Burning Smell Anyone?

afx604

afx604

New member
Alright guys I have a bit of a dilemma here:

So I currently drive a 2005 Runner V6 Sport Ed. and my lease is up in Sept. I'm considering buying it out but there is just one issue that's stopping me. I go to university on a mountain (approx 30 km from home) and everytime i get to school or about to get to school I smell this burning scent through the air vents due to hard acceleration. When I arrive at my destination this scent seems to be coming from the rear wheel well area. It happens frequently, everytime I accelerate hard up the mountain. Does anyone know what this psossibily could be? Could it be serious? I've already told the stealership about it and they said they could not duplicate the issue. I really want to buy out the car because I've invested a lot of work keeping it in good condition but dont want this burning scent to come back and haunt me...anyone?

btw it only happens on steep inclines under hard acceleration, normal driving conditions do not cause any odours to occur.
 
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I have a new 2008 SR5 and the first time I pulled my double ATV trailer with 2 ATVs up the hill behind my house it did the same thing. I passed it off as something getting hot for the short pull. I go from 7000 feet to about 8300 feet in just over 1.5 miles, so the 4Runner is working hard. Sure enough I made the same trip the very next day and no smell. So again I figured something burning off fresh from the factory. But if you are having it each time you make your climb I'm not sure what it is. I would bet its just a really hot exhaust system or muffler.

CAD-Man
 
At first i thought it was the new tires that I had put on (toyota open country A/T 265/70/17) but the smell continued..I guess no one else has any insight...thx though.
 
Hey,

I think you might be smelling a sulfur smell? It happens to me on hard accelerations too. Try running a tank of premium gas and see if that takes care of it (for the most part). If so, nothing to worry about, though it can be annoying if you have friends in the car that don't understand.

I can't remember what exactly the cause is, but if this is what it is, then you don't have anything to worry about. Try searching the forums, they have one or two threads on it at least.
 
It's possibly the sulfur smell as kylebacc suggested. I have noticed it on mine and traced it to slung driveshaft grease. If the driveshaft was serviced recently or it's the first time it been loaded/driven fast since the driveshaft was serviced that'll do it. I am amazed at how long it takes to completely burn off.

Just a thought...
:cheers:
 
Smelly......

I have a burning smelly issue also. I notice that on long hills (highway) I get a very pungent Ammonia Smell coming from my 4R. The first time on a local interstate hill (I-275 to be exact) I thought it was a factory or construction site, but I have now smelled it a half dozen times on the same type of LOAD.
Happens at about 65 MPH up hill only..........:confused:

Also, it is only happening while the REAR WINDOW is down. After reading some other threads it sounds like the exhaust is the culprit and the rear window is the inlet! A buddy told me a few weeks ago that to him it smelled like firecrackers, I still stand by Ammonia but that helped in my search....
 
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The smell the last 2 posters are smelling is from the catalytic convert when it gets hot, it smells like sulfur or rotten eggs. This is normal.

I drive a pass everyday from 7000 feet to 9700 feet back down to 6600 feet. If I get behind any car I get this same smell when they are climbing the pass and their engine is working hard.

The smell, I got only once, when I pulled my ATV trailer was a burring rubber or synthetic rubber smell. I think it was some kind of protective coating or something similar used during the manufacturing process and it was burning off either from the transmission, rear end or exhaust system.

CAD-Man
 
CAD-Man said:
The smell the last 2 posters are smelling is from the catalytic convert when it gets hot, it smells like sulfur or rotten eggs. This is normal.

I drive a pass everyday from 7000 feet to 9700 feet back down to 6600 feet. If I get behind any car I get this same smell when they are climbing the pass and their engine is working hard.

The smell, I got only once, when I pulled my ATV trailer was a burring rubber or synthetic rubber smell. I think it was some kind of protective coating or something similar used during the manufacturing process and it was burning off either from the transmission, rear end or exhaust system.

CAD-Man
Click to expand...

In a hurry but, I have a little Chemistry experience (recreational :D and educational) and the smell I am smellin' is not CC Sulphur. I appreciate your response, but I am sure it is not a smell I have smelled from another vehicle, unless of course my Glade air freshener is playin tricks on me and convincing the ole' noggin that my CC smells like Meth Components. :cool:
 
i am completely aware of the sulfur smell many of you are talking about. That I understand is normal. The smell I am refering to somtimes comes in from the air vents when I am climbing uphill (engine hard at work). My rear window is always up when this smell occurs. It smells kind more like burnt rubber versus rotten eggs.
 
could be the heat "shield" that above the exhaust pipe where it goes over the rear axle...I was pulling my trailer and 2 quads up a very long hill and the heat from the pipe made this "shield" so hot it started to smolder....smelled like an electrical fire...so I had a local meineke drop my pipe a bit and wrap it with header wrap....I also replaced the "shield" and the problem seems to have gone away....thats my 2 cents...
 
I notice a hot, greasy smell for a couple of weeks just after I lube up the drive train. I think that a lot of the excess grease gets slung off the drive shaft onto the exhaust system.
 
Ewwww That Smell, can't you smell that smell that's around you?

afx604 said:
i am completely aware of the sulfur smell many of you are talking about. That I understand is normal. The smell I am refering to somtimes comes in from the air vents when I am climbing uphill (engine hard at work). My rear window is always up when this smell occurs. It smells kind more like burnt rubber versus rotten eggs.
Click to expand...

Alright, so I filled up with a tank of BP 93 octane (typical is shell 89 octane), and have been able to force the smell a few times. I can get the smell under hard acceleration on flat ground and if my rear window is up and my vents are on Fresh Air instead of RECIRCULATE I get the burning ammonia smell in the 4R. While it could be my CC it is not the atypical Rotten Eggs/Sulphur Smell mentioned previously.

Hmmm.......maybe it's another clue that I need to keep my foot out of the accelerator especially with the gas prices where they are.....

Cheers
 
burning smell uphill 2005 4runner V8

I also smell burning rubber after I go uphill (Uphill Only)

2005 4Runner V8, bought it at 89K

I only notice it when I exit the vehicle and it is difinitely coming from the rear of the vehicle.

I was kind of worried it might be the CV joints?
Most or all of the torque is directed to the rear wheels.

What do you think of that? Could it be a CV joint issue?

Serpentine Belt, Timing Belt, Radiator + fluid ... all done at 95K.
I'm at 96K now.

Vehicle runs great.
And looks pretty kick *ass if I might say, with its MAXIS MS tires :]
Just wish I could figure out the burning rubber smell :[
 
I have noticed this before too and only going uphill. I thought it was my new snow tires. Never did find out what it was. I'm guessing it was exhaust heating up and maybe causing the undercoat to heat up. I don't know, just a guess.
 
I have those rubber burning smells too, but I only smell it when I step out of the truck not from inside. Also it's come from the right side back wheels.
 
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same here

I have the same smell, 04' v8. Burning rubber smell from the rear passenger wheel well. I put my hand near the fenderliner and rear shock, I can feel some heat coming from somewhere, but everything I touched wasn't hot.
 
There was a Toyota Service Bulletin (TSB) that came out about a year after I purchase my 2005 Sport new. My Cat was replaced under warranty due to this TSB. It was a very common issue and the bad catalytic produced a sulfurous/rotten egg smell inside the cabin while driving. You might want to look into it but if it truly smells like burnt rubber then it's probably something else...
 
I have been smelling burning rubber for a few weeks now. It's been too wet to crawl under to see. I don't hear or feel any rubbing. I'll have to check that heatvsheild over the exhaust. Anything else I should look at?
 
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