burning smell from under hood FZJ80

[pcruiser80]

Hi

I need some help on tracking down a burning smell under the hood. It is a cross between the smell of a brake drum lining on a truck and burning plastic. It just started happening after a very cold morning the other day. If I sniff the seam of the hood toward the rear of the engine bay on the passenger side, it just smells like engine. (no wisecracks please...<g>) If I sniff the same seam on the driver's side, there is a strong smell of burnt brake lining or plastic. (at least I think that is what I smelled before getting light-headed and passing out ) I have searched the engine bay and can't find any melted plastic. Has anyone experienced this before and have any ideas? I'm going to pull the driver's side front wheel and check the brakes tomorrow and also crawl up under there with my maglight and search for the source.

The only two other possible related issues are that on a cold morning a couple of days before the smell started, I noticed that the vanity light in the center of the headliner was stuck on. I tried turning it off with the toggle switch and it just stayed on in every position. (when I checked, it had been in the off position when I first noticed it on) I stopped the truck and pulled the barrel bulb out of the light until I have time to pull the light fixture and check the switch. The second notable issue is that I had a '91 Plymouth Grand Voyager minivan back into my driver's side door and dent it in pretty well to the tune of $1600. It dented the rocker slightly too.

Anyway, let me know if you all have any ideas. I don't think the van hit my wheel but I am going to thoroughly scour the truck tomorrow.

Thanks,

Powell

 

[snowwolfwarrior]

That's wierd, I had the same smell from my engine bay the other morning, thought it was slipping belt smell. buy all felt tight, not smelt it since......very wierd

 

[Gold Finger]

Sorry but Iam trying not laugh, but I did any way as I needed cheering up. Its just the thought of you snorting the engine bay for a fix. I am very sorry just cant helpit just my sense of humor. I am not sure were your part of the world is but its winter here, just wet and muddy and I get burnt smells all the time, its usualy mud or cattle dung in my case heating up on the exhaust i It could be breake linings, you need though to investigate, to eliminate shorts in the wiring or somthing more serious

 

[semlin]

the dome light sounds like a broken switch.

the burning smell could be a lot of things. Maybe check the fuse box in the DS engine side (black plastic box). Also, check your rad fluid level just in case your PHH is starting to go.