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my car smells like burning rubber.?

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Old Nov 9, 2007 | 02:13 PM
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Default my car smells like burning rubber.?

can someone recognize this smell. ? its my 88. thanks oh and it stinks inside and out the car
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Old Nov 9, 2007 | 02:31 PM
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OK, the first question that comes to my mind is: have you checked everywhere to make sure that there isn't burning rubber somewhere ?

A little bit of burning rubber, like from a serpentine belt, can smell for a long time and will permeate everything, inside and out.
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Old Nov 9, 2007 | 02:39 PM
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I know you just started driving this car again. Are the tires properly inflated?
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Old Nov 9, 2007 | 02:39 PM
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Originally Posted by lash
OK, the first question that comes to my mind is: have you checked everywhere to make sure that there isn't burning rubber somewhere ?

A little bit of burning rubber, like from a serpentine belt, can smell for a long time and will permeate everything, inside and out.
no i have not checked anywhere yet but i will pull it in the garage and check today.

also i know im leaking alot of oil from somewhere that its drowning the lower drivers side motor mount with oil that its bad.
and im leaking alot of antifreeze from my radiator connection. would any of these liquids burning smell like rubber..
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Old Nov 9, 2007 | 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Technical Ted
I know you just started driving this car again. Are the tires properly inflated?
honestly im not sure as all i did was look at them to make sure none of them looked low or was flat... what could it mean if they are not.?
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Old Nov 9, 2007 | 02:45 PM
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Tires with low pressure will get very hot, can even cause a blow out. It may be a long shot but easy enough to check.
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Old Nov 9, 2007 | 03:02 PM
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From the sound of things, you really need to spend some quality time this weekend with your car and check all the things mentioned above and more. You certainly need to fix whatever you can afford to fix, many of which are likely needing time and attention more than money.

Normally, neither coolant nor oil will smell like burning rubber, but i suppose if you were burning both on the engine block or manifolds, a combo could smell different than one at a time.

I still think you need to do your best to get the car tuned and cleaned up. Just doing this might lead you to your problem.
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Old Nov 9, 2007 | 03:42 PM
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I don't know what you did, but I'm going to assume it was something to do with taking the motor out or taking apart a lot of stuff on the motor. First off, fix those leaks. I'm telling ya man, it'* getting to winter time and you don't want to be dicking with fluid replacement in cold temps... along with the antifreeze thing. The other thing, often times the rubber wheel well covers will rub on the tires doing the same thing.
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Old Nov 10, 2007 | 01:43 PM
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coolant will have a burning chemical smell when heated. Sometimes the heater core will do this or as you say coolant is leaking at the radiator. Time to get out there and fix it.
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Old Nov 13, 2007 | 12:36 PM
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Default Re: my car smells like burning rubber.?

Originally Posted by 88bonnsse
can someone recognize this smell. ? its my 88. thanks oh and it stinks inside and out the car
I did experienced this rubber burning smell and it happens to be the rubber belt
that was burning out slowly but surely over the belt tension BRACKET who suddently suffered of a bearing seized.
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