hood just in time to see the litte stream of smoke.
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Originally Posted by Fordafied
Do the GP's cycle after driving awhile?
Warren
Last edited by warrens250; Oct 25, 2005 at 07:07 AM. Reason: typos
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From: SC
Originally Posted by warrens250
They're not supposed to. If they do, you will probably fry some of them over time. Do you see evidence, like the wait symbol coming on or a drop on the voltage guage or dimming headlights at night?
Warren
Warren
Cargo Master
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I have the same problem with my Suburban. The valve cover bolts come slightly loose and it will drip oil onto the exhause manifold. It smells like burning rubber but it's burning oil. I just snug the bolts back up and the problem goes away. It doesn't have cork or paper gaskets. It has rubber seals that fit in a channel around the head so snugging the bolts back up is all that's needed.