burning smell under the hood?!?!?

[V10SpeedLuvr]

After doing a compression test and replacing my plugs and wires today, I drove a little bit to make sure the car drove fine and on the drive I smelled something funny. When I got home I popped the hood and it smelled like something was burning. I checked on the back of the motor to be sure I didnt knock any hoses lose and they were all tight and dry. The smell seemed to be coming from the passenger side. I put my ear down by the PCM and I could hear a "popping noise" coming from inside the box the PCM is bolted too. I called Chuck Tator and he told me to take the heater box off and make sure nothing had fallen down inside the heater fan. I did this but didnt see anything. I then drove the car for a few miles again and didnt smell anything this time, and when I got home I didnt hear the "popping noise" coming from that box (looked like it had a transmission or oil cooler in it when I removed the heater box), but after the car had cooled down for a couple mins. the popping noise came back from that box. Is this normal? Anyone have any ideas on where the burning smell may have been coming from? As far as I can tell everything is dry and all gauges inside the car were reading fine.

 

[AviP]

Belt perhaps? Check it out. Describing the smell might help. Rubber? Oil? Power steering fluid? Yeah, we all know the stories on that one.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I checked the belt and it looked ok. I've got the Roe p/s kit so its not that. I wish I could describe the smell, but i couldnt really identify what it was. i'm gonna drive it a little bit tomorrow and if i still smell it, i'm going to take it to my tech and let him sniff around and see what he thinks

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Do you still have the heat sheilds on the headers?
If not,And you had your hands on the headers and your hands were dirty/oily it might of been that burning off..
Hope its somthing simple

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Yes I've still got the factory heat shields on. Thanks for the idea though. I'm thinking it may be something just burning off as well. I'll either drive it some tomorrow or go tonight if I get impatient and see what I smell. Anyone have any idea about the crackling noise (sounded like a fire in a fireplace) coming from that box the PCM is screwed too after the car had cooled down for a couple mins?

 

[-FROG-]

Double check, that no hoses were knocked off or broken when you were messing with it. Check closely around the area, where you were working. Is the smell a plug wire, touching the header somewhere?

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I double checked everything with the car running and didnt see anything out of the normal. Wires arent touching the headers, belt looks good, no leaks from hoses, etc. Took the car on a drive for about 10 miles and the smell is def coming from the passenger side. Didnt even have to pop the hood to smell it. I just leaned down to the fender and it was easy to smell. I had my dad ride with me (who has limited mechanical skills) and he couldnt really identify the smell either. He said it smelled like paint to him. He asked if it could be the anti-seize stuff that i put on the plugs before screwing them in. Is it normal to get a smell from this area after driving? I'd think I wouldve noticed it before, but I cant swear to it.

ALSO- not sure if its related or not, but either my gas gauge is floating or my gas mileage has gone to CRAP. drove the car for maybe 20 miles tonight and it shows almost a full 1/4 tank lower than it did when i left.

 

[93Cobra]

V10speedluvr,

Did you ever find out what the burning smell was? I am having a similar problem I think. Just wondering if you found out anything else besides the obvious such as burning cables or oil residue.

thanks

 

[Randy]

Did you ever find out what the burning smell was? I am having a similar problem I think. Just wondering if you found out anything else besides the obvious such as burning cables or oil residue.

An extremely common cause for a strange smell from Gen I engines (which includes '96 RTs, but not '96 GTS's) is a leaking gasket around the thermostat housing - but it would obviously be a hot coolant smell, rather than a burning smell...

 

[ViperRichRT10]

ALSO- not sure if its related or not, but either my gas gauge is floating or my gas mileage has gone to CRAP. drove the car for maybe 20 miles tonight and it shows almost a full 1/4 tank lower than it did when i left.

fyi, there isn't an accurate viper gas guage in existance. fill the tank and it will mysteriously correct itself!

 

[Cris]

If you have a stuck injector the catalyst on that side will be very hot and may smell. Just a thought as that would also answer the fuel question.

 

[Marc Lublin]

Just changed the plugs and smell burning. I hoped you checked the plug wires to make sure that one wasn't burnt from leaning against the exhaust.

 

[Buckeye Viper]

Have a cat?