ZJ: Burnt smell after driving

[TOOLman]

This issue is probably not related to the rear end swap, because I've noticed it for quite some time.

When I park the ZJ after a drive, there is this unpleasant 'burnt' smell. It's not noticeable from within, but very noticeable once I step out - especially inside the garage. It seems to be more pronounced when I've been crawling slowly before stopping, like stopping at the mailbox and then creeping up the driveway.

My guess is that it's either the tranny, the TC, or the axles. Anyone have any ideas what to check for? (Oil levels are fine, AFAIK.)

[Howler]

Can you discribe the smell? Is it sweet, thick, faint? Does it smell like oil or gear lube. Any idea as to where it is coming from? The front, back middle? Have you changed you fluids lately? Sorry for just questons but these are the things that would help me find it. Are all our fluids OK colour wise? Nothing looking burnt. Was the anythning spilled on the engine.

[Warlock]

I'm with Howler, we need more information on the smell.

Oil, antifreeze, egg smelling? Sweet or bitter? Where is it strongest?

[TOOLman]

Like I said, it smells 'burnt'. Like hot oil or something. My guess is that it's the tranny, the transfer case, or an axle diff. I can't pinpoint where it's coming from. It's not from the engine, I'm pretty certain of that.

I haven't changed any fluids lately (except engine oil a few months ago). I haven't checked the color of the tranny oil or the diff fluids, I just thought I'd ask here in case this was a common problem with ZJ's.

Nothing looks out of the ordinary, except that there's some diff fluid on the front diff due to the leaking pinion seal. The smell has been noticeable since before that occurred, though.

I seem to remember someone asking a similar question on JU way back, but those archives are worthless to search in due to all the BS posts cluttering them.

To summarize, I'd say it smells like burnt oil (or gear lube - I can't tell the difference) and that it seems to come from underneath the vehicle, probably somewhere at the middle.

[Howler]

If you can't smell it while your driving it is probably under the jeep. Check your oil filter to see if there are any leaks. My tcase seals leak a bit to but I don't recall having smelled anything. If it is a burnt smell then it hould have to be near a hot spot like the engine or muffler. The only other thing I can think of is the Tcase fluid. If it is not been changed in a while it might product this smell. One last thing and this stuck me as odd the first time I smelled it you haven't been mudding have you? Mud on the muffler smells pretty bad some times.
Anyway hope that helps
Howler:beer:

[TOOLman]

No, I haven't been mudding. It's 14°F here right now, so any mud would be frozen solid anyway! :)

I sniffed around the ZJ when I came home today (luckily it was dark, or the neighbors might have called for a shrink :)). The smell has some resemblance to burnt rubber, and it was most clearly felt on the driver's side rear. I guess I'll have to see if the tire is rubbing against the LCA, but I don't think so. The tire wasn't unnaturally warm.

I haven't changed the tranny or TC fluids or the diff fluids myself, only the engine oil. I expect the shop to do those things at the proper intervals - that's why I pay them the big bucks, right? :)

I just don't have a good place to do it myself, and I often don't have the time either. It's easier to leave the ZJ at the shop and pick it up after work.

[Howler]

Frozen mud eh? Burnt rubber uh? I think you been :smoking: the funny stuf. J/K. If it smells like it is comming from the rear and you just had your rear changed (Don't even go there :rolleyes: ) then maybe it is related to the Axle. Do you fell any drag at all?

Man there is a hole bunch of bad puns in this post. Sorry

[TOOLman]

Don't smoke. :) (Just cigars, on occasion.)

I've felt this on and off for quite some time, so I don't think it's related to the rear end swap.

It seems to be most prominent when I've been crawling slowly, like up the driveway, stop, into the garage, stop. Maybe it's the tranny after all, although I can't explain why the smell would be stronger at the rear...

Well, if (I mean when) anything breaks, I'm bound to find out. :rolleyes:

[Howler]

TOOLman I think it is the new axle install that might be the problem ;) ;) . I would just mention it to them to see if that is the case. ;) ;)
Anyway bet of luck.
Howler

[TOOLman]

I think that if I show my face there with another complaint that they won't get paid for, they'll start throwing heavy objects at me. :)

Besides, the insurance company may choose to scrap the ZJ and give me a symbolic sum of money instead. :(

[Howler]

Besides, the insurance company may choose to scrap the ZJ and give me a symbolic sum of money instead. :(
HUh? You mean write it off?

[TOOLman]

Yeah - I didn't know what it was called in English. Thanks.

There is a limit for how much they are willing to spend on a 7-year-old vehicle, and the reimbursement(sp?) I'd get wouldn't exactly buy me another ZJ, much less a WJ.

[Howler]

At the risk of sounding stupid and pushy please do not take this the wrong way. But if they are writing it off and you have tow hooks and gas tank skid and are willing to get rid of them I would be very interested in getting them. A friend of mind has been looking for months. Sorry don't want to sound like I'm being pushy. Let me know if your interested. And sorry about the ZJ ordeal. Man I hope it works out.
Howler

[TOOLman]

LOL :)

I think you're getting a little bit ahead of things here, my friend. I didn't say they're writing it off, I just said that if I try to squeeze any more out of this insurance claim (like a faulty tranny that I'd have a hard time explaining how it relates to this particular incident), there would be a risk that they'd rather write it off than spend any more money on it.

I do have one tow hook (rather a tow eye) in the front, Euro style. In the rear, there's a trailer hitch, but no hooks. Unfortunately I don't have any skid plates. They're on my wish list, but I doubt that Santa has got the word about that. Besides, with the shipping costs you'd probably end up paying more just for shipping than for a commercial skid plate in Canada.

Have you checked with Alan (TiggersBounce)? Didn't he make the ZJilla skids? I don't know how much they cost, since I figured that shipping would be too expensive to Sweden anyway.

Do you think it would be exceedingly difficult to manufacture skid plates yourself? I can't weld worth a d@mn, but I have a good friend who is quite skilled. Maybe you don't even need to weld? I'd like a gas tank skid and a transfer case skid. Being the Master of Disaster, wheeling without them kind of makes me nervous. :)

I don't reckon this as a part of the 'ordeal.' This minor inconvenience has been present for months, and it seems to come and go. I can't detect any damage being done by it, so I'll just let it slide for the time being. Maybe in spring, when the climate is better suited for human existence, I'll try to pin-point it.

[Howler]

Sorry didn't mean to jump ahead just that they don't make them here anymore and Just keeping it in the back of my head. Tigger make a Transfer cas skid not the gas tank one. Are your tow eyes still available? SHould be the same bracket you would think. Anyway again I appologies for jumping the gun so to speak.
Howler

[TOOLman]

Howler, don't apologize. I understand completely, and I got a good laugh out of it. :)

The tow eye was already installed when I bought my ZJ, and from the looks of it, it might be a European factory option. It's quite small, and it barely sticks out through the slots in the lower part of the front bumper. If you want me to I'll snap a picture of it. It doesn't look like it would be very useful for off-road recovery, since the opening is quite small.

[JeepZJlover]

Toolman I had this same exact problem Im trying to figure it out right now except i havent had any axles replaced or anything like that I bought my jeep used and I dont know if 4lo has ever been used so about a week ago I put it in lo and ever since it has smelt like burnt rubber. As weird as it sounds up in the engine dont know if its the same but I have this plastic gaurd that goes on a hose about 1/3/4" thick by the altenator and there are a couple of metal tubes that run by it and get hot and they melted my hose.. good luck and let me know if you find a fix