Burning smell in engine compartment...

26610 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Ginny, Apr 25, 2016

texas skeeter

Discussion Starter · Sep 30, 2014

Let the repairs begin!! LOL I just bought our 2008 LR3 HSE a month ago. It is very clean with 70-ish K miles on it. My wife took the kids to school a few blocks away this morning, and when she got back said there was a slight burning smell under the hood. I popped the hood and saw slight smoke as it looked like from the left side of the engine. It stopped immediately and I could not locate the source. It smells like burning electrical. not very strong but it was there. I looked everywhere with no traces of anything visually burnt. I drove it around for 30 mins and could not recreate the smell or smoke. I saw the slight smoke above the alternator area it seems. Any thoughts?

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texas skeeter

Discussion Starter · #2 · Sep 30, 2014

I even poured some water on that silver heat shield to the left thinking maybe she went thru some water... I don't know. But I do still smell a slight elect burning smell? could some water have hit the windings or something on the alternator below?

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texas skeeter

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 30, 2014 (Edited)

Just a bit ago I got a message on the radio display that stated, "Low power Mode" with a pic of a battery when I tried to turn up the radio volume. It also would not let the volume go any higher. Sounds like my burning smell is possibly my alternator going out?

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cmb6s

· #4 · Oct 3, 2014

Possible. Grab a multimeter and take a voltage reading across the terminals when the engine is stopped, when the engine is running with no load, and when the engine is running with radio/ac/headlights/etc. all on. See what sort of numbers you get and post back.

Of course, with a burning smell and some smoke, I would always make sure it's not a coolant leak is well. There's a plastic T in the cooling system located directly underneath the engine cover. It likes to break right at around the mileage you have on your LR3. Would cause a sweet, burning smell and some smoke... so check your coolant level just in case.

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texas skeeter

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 7, 2014

So I just returned from a week long business trip. The instructions were to not use the LR3 until I got back and changed the diagnosed bad alternator. So the wifey decided to drive it today and shazaaaam, she made it home, but now the battery is dead.

My question is.... Once I change the alternator, charge the battery and restart it, will or has anything possibly been damaged? Will there need to be any tricks or methods for any type of reboot prodedures I've read in other threads? Thanx for any assistance.

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Jagfixer

· #6 · Oct 8, 2014

Most alternators will not charge dead batteries, not what they are for. Check battery voltage and a load test. If OK check again for any broken wires to alternator. If battery was not charged on installing new alternator, might just be the problem. I would undo battery, neg. terminal at the least and charge battery after testing, then redo neg. and check for voltage in engine off and engine running. Engine running should be a few volts higher than engine off (battery voltage). Battery voltage off 12.75-13.5 volts, engine running 14-14.5 volts.

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texas skeeter

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 8, 2014

Thanx Jag! My alternator should be in fri. I've tested and charged the battery and it is fine now. The Alternator was diagnosed bad from an import shop locally for 49$.

got an OEM new denso 150amp Alt for 200$ shipped on Ebay. My concern is what procedures in which order I'll need to do to reset anything once the repair is complete.

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tlt

· #8 · Oct 11, 2014

Let us know how it goes, what you got and so on. Alternators go bad, on any vehicle.

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texas skeeter

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 19, 2014

Alternator arrived, lifted LR3 from the front, installed through the bottom. Good to go.

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Ginny

· #10 · Apr 25, 2016

texas skeeter said:
Let the repairs begin!! LOL I just bought our 2008 LR3 HSE a month ago. It is very clean with 70-ish K miles on it. My wife took the kids to school a few blocks away this morning, and when she got back said there was a slight burning smell under the hood. I popped the hood and saw slight smoke as it looked like from the left side of the engine. It stopped immediately and I could not locate the source. It smells like burning electrical. not very strong but it was there. I looked everywhere with no traces of anything visually burnt. I drove it around for 30 mins and could not recreate the smell or smoke. I saw the slight smoke above the alternator area it seems. Any thoughts?

Did you get a message on the radio saying "low voltage"? Ours then basically ran out of power. Called RACQ and the mechanic wasn't sure what was wrong.

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