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Strong Burning smell after towing?

M

mrcherokee98

NAXJA Forum User
Location
san diego
Most of the time there is a Very strong burning smell under the hood after towing my 98xj. Not every time but more often than not. A couple of my friends have experenced the same thing. And just so we are clear, when I tow the Transmission is in park, and the np231 transfer case is in Neutral. The smell starts as soon as the jeep is started and continues for about 5 minutes. Then it's gone until I tow it again. I have asked quite a few people, but no one seem to be able to tell me what is causing this.
Any Idea's????
Thank you in advance for any information you can supply!
 
You're not towing it with the rear wheels off the ground are you? If so it's probably the front output bearing on the T/C as it won't be getting oil. Other than that I can't help much.
 
Suposively if you put the NP231 in neutral it locks all 4 wheels into neutral.......so, if your rear wheels or front wheels are freespinning, it will force the opposite wheels to spin. Maybe that's your problem?

You could try towing with the transfer case in 2HI and the trans in neutral to see if you get the burning smell. With the transmission in neutral and the transfer case in 2hi you'd only have two wheels locked in and they'd be freespinning because of the transmission being in neutral.

Although like scoobyxj said, don't tow with the front wheels and the rear wheels up since the transfer case oil pump will not be operating.
 
Thank you both for your replys. I am flat towing it so all the wheels are on the ground. I know that if the front wheels are turning then so is the front drive shaft, and the little oil pump that lubes the t/c chain is operating. So if the it shouldn't matter if the t/c in in neutral or 2hi should it??
So Blane B. are you saying that if t/c is in Neutral it locks all 4 wheels? if thats ture then maybe it's putting everything in a bind just like when you drive it in 4wd on too hard of a surface. So maybe the burning smell is from the that?
 
I don't know, it's just what I've heard. Either from Naxja, Jeeps Unlimited, or Jeepin. Those are the 3 forums I'm signed up for.

Actually the Tcase oil pump is powered by the rear driveshaft...because normally, although the front driveshaft is spinning, it is disconnected from the transfer case (when in 2wd)

IF all 4 wheels were locking when the transfer case was in neutral, binding would only occur on turns. I suppose that would be possible, although I didn't think a burning smell of any sort would be produced.

Is it a rubbery smell or what? Like a fire? Melting plastic? Burnt oil? Hot heater smell or something?
 
If your XJ is a 98 and it has the 231, it almost surely has true neutral so the front and rear driveshafts don't lock together. I'm not sure exactly when they changed it, but I know my 87 didn't have true neutral and my 94 does.
 
I'm not sure about my 95, I never tried it. I know there was some debate about having actual neutral or not, but, what else would be a reason for this man's XJ smelling like something is burning when it is entirely shut off?
 
It sounds to me as if there's an oil leak somewhere. It need not be a big one, and it need not be directly caused by anything being done wrong, but if it's a small leak that hits the exhaust, and that is usually burned off as you drive, it might smell worse if it has accumulated with the engine off, and then it takes a few minutes to burn off. Check things like the front pinion seal and the rear output seal. It could also just be mud and crud on the exhaust.

According to the owner's manual, he's flat towing it correctly.

It's easy to test your TC for "true neutral." Put it in N, and jack up only one front wheel. If the wheel turns, it's uncoupled at the TC. So far, of the ones I've looked at, the 95 and 99 have it. The 89 TC I tried does not.
 
Yes but I believe he was smelling this burning smell after stopping from the tow, not even with his Jeep that he was towing ever being started. I think that's what he meant.
 
Oh, I see, I must have read over that. Probably not related to the towing then. He is flat towing though so the angle at which it sits shouldn't contribute to extra oil leaking. Yes then, probably just a usual leak like a transmission or transfer case perhaps splashing onto the exhaust.
 
Remember ...no parking brake :jester:
 
Thank you all for replying to my thread, I will check to see if I have any oil or gear lube leaks the it might be the grease from the front slip yoke slinging onto the exhast. the burning of after starting. when on daily driving it never has a chance to build up before burning off.
 
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