Smellin burnin rubber...

[Highatop]

Ok, I just started smellin burnin rubber. It just started and so far I can't find it and of course, its cold and snow everwhere and no garage. I did just get new tires and found out, I have a bad inner tierod...I didn't smell this after gettin the tires. It just started. I was wonderin if the belt tensioner and belt would do this.
Any thought would be great. Thanks

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

probably the belt, but be sure it's not something like the a/c compressor - the tensioner can be pretty bad before it causes slippage or drag on the belt....
other thing to check is spin the alternator and listen for crunchy sounds.

 

[Highatop]

I do see the tensioner movin abit up and down. Also, I only really smell it after I drive it. Even a short drive, not so when I start it and let it warm up? Maybe w/ a load on it?

 

[Best4x4]

Anything fall onto the exhaust manifold? I've had plastic bags get caught on my exhaust/exhaust manifold on several 4x4's and it'll stink until it burns off!

 

[Chook]

x2
:above:
Check the exhaust
Sometimes the rubber exhaust mounts go bad or rub

 

[alrock]

Maybe too much HP and smoking the tires at stoplights? :giggle:

 

[Highatop]

We all wish that w/ 315s under an I5...

 

[Dennis]

Be sure to post back here whenever you find out what it is making the burnt rubber smell..




An aside:..sooooo many good jokes could have come from this thread....

 

[4speedfunk]

I also experienced that awhile back. Mine smelled like it was coming from the rear of the vehicle...usually when it was raining. Like most H3 issues...I ignored it and it went away.

 

[Highatop]

Come on 4speed, I've been waitin for you to chim in and you give me the shortest reply yet...Smells to much and even turned around on Thanksgivin, to get my pickup.
Goin to order a tensioner and already have a new belt and change them out... I guess we will see. Also, that is where I think I smell it comin from too. I do have, I think, alotta movement on the tensioner?
Thanks

 

[4speedfunk]

I did a brake job at 30K and I was surprised to find the rear pads about 90% gone. I think off-roading with the TCS and Stabilitrac increases the amount braking by a large margin. This is the only thing I can attribute the wear (and smell) to. I assumed the smell was the brake pads, and since the pad replacement I've not noticed it again. You might pull your rear wheels and have a look at the brakes. Also, I never smelled the burning rubber while driving....it was something I always noticed after I pulled the H3 into the garage and got out of the vehicle.

 

[08H3]

I did a brake job at 30K and I was surprised to find the rear pads about 90% gone. I think off-roading with the TCS and Stabilitrac increases the amount braking by a large margin. This is the only thing I can attribute the wear (and smell) to. I assumed the smell was the brake pads, and since the pad replacement I've not noticed it again. You might pull your rear wheels and have a look at the brakes. Also, I never smelled the burning rubber while driving....it was something I always noticed after I pulled the H3 into the garage and got out of the vehicle.

Wow....I had 70K on the rear and 80 on the front before I had to change. Surprising there was that much difference.

To the original post-- check your wheel well. There might be a SmartCar stuck in there.

 

[Best4x4]

The belt tensioner should move in/out some that is perfectly normal. If it was burning the belt, the belt would look really really bad. On my 05 Rubicon I installed a severe duty fan clutch, and it slipped bad at 3,000RPM's making a horrific noise, and sadly my belt only lasted about 50 miles before it showed horrific wear/stress from slipping. I replaced the belt, took the Torqflo Fan Clutch back and replaced it with a Hayden Fan Clutch and it never slipped again or wore the belt out prematurely. Also during the first belts short lift of 50 miles it never smelled like burnt rubber.

The only burning smell I've ever had on my 08 Alpha was after I replaced the spark plugs/wires some of the OEM wire wrap crumbled and fell on the exhaust manifold between the heatshield. When I first cranked the Hummer up it smelled funky, but was quickly gone.

 

[Highatop]

I think I'm goin look into both. After drivin is when its smells the most and near the back tires. Also, I do think the tensioner has to much movement? That said, I'm goin to have to wait about a week or so. Its 5 degrees and about 6in of snow and even more on its way this week. Freakin winter, I need a garage... Thanks again and I'll keep you posted...

 

[n0useforaname]

May be a long shot, but I noticed mine was smelling like that as well.. here my tranny cooler lines are leaking at the crimps, and when it heats up... smells like burnt rubber. GM did a crappy job with the crimps, as I had to replace them on my Duramax too. And I never saw any fluid leak, because the skid plates catch it all..

 

[Pete Hoeft]

I smelled hot/burning rubber after driving my H2 near the front. Do you hear belts chirping when you first start your vehicle? When I looked under the hood at the idler pulley and the serpentine belt, you can see the wear, also on the flywheel -- likely where the belt had been rubbing. I replaced the belt, idler, and tensioner and don't have the sounds or smells anymore.