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Smell of smoke
02-05-2014, 11:27 AM
#1
Out Of Control!!
Thread Starter
Smell of smoke
So my wife called me out because she smelled "something burning" while the E was warming up.
It did sit outside during a windy 6 inch snow storm last night.
when went out I could definitely smell what seemed like either a hot rubber or hot electrical smell.
The car was idling fine (Yes, she smelled burning, but did not bother to shut it off)
We shut it off, and I opened the hood. Nothing noticeable.
We restarted and all seems good, but can't tell if the smell was a one time thing or not.
She took my car, and I will let it sit a while and restart and see if the smell comes back.
What is the chance it was just a slipping bet due to ice, or smoothing else transient and not a bigger problem?
Anyone else have anything similar?
It did sit outside during a windy 6 inch snow storm last night.
when went out I could definitely smell what seemed like either a hot rubber or hot electrical smell.
The car was idling fine (Yes, she smelled burning, but did not bother to shut it off)
We shut it off, and I opened the hood. Nothing noticeable.
We restarted and all seems good, but can't tell if the smell was a one time thing or not.
She took my car, and I will let it sit a while and restart and see if the smell comes back.
What is the chance it was just a slipping bet due to ice, or smoothing else transient and not a bigger problem?
Anyone else have anything similar?
02-05-2014, 01:11 PM
#2
Out Of Control!!
I know you will not like my response, however rethink what you said---"she smelled something burning"----and then go on to think maybe ice---ice is another form of water and when it changes to a gas(water does not burn) it typically does not smell unless your snoz is over a pot of boiling spaghetti----my point I do think it is ice.
If it did smell was it a famuliar automotive smell---gas, rubber burning, coolant, engine oil, transmission fluid!
Was there smoke----did you lift the hood and poke around!!
When she drove off was there any residue or discoloration in the melted snow
Double check on your comprehensive!!
If it did smell was it a famuliar automotive smell---gas, rubber burning, coolant, engine oil, transmission fluid!
Was there smoke----did you lift the hood and poke around!!
When she drove off was there any residue or discoloration in the melted snow
Double check on your comprehensive!!
02-05-2014, 01:42 PM
#3
Out Of Control!!
Thread Starter
She didn't drive off. (she took my car. The GL)
No smoke that I saw (I did not get out there for a min or so after she noticed it)
definitely the "Burning Rubber" smell common with either a slipping rubber belt, or sometimes overheated electrical insulation.
Yes, I lifted the hood, looked quickly at the belt, had her restart the car, shut it off and tried to see if anything the belt was attached to was hot (I.E. bad bearing on a pulley).
Comprehensive is 100%
As for the ice question, Throught was some amount of ice formed on a pulley or idler (or in/around the bearing) and held up the belt for a split second.
Second thought (Also belt related), the compressor kicked on for defrost, and is seized and then kicked off.
Just saw a post on a disintegrated idler in the CL AMG forum, same initial symptom, but far more obvious cause.
No smoke that I saw (I did not get out there for a min or so after she noticed it)
definitely the "Burning Rubber" smell common with either a slipping rubber belt, or sometimes overheated electrical insulation.
Yes, I lifted the hood, looked quickly at the belt, had her restart the car, shut it off and tried to see if anything the belt was attached to was hot (I.E. bad bearing on a pulley).
Comprehensive is 100%
As for the ice question, Throught was some amount of ice formed on a pulley or idler (or in/around the bearing) and held up the belt for a split second.
Second thought (Also belt related), the compressor kicked on for defrost, and is seized and then kicked off.
Just saw a post on a disintegrated idler in the CL AMG forum, same initial symptom, but far more obvious cause.
Last edited by N_Jay; 02-05-2014 at 07:37 PM.
02-05-2014, 07:36 PM
#4
Out Of Control!!
Thread Starter
OK, went outside and dug the car out.
Had the wife start it up while I watched the belt.
Nothing seemed to lockup or slip, no smoke no smell.
Belt looks good, and all the pulleys/tensioners seems to be running smooth and true.
There is a little squeak, that my wife said started when it got cold, and goes away when the car warms up. I am guessing I have a tensioner that is a bit bad, and probably got a good dose of ice covering during the storm.
It was just a few degrees below freezing when the storm started. She took a short drive to the store, and then parked on the driveway. The rest of the night it snowed and the wind was blowing quite hard while the temps dropped to near single digits.
I know I need a new thermostat, so when I do that I guess I will throw on new tensioners and a new belt. (Unless the car bursts into flame before that from an undetected electrical short)
Had the wife start it up while I watched the belt.
Nothing seemed to lockup or slip, no smoke no smell.
Belt looks good, and all the pulleys/tensioners seems to be running smooth and true.
There is a little squeak, that my wife said started when it got cold, and goes away when the car warms up. I am guessing I have a tensioner that is a bit bad, and probably got a good dose of ice covering during the storm.
It was just a few degrees below freezing when the storm started. She took a short drive to the store, and then parked on the driveway. The rest of the night it snowed and the wind was blowing quite hard while the temps dropped to near single digits.
I know I need a new thermostat, so when I do that I guess I will throw on new tensioners and a new belt. (Unless the car bursts into flame before that from an undetected electrical short)
02-05-2014, 07:55 PM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
No idea on the smell, sounds like it's okay - but I had the same issue where I had a squeak when it was cold, turned out to be the idler assembly / tensioner that needed to be changed out as well as a cracked serpentine belt that was partly responsible for the noise. Get that checked out, the tensioners/pulleys are made of plastic and can crack along the inner circumference of the part and break, leaving you stranded over a $30 part. I guess it all depends how much you love your wife though 
02-05-2014, 09:19 PM
#6
Out Of Control!!
Thread Starter
Hey, I took her old Honda Pilot and drive it from 140K to 186K when she got the E.
And before that she drove my new CRV until her Pilot came in.
And before that she had two Rage Rovers while I had cheap *** company cars.
So, she can wait for it to get warmer before I replace the thermostat, idlers and belt! (Seems there is an idler that looks mostly metal and a tensioner that I can't tell (Maybe plastic.)
And before that she drove my new CRV until her Pilot came in.
And before that she had two Rage Rovers while I had cheap *** company cars.
So, she can wait for it to get warmer before I replace the thermostat, idlers and belt! (Seems there is an idler that looks mostly metal and a tensioner that I can't tell (Maybe plastic.)
02-05-2014, 10:47 PM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
It's both metal and plastic, I wish I still had my broken what to show what I men. Haha good man, hope you keep her happy with all of these cars over the years.
