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Strange smell

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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 11:15 AM
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Default Strange smell

Recently I've been noticing a srange smell, like burning plastic or rubber, coming from the vents when I have the heat on full blast for a while. I've noticed that if I turn it down, it goes away, but in the cold we've been having lately it'* hard to keep it turned down. Does anyone know what that could be?
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 11:16 AM
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I smell that occationally as well, but never think twice about it until now. I would like to know what it is too.
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 01:10 PM
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I hope this persons wrong, but they told me that it might be the smell of my plastic upper intake starting to melt getting into the ventalation system.
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Sol
I smell that occationally as well, but never think twice about it until now. I would like to know what it is too.
Sometimes when the heat comes on for the first time in fall, I'll smell a little dust burning off the heater core, but that goes away in a minute or two, and only happens once a year like that.

It might be that your blower motor is overheating, especially if the smell goes away when you dial down its speed to something less than maximum. Can you check under the hood to see if its little rubber elbow cooling duct is in place? It'* supposed to redirect some cooling air out of the evaporator core and into the side of the blower motor housing to keep it cool.
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 01:25 PM
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Originally Posted by fantastic88
I hope this persons wrong, but they told me that it might be the smell of my plastic upper intake starting to melt getting into the ventalation system.
You won't have to worry about that happening
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 01:28 PM
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Burning plastic smell = burnt coolant, check the engine bay for any coolant dripping on hot manifolds or anything that could burn coolant.

You are NOT affected by the typ VIN K upper intake issues, because your upper intake is replaced with a supercharger

Any LG3 or LN3 (87-91 3800'*) DO NOT have plastic upper intakes, your manifolds are metal....imagine that
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 02:01 PM
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It can't be the intake for me. I always get the intake checked out, and the engine runs cooler than hell.
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 02:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Sol
and the engine runs cooler than hell.
Well, most things _are_.
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Jim W
Burning plastic smell = burnt coolant, check the engine bay for any coolant dripping on hot manifolds or anything that could burn coolant.

You are NOT affected by the typ VIN K upper intake issues, because your upper intake is replaced with a supercharger

Any LG3 or LN3 (87-91 3800'*) DO NOT have plastic upper intakes, your manifolds are metal....imagine that
Some 92 have it as well!!!
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 05:03 PM
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Hmmm...all good ideas to consider...I have to get under the hood and see what I can see...I just needed a direction (and thanks to you guys I have that now ).

Thanks, and I'll let you know what it is.
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