Burning smell

[onlybayinthevillage]

Hi all
Fitted an Empi Single Quiet Pack Muffler recently to my 1972 XO bay. I drove the van 5 weeks ago about 100 miles. Admittedly it was raining and windy (as normal down here in Cornwall this year) and noticed no issues, in fact she drove lovely.
She's been standing on the drive since. Took her out today (sunny and dry) and the was a strong burning smell with smoke outside. She seemed to lack power.
I stopped and was able to push her, so not suspecting seized brakes.
Any other suggestions?
Smell from new muffler that needs to burn off?
Clutch?
Fan belt slipping?
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ozziedog]

If it was your fan belt slipping to the degree that is was smoking , I’d think you could have a good sniff of it and be able to smell it. I don’t think it would smoke to that degree if it was just loose so I’m guessing either something stuck in the fan or your alternator saying goodbye. If it’s in your motor, I’m sure the dipstick touch test would tell all. If you’ve done a hundred miles and more, I’d think mostly the burning off has done its thing. Pop your fan belt off and have a spin of your alternator.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,lacking power could be either of those.

 

[onlybayinthevillage]

If it was your fan belt slipping to the degree that is was smoking , I’d think you could have a good sniff of it and be able to smell it. I don’t think it would smoke to that degree if it was just loose so I’m guessing either something stuck in the fan or your alternator saying goodbye. If it’s in your motor, I’m sure the dipstick touch test would tell all. If you’ve done a hundred miles and more, I’d think mostly the burning off has done its thing. Pop your fan belt off and have a spin of your alternator.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,lacking power could be either of those.

Thanks for this. I'll have a look tomorrow. What am I looking/listening for when I spin the alternator?
Not the clutch then??

 

[ozziedog]

I’d take off the fan belt and maybe give it a good sniff, which in fairness might look a bit weird so praps sniff it indoors and out of sight. First thing is the alternator spinning freely, does it have a knackd bearing or is it seized, these could all make the fan belt slip. Have a look in the back of the van behind the alternator and see if you can spot any debris, or rags or crisp packets etc etc. Im not thinking clutch right now because you’ve had the van awhile and I’m sure you’d notice the revs increasing but very little forwards momentum, and it’s air cooled so I’m sure you’d hear the motor screaming It’s **** off like it’s in neutral when you’re trying to accelerate .

Ozxiedog,,,,,,,,,, maybe have a sniff round your fuse box too.

 

[onlybayinthevillage]

Will do. Thanks

 

[Earlybay1]

Check your wheels are spinning freely or move it and see if it brakes on its own

 

[onlybayinthevillage]

Check your wheels are spinning freely or move it and see if it brakes on its own

Checked wheels and all spin ok. Handbrake engages as it should.
Tightened fan belt as looked a little loose.
Van stared first time (would it if the alternator was knackered??)
Ran for a while until hot and no smoke or abnormal smells inside or outside of van or in engine compartment
Dipstick check when engine hot - very cool on my fingers, so ok I guess.
I'll take it for a run later and see what happens.
Any other things to look out for once on the road?

 

[ozziedog]

The van will still start if your alternator is knackered but will gradually use all the juice in the battery until the battery is flat, then it won’t start. Did you spin the alternator and give it a little wobble while the fan belt was off ?
im trying to think of things that would smell like burning but impede your performance and I keep coming back to the alternator, perhaps bearings in it being goosed. Unless it’s two different issues, as in the burning smell and the lack of go. Zoorst still stinking and you’ve cocked up fitting it a bit and it’s leaking possibly?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,, bit of fun int it

 

[Huyrob]

Had a similar experience about 6 weeks ago. Distinct burning smell, travelled about 1/4 mile. At a junction it stalled, terrible screech when trying to turn over engine.Then no turn over at all, this was due to the alternator ( only 2 years old and 6k miles ) totally seized up. Took fan belt off an and engine fired up fine. Unfortunately had to call AA as obviously couldn’t drive it but at least able to drive to a safe spot, and on to the pick- up

 

[Earlybay1]

My alternator bearing seized because the bush between the pulley and the bearing allowed the bearing to rotate on the shaft generating so much heat that the bearing housing alloy plate melted. (on the M6 last august) Earlier I had noticed a loss of pulling power a few miles earlier. Check that the inner pulley facing has not got a groove in it. That was why the bushing rotated as it should press this bushing hard against the bearing. It stopped the van dead as the fan could not rotate. That was a four day excursion near Preston and with thanks to people with VW's in Preston got it running again. The man who had a wedding business had a spare alternator and delivered it to me from a job he had just done. I bet there is no one out there who has had parts delivered by a Chauffeur in a white Rolls Royce!!

 

[onlybayinthevillage]

Today's update and thanks for all the advice.
Took the van out this morning and no smell Maybe it was seized brakes after standing in all the rain we've had down here in Cornwall
Took her to the local village 'old school' garage and the guy checked the alternator. Voltage readings are good, which is a relief as he said it's an engine out job to get it off and replaced.
He did notice that my fan belt was loose. I am down to the last washer spacer after adjusting this at the weekend. I had a spare Empi one in the van that I bought some time ago but this appears far too large. What fan belt should I buy for my 1972 XO van? Any recommendations and links to sellers would be welcomed.

 

[ozziedog]

I’m not gonna say which belt to buy but I’d get yours off and get a replacement organised after measuring your existing one ASAP. Then I’d wrap the old one up in a sandwich bag and hide it behind the passenger seat as a get you home spare, at least you know itll l get you home for a nice fit.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,A spare that works may be welcomed one day

 

[ozziedog]

just re read

Thats not the sort of alternator test I was thinking of. I was thinking more of testing the bearings type of test. You can do this yourself when you next flap about with your fan belt. Once the fan belt is off, grab a hold of the alternator shaft and wriggle it back and forth like you’re trying for end float. Turn and try to spin just using the shaft and feel and listen for any graunching or tight spots. Reassemble the the pulley , and just the pulley, no belt get it a bit more than finger tight but not much, then repeat, in out in out and spin it all about and feel for and listen for any abnormalities. Then get your belt back on. If you think it was anything to do with the brakes, I’d be double checking them everytime you get out for smell,becs my thinking is it shouldn’t have happened, whatever it was, but it did, so once it’s happened , it’ll happen again, and usually with increasing frequency. So keep your eyes out for it whichever it is. A burning smell usually lingers , so I’d be sniffing all around each wheel and the noisey cupboard too
. P.S. is your power output back to normal ?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,keep us informed

 

[Stuartk]

My alternator bearing seized because the bush between the pulley and the bearing allowed the bearing to rotate on the shaft generating so much heat that the bearing housing alloy plate melted. (on the M6 last august) Earlier I had noticed a loss of pulling power a few miles earlier. Check that the inner pulley facing has not got a groove in it. That was why the bushing rotated as it should press this bushing hard against the bearing. It stopped the van dead as the fan could not rotate. That was a four day excursion near Preston and with thanks to people with VW's in Preston got it running again. The man who had a wedding business had a spare alternator and delivered it to me from a job he had just done. I bet there is no one out there who has had parts delivered by a Chauffeur in a white Rolls Royce!!

Strangley enough I had a guy collect parts from me in his white Rolls Royce ! Spooky but he's based in Surrey