burning smell when towing

[vonshep]

I towed the boat first time yesterday about 10 miles I noticed a burning smell the truck has about 7500 miles on it . The smell seemed to be coming from the engine compartment . The boat only weighs about 3k so it should tow it without working too hard any thoughts ? I know I could take it to the dealer but they will only say we cant duplicate it like everything else .

[Bobaloo22]

When I started towing my camper last year I had the same smell. Talked to a few people one old guy he laughed and said I was working the engine like they were made for. Still smell it sometimes at 17k. Walked past a new HD and caught the same smell the other week so I wouldn't worry, I'm not.

[Nathan79]

Tow haul mode on?

[Jon A]

It was most likely just your front brakes. Brakes smell when they get nice and warmed up. If you never noticed any fade it's nothing to worry about.

[j-ten-ner]

I think that it comes from some coating or some sort of an release agent, used during the production process of the engine.

You can most likely smell it on new vehicles when the engine has to work hard(er) and gets hot.

 

so long

j-ten-ner

[1300c]

I'd say it's your front brakes. They can smell awhile after you park from the heat soak. You may want to check to make sure you got enough brake gain on the trailer brakes.

[white1500]

A 3k lb boat should be nothing to any full-size truck.

[Jon A]

One long, hard stop, even with an empty truck is enough to make the brakes smell--especially when they're new and have never been fully up to temp yet. It doesn't mean anything was "done to the truck."

[Palazzoblues]

I always call it "The New Smell" burning off.

[vonshep]

hey thanks I am not too worried I don't think it was the brakes I know that smell ,more like a burning rubber smell probably some coating burning off I didn't put the tow haul mode on the tranny temp was about 180 the manual says use it when your at or above 75% of max combined gvw which is 14k so 75% would be around 10500 I probably was 8500 to 9000

[Palazzoblues]

hey thanks I am not too worried I don't think it was the brakes I know that smell ,more like a burning rubber smell probably some coating burning off I didn't put the tow haul mode on the tranny temp was about 180 the manual says use it when your at or above 75% of max combined gvw which is 14k so 75% would be around 10500 I probably was 8500 to 9000

The exhaust gases flowing through the catalytic converters and exhaust pipe are no doubt more hotter than normal when making the engine do what it was supposed to do. you are doing the right thing by keeping tabs on transmission & engine temps. I also own a diesel with theDPF/DEF system that regenerates the exhaust. Just smell it when it re gens.