Lets play... Whats the Smell!

[bryanthieme]

Well driving to work today I noticed a obvious burnt electronics smell, I figured it was somebody else and parted at work. At the end of the day I left work drove home, about 30 miles and near the end of the trip smelled it again. So I figure this time it has to be me.

A little back story:
I have noticed a squeak that turned into a grinding coming from the engine in the last week, I figure its from one of the components attached to the serpentine belt.

I notice yesterday morning that my lights dim at low RPM

So when I add these two up I figure its the alternator, but am not sure.

I will probably take to autozone tomorrow, but its really cold here and don't want to take it out yet.

Anybody heard of anything else attached to the serpentine belt that has the same "burnt electronics" smell when it goes out?

Also if its the alternator and recommendations?
I looks some up online... Mean Green for $400 seems kind of high to me

Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated!!

Thanks

 

[pokeyxj]

You can get by with a refurb unit from Autozone. I found part of the problem with alternators is they are mounted so low. I kept trashing them with mud/snow/water. I rigged a splash shield from a piece of sheet metal. This alternator has lasted three years so far.

 

[cracked-butt]

fried alt's are not a good thing. autozone does testing on them, not sure if they want it out or not. call & ask first. they also carry them for less than $400 (i think, but havent checked) you dont need a "heavy duty" alt for the 4.0. thats like setting a rat trap for a baby mouse, a bit overkill. not to mention you'll never get the full potential of the meangreen alt. unless you have a ton of other things hooked up (lights, winch etc, etc),

 

[Jeepm@n]

If it's the alternator get the one for the Grand Cherokee V-8. Do a search and you will locate the right part number. It will give you the 130AMP alternator. I do not know if your OEM alternator was like my 94's which was only a 90AMP OEM

 

[Shorty]

If the defroster was on, you may have a bad compressor clutch coil. It's an electro-magnet that engages the clutch and when it fails, you can get some horrible noises followed by high heat from it slipping and a gawd-awefull burnt clutch smell!

 

[Blaine B.]

What year? Could be the plug for the A/C blower fan switch behind the HVAC controls melting. Or a lightbulb behind your gauge cluster (or more commonly one of the lightbulbs below the gear selection or transfer case panels) melting the surrounding plastic.

 

[bryanthieme]

it was 5 degrees out, so I had the defroster on...
How would I find out if its the clutch?

 

[bryanthieme]

jeeps a 97, I am pretty sure its from the engine compartment, I could smell it when I popped the hood, although I couldn't pinpoint it.

 

[Shorty]

it was 5 degrees out, so I had the defroster on...
How would I find out if its the clutch?

run it with the defroster on until you smell it again and shut it down. Feel the AC compressor (carefully) to see if it's significantly hotter than surrounding accesories. Be careful, though, as I've seen them get hot enough to glow white from the friction and that's a little hotter than you want to touch!:lecture:

 

[89xj]

the last time i had a burning smell and grinding noise from the engine bay, i got out, popped the hood open and looked for the problem.

have you looked for the obvious? loose belt, bearings, burnt electrical wires

from your description, your just guessing at the problem. maybe im reading it wrong or you looked and didnt find anything.

 

[Shorty]

the last time i had a burning smell and grinding noise from the engine bay, i got out, popped the hood open and looked for the problem.

have you looked for the obvious? loose belt, bearings, burnt electrical wires

from your description, your just guessing at the problem. maybe im reading it wrong or you looked and didnt find anything.

doesn't that constitute cheating? I thought we were playing a game called "what's the smell":rof:

 

[Blaine B.]

Check the oxygen sensor wires as well as the crank position sensor wires, both can come in contact with the exhaust manifold and melt...

Those are about the only wires capable of reaching the exhaust manifold.

Could be something else though.

 

[Cherokeekid88]

Ive had my share of Alts going bad. Usually if they go bad, you will get a low voltage reading and dim headlights. Also one time i had something break off in my alt but it was charging fine, and it made a very strange grinding sound that increased with rpm but would go away while driving. But i never smelt anything and i drove it like that for a couple days. You might have 2 diff issues, when you say you smell electronics burning, Fried Ignition switch but i could be wrong.

 

[89xj]

doesn't that constitute cheating? I thought we were playing a game called "what's the smell":rof:

your right, im sorry.