Another Weird New Aroma...

After driving 15 miles at 5-10 mph up a nasty, knarly, rock-strewn, half-washed-out dirt road to Wickiup Pass high up in the Henry mountains, I noticed a strange new aroma inside the cab like a combination of perfume and some kind of sweet, volatile antiseptic solution like one sometimes smells when inside a hospital or a doctor's exam room.

The outside air temperature was in the mid-90s and a lot hotter under the hood.

I got out and traced the smell to the smog stuff that's mounted under the hood on the driver inner fender, and I assumed it was due to the gas that I had topped the tank off with back in Hanksville (i.e. something in the gas). I shrugged my shoulders, got back into the cab, and continued crawling up the trail. The smell dissipated after a few more miles. WTF??

Has anyone else here noticed odd smells coming from around the smog stuff when driving 5-10 mph under hot conditions?

 

2 off smells come to mind that may be what youre experiencing....
nasty sulfar smell could be from the cat converter due to possible fuel trim issues, etc, bad cats, etc...
your battery about implode....
or, coolant leak so youre smelling coolant....

 

Were you using 4 wheel drive? T-case burping gear oil?

 

Coolant smells sweet

check for dampness under dash on passenger side

 

I was in FWD at the time and doing around 5-10 mph over a very rocky road. And the outside temperature was 90F+. The smell was like a sweet but somewhat pungent smell.

No dampness anywhere in the engine compartment. The smell was coming from the emission fumes area and were strong there. It definitely was not the typical coolant smell. It's no big thing, I was just wondering if anybody else had noticed it.

 

Could have been anything....
Another good comment mentioned about.
The smell of gear oil is very noticeable assign youre transfer case has gear oil & not ATF live fords...
Look under the truck for any leaks.
Transfer case, front differential axle seals, etc...
Its a must, you have to look.
Could save you lots of money in the long run if you find a leak & address it sooner than later.

 

Would this indicate a failing heater core?

 

Maybe but OP has no dampness in cabin on pass side^^^^

 

Thanks, also wondering. I have had a different smell come up too, almost like a new shoe smell.
But no dampness on the passenger side floor boards.

 

For this ‘come and go’ smellness

almost every manufacturer has air fresh air intake(s) for HVAC under wipers (the louvred cowl panel cover.

im guessing that is where the smells are getting into cabin. Pulled in by squirrel motor. Much depends on if vehicle moving slow or at stop.
for example, ever young and lit up your tires up and that burnt clutch smell hits you and then goes away?
Source is tranny, then wafts its way to cowl inlet and you smell


With tht being said
-sweet coolant smell, source could be near rear of engine where CTS is or seeping heater hose connection
-musty smell might just be an accumulation of leaves/debris under the wipers and cowl cover
-new shoe(chemical?)smell……if not constant just could be ambient/outside(?)

Regardless
I would take wipers/cowl cover off, inspect and clean