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Burning Rubber Smell In Ice And Snow

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by Tacomanic, Nov 25, 2010.

  1. Nov 29, 2010 at 4:05 PM
    #21
    99toyotaco

    99toyotaco 5L Bar

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    I don't know i'm just saying. Honestly i was reving it up to show my friend the exhaust and i smelled the smell.
     
  2. Nov 29, 2010 at 4:39 PM
    #22
    05Moose

    05Moose Middle-Aged Member

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    Any long trips we've ever taken in the snow have ALWAYS resulted in the burning rubber smell (regardless of vehicle). We were always driving automatics and didn't have VSC, so clutch and brakes are out as reasons. I think it has something to do with the snow/sand from the road getting on the hot parts. No idea why it's always smelled like rubber and over the years no one has ever come up with a valid reason. Although I'd swear as the years have gone by that I don't smell it anymore. So maybe it's caused by the snow and ice on the exhaust? I think you're only going to get guesses, but that in itself is a guess.:D Either way, a burning rubber smell when driving in snow is completely normal. Do a search on the web and you'll get pages and pages from every vehicle forum in existence about the burning rubber smell in snow.

    Now that cloud of smoke, that's a whole different situation. There shouldn't be any smoke associated with the "normal" burning rubber smell of driving in the snow.
     
  3. Nov 29, 2010 at 5:02 PM
    #23
    Yoytoda

    Yoytoda The Little Truck That Could

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    Roland
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    mine was most definitely NOT clutch... clutch smell is not burning rubber smell.

    i tried to get the smell during the last storm and i could smell rubber. IMO it is definitely my tires, they werent warm when i got out but the constant slipping and trying to get traction on the pavement just under the snow it seems to me it was the tires...

    nothing smells like burnt rubber like burnt rubber...not brakes not clutch
     
  4. Nov 29, 2010 at 5:51 PM
    #24
    Yoytoda

    Yoytoda The Little Truck That Could

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    Roland
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    not trying to come across like an ass but when you say

    "Dude, its for sure your clutch. Trust me."

    when it is possibly not the clutch, might be giving the wrong info
     
    AlbergSteve likes this.
  5. Nov 29, 2010 at 6:15 PM
    #25
    Tacomanic

    Tacomanic [OP] Member

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    Went in for 15k service today and no abnormalities with the brakes. I am going to have to agree with the tire assesment. No way was I riding clutch and burning rubber is very distinct. I am thinking the smoke is probably exhaust as we were pretty damn deep in snow especially when I had to stop to avoid the vehicle driving us into a boulder.

    I know this is off topic and I have read the yellow wire mod thread at length but how noticeable of a difference is that mod in deep snow and ice? Obviously it ain't curing a burning rubber smell which seems to be of little concern at least in snow, ice and possibly mud. Have you noticed easier climbs in harsh winter conditions?
     
  6. Nov 29, 2010 at 6:33 PM
    #26
    Yoytoda

    Yoytoda The Little Truck That Could

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    i have not needed it in the snow yet... due to having duratracs and they f'n rock in the snow!!!!

    but i have used 4lo with the yellow wire mod in mud, sand and rocks.

    it works just like it does in 4hi but with lower gearing, it can only help, i cant see it hurting... lsd front and rear does great in snow. if your doing ok in 4hi 1st gear youll shouldnt need 4lo, but if your getting bogged down trac in 4lo will help you chew through it instead of having open/open in 4lo
     
  7. Nov 29, 2010 at 8:37 PM
    #27
    OZ-T

    OZ-T You are going backwards

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    I was spinning my tires going up an icy driveway today , and I definitely could smell burning rubber . No traction control intervention .
     
  8. Nov 29, 2010 at 9:16 PM
    #28
    Tacomanic

    Tacomanic [OP] Member

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    Definitly bogging down in over 12" on an unplowed road. The Blizzack DMV1s are great but in that much unplowed with one tire track to follow I had my doubts if we would make it out Sunday but we did. I'm spinning like hell at times on ice and deep snow on a 3 mile steep grade with curves. I have to try this mod. The winter is yet young.
     
  9. Nov 29, 2010 at 9:19 PM
    #29
    Yoytoda

    Yoytoda The Little Truck That Could

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    you can turn it off too even when you do the mod
     
  10. Nov 29, 2010 at 9:23 PM
    #30
    dlthunder

    dlthunder Well-Known Member

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    I agree with the comment on water/sand on the hot parts, all of my cars have done this when driving in deeper snow. Doesn't happen with rain though.
     
  11. Nov 30, 2010 at 8:19 PM
    #31
    Tacomanic

    Tacomanic [OP] Member

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    Turkey giblets... never fails
     
  12. Feb 26, 2011 at 1:09 PM
    #32
    99toyotaco

    99toyotaco 5L Bar

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    doesn't make sense cause i have smelt it just sitting in neutral with the e brake on reving it to show my friend the exhaust
     
  13. Feb 26, 2011 at 3:17 PM
    #33
    jassco

    jassco Well-Known Member

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    Traveling to Maine during snow storm and smelt the burnt rubber. Turning sharp and braking while sliding around a very sharp and steep corner. I was in first gear 4hi and trac went crazy of corse. It seems to be the brakes but I always wondered what the clutch disc is doing while the wheels stop 5 times per second.
     
  14. Dec 13, 2013 at 3:51 PM
    #34
    ghostafide

    ghostafide New Member

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    I have a 98 Dakota 4x4 with 60k on it and it runs/drives like new. When I got home the other day after driving with it in 4x4 up the 3 km road to my house with 2 feet of snow on it I noticed a burning rubber smell when I got out of the truck, by the time I walked around the truck to look under it the smell was gone. I figured transfer case or tranny fluid smell maybe or even diff fluid so next time I went out I drove up the road in 2 wheel drive to see if it smelled again. This time I was pretty much drifting the truck for 3 kms all the way home because the truck barely makes it up the road in 2wd. I got out of the truck and smelled it again. I walked around the truck and it seemed like the smell was coming from the exhaust pipe at the back of the truck but I also noticed dirty snow dripping onto the hot tailpipe. I thought no way does melting snow smell like burnt rubber but just to make sure I let the truck idle for about 20 minutes till the smell was completely gone and then grabbed a little finger size chunk of that dirty snow from my wheel well, popped my hood and dropped the snow onto the hot exhaust manifold... sure enough it smelled exactly the same, like someone did a burnout under my hood. My guess is the dirty snow all over the road has a ton of rubber chunks and resin in it and makes the melted snow burn off smelling like rubber.
     

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