Burnt Smelling Exhaust Fumes?

[JGrefenstette]

ive started to notice that my exhaust has a very strong burnt rubber smell to it. mostly when its cool and puffing white smoke. not nearly as much when its warm. what is this? burning oil is my only idea? is it anything i need to worry about? has anybody else notice a similar smell?

 

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

When your engine is cold it makes that white smoke, which is really just atomized diesel that didn't get burned from lack of heat in the cylinder. That white smoke has a very distinct, rich smell to it. That might be what your talking about. It doesnt really smell at all like the black smoke, which is burned fuel, or mainly carbon... like a burning match gives off. Granted its diesel burning, and not paper... but same idea.



P. S. Enough white smoke will make your clothes smell like that all day.

 

[dpuckett]

Yup, it is incomplete combustion. Is your KSB working? One way to test is to unplug it when the engine is cold- it will make a noticeable change in the tone.



Mine smells like an old cold 6. 9/7. 3 IDI Ford when it's cold. The KSB helps with the smoke, but not the smell. I think it is just part of an old diesel running fuel it wasnt designed to run. It isnt anything to worry about. Keep in mind that diesel is more of an oil than gasoline, hence the burnt oil smell when it's cold.



Daniel

 

[JGrefenstette]

thanks daniel. thats reasuring. ill do that check on the ksb. ive been wondering about that but now that you told me how to check it ill do it for sure. do i just unplug the wire that clips right on to it? if i do it, what kind of change in tone am i looking for?

 

[dpuckett]

If cold, it will get duller or flatter sounding, less sharpness to the rattle. I dont really know how else to phrase it. It could also drop some RPM if it is really cold out.



ANother thing you could do is jump a wire to the KSB from the battery if it is warm or cold. If it picks up in rattling, and makes more noise, the KSB is fine. It is common for the switch in the manifold to go bad- mine did. I now have a switch in the dash.



DP

 

[courierdog]

OK!
I have another one, my 6. 7 has the burnt rubber smell when it is hot not when it is cold. The engine is quiet as are all 6. 7's
It seems to me it has been this way to a degree but more so since the G30 recall and new DPF and EGR replacement.

 

[dpuckett]

courierdog- with all the Egotistical Pinhead Admin crappola and the inherent electronic controls, you are way over most of our heads. We tune our engines with wrenches, screwdrivers, and some elbow grease, NOT computer hardware and software.



DP

 

[JGrefenstette]

Amen daniel. i was about to say the same thing. in this neck of the TDR woods:-laf we work on diesels, unlike these new computers and happen to run off diesel fuel. no offense courie, were just a little more old fashion

good luck with your exhaust situation tho.