Hot insulation smell.

[Lincolnlov]

Wondering if any of you guys and gals may have experienced something like the following, and if anyone has a solution. My 2003 3.9 LS has done well for most of its 18K miles. The exception is that I get a very annoying sell (like burning insulation) in the cabin. Dealership couldn't duplicate the problem -- probably because I failed to realize and tell them that it only occured at night. A recent night trip again resulted in the nasty smell. However, the return trip of 550 mi. during the daylight hours was oderless. I'll take it back to the dealer but would appreciate any opinions on the cause, whether there are any TSBs on the issue, or whether it could be related to the HD lights.

 

[02V8Sport]

1 or 2 things I can think of. Its either your valve cover gasket leaking oil onto the exhaust manifold, early 03 models had bad gaskets. Or there can be an odor coming from the ventilation unit like a musty ssmell. Dont know how that can be cured, but there was a TSB out there for it at one point.

 

[Lincolnlov]

1 or 2 things I can think of. Its either your valve cover gasket leaking oil onto the exhaust manifold, early 03 models had bad gaskets. Or there can be an odor coming from the ventilation unit like a musty ssmell. Dont know how that can be cured, but there was a TSB out there for it at one point.

02V8Sport,
Thanks. I hear ya but I don't have a burning oil smell or a musty smell, just a hot insulation smell -- and only at night (when the lights are on). I'm suspecting perhaps something at the light switch.

 

[03LsV--8]

I have an 03 V8 and whenever i floor the car to about 90+ i get a nasty smell leaking into my car, i thought it was just normal could one of my gaskets be bad?

 

[Fla02LS]

I have an 03 V8 and whenever i floor the car to about 90+ i get a nasty smell leaking into my car, i thought it was just normal could one of my gaskets be bad?

I have experienced something like this. Its a hot electrical smell. Everytime i have smelled it a coil has gone bad. Just a thought.

 

[chocolat1701]

i had the same issue and the dealer found that the clamps for the transmission coolent was having a very, very slow leak, they replaced the clamp and no more odors.

 

[Lincolnlov]

I have experienced something like this. Its a hot electrical smell. Everytime i have smelled it a coil has gone bad. Just a thought.

Thanks for the input guys. Sure hope it not a coil at only 18K of primairly interstate crusing. Still runs fine and mileage ranges 24-26 mpg.
Hot electrical smell is only evident on the drivers side and only while night driving. My guess is the headlight switch cause I believe that the HID and all the other lights draw a good deal of amperage. Any other ideas will be appreciated. When I get a chance to get it back to dealer and hopefully find a solution I'll let everyone know.

 

[Frogman]

Turn the lights on and drive it around like that in the daytime. If the smell comes back, then vioala!

I don't know if you manually turn the lights on at night, or if you have them set to come on automatically. If you do have them set to come on automatically, take a piece of electrical tape, and cover the light sensor on the dashboard. Your lights should come on in the daytime.

IF you get no smell, then it's something else, and the smell coming back at night was just a coincidence... though I don't believe in them.

 

[Lincolnlov]

Turn the lights on and drive it around like that in the daytime. If the smell comes back, then vioala!

I don't know if you manually turn the lights on at night, or if you have them set to come on automatically. If you do have them set to come on automatically, take a piece of electrical tape, and cover the light sensor on the dashboard. Your lights should come on in the daytime.

IF you get no smell, then it's something else, and the smell coming back at night was just a coincidence... though I don't believe in them.

Yeah, Frogman, thanks. I need to drive it for about 40 minutes with the lights on and then get the tech to sniff it. Last visit in Feb. after servicing tech and I drove around for a while but I had not, at that time, associated the smell with having the lights on. So, neither of us could smell anything during the test drive. Difficult part will be getting the tech in the car soon enough after arrival at the dealership. Maybe I can get the service manager to do me a favor to arrange that.