power steering sound and burned rubber or electric?

So I drove to lunch, everything was fine. Left lunch and went to get gas. After I got gas I noticed a humming sound and immediately thought power steering because it sounded exactly like a power steering pump.

Popped the hood and I could smell something burning. I have no fluids leaking, my power steering is full, not overfilled.

I had noticed my K&N air filter had popped off. I don't think it was like that for very long. I put that back on and started my truck again and I could still hear it. I still smelled the burning but I was only to get a quick whiff of it before I could not smell it anymore. It got louder when I would crank the wheel.

I drove down the road about 3 miles and was waiting at a light and the sound went away. I got back to work, popped the hood and the sound is gone and I could smell nothing. It's like nothing had happened.

Could this had been a result of the air filter being off? Hopefully I didn't suck any harmful particles into the engine.

I looked at the belt and it's all straight, no wear marks...I'm at a loss..I almost wish that sound never went away so I could pinpoint if I need to replace the pump or not.

 

Did you check the belt - especially the side that contacts the pulley? I'm thinking that the PS pump is on the way out (Bearing seizing?). It may have seized for a bit and the belt stared melting???

 

Yeah I checked both sides of the belt. I don't see any wear or melting. Not yet anyway. I think it's on its way out too. It's just weird the soubd and smell went away

 

I'm guessing tomorrow morning after the truck has been sitting for a bit I'll hear the same thing

 

Hopefully not and it's a fluke. One other thought though .... any chance you picked up a stick and/or perhaps the neighbor's Cat's Tail ?? Something getting pinched oin there would also cause the issue. ???

 

alternator or pully starting to jam up or seize can do this

 

Not that I noticed. It's possible. I do frequently go up to our cabin which is an unpaved mess of a road.

My guess is a pulley on one of those things. The sound of power steering makes me lean toward power steering pump bearing/pulley vs alternator.

 

Here is a video of the next morning. It isn't the sound I heard before I posted this, but you can sort of hear one of the pulleys making a chattering sound...i think..maybe I'm crazy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59rMnodUV2I&list=UU2x1av4qvyaAQjFYr9A45yw

 

Idler pulley?

 

What did it turn out to be? Currently experiencing some power steering whining and doing some research.

 

I still don't know. It is very intermittent. I captured it on video finally. Same smell and sound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMU5eXYmwTY

 

probably PS pump going bad.

 

Pull the belt and start it - just for a few seconds - and see if it goes away. Just to be sure it's not the engine. Might have a bearing going bad - when the belt is off, spin by hand and shake all the pulleys (feel for rough feeling bearing) - Idler, Alt, PS, Water Pump, etc. If it still only does it with the belt on and the pulleys/bearing seem Ok - Drive it a little more and keep an Eye on it, it will get louder with time and make it easier to locate. Also, Borrow or make a stethoscope to help find the bad component.