That Burnt Smell

[clayton]

Ok
At certain points from time to time my Nomad emits this burnt smell.
The bike currently has 4200 miles on it and it's an 08.
I have literally looked over every wire and connection stock or otherwise and I see nothing that looks burnt.
I can not see any signs of leaks, oil or otherwise.
Is this maybe the catalytic converter?
Break in smells?
Is it going to burst into flames?

[Cajunrider]

Could it be a very slight antifreeze leak beneath the fuel tank that is steaming off of the engine?

[ringadingh]

I was thinking an antifreeze leak as well, youll have to remove the tank to check it . Or is it gear oil from the final drive leaking onto the catalytic What kind of burnt smell is it? Motor oil, gear oil, wires, electronic, paint etc. If you can be more accurate with what it smells likeit will be easier to point you in the right direction

[caper]

Check you're back break line that runs by the oil filter. CNC had the same prolbem and that was it! Takes awhile for the oil filter to get hot and also causeing the break line to get hot also.

[cnc]

Originally Posted by caper

Check you're back break line that runs by the oil filter. CNC had the same prolbem and that was it! Takes awhile for the oil filter to get hot and also causeing the break line to get hot also.

As Caper mentioned I had the same issue on my 08, drove me nuts. At first I thought it was a vent tube blowing back and touching the goat belly, it wasn't. You may find there is a thin piece of plastic tubing, almost like heat shrink tubing covering the brake line in the area of the oil filter. The tubing seems to not be very heat resistant and was melted, but the brake line is also covered in heavy rubber and so was fine. There is little room to reroute the line, so I put a small piece of asbestos between the line and the filter. That cured it for Me.

[macmac]

All good suggestions... You may find one or more of these things, or nothing at all.

I no longer have a cat, but I still get pine needle smells from pine needles being thrown on the V&H cross over pipe..

Rubber from the brake line will smell like burning rubber.

plastic wire insulation has a sweet and nasty stench at the same time.

Coolant has a sweet smell, but still smells like coolant, and you would be seeking white depositis near coolant hoses, and the intake manifold yoke.

Gear oil smells like sweet sulfer.

Engine oil smells acrid.

I prefer pine needles to all

[audiogooroo]

Originally Posted by macmac

...I prefer pine needles to all

Ha! Me too Mac! :)

[macmac]

Beats the hell outta making powda horns and or antler knife grips... that stinks like burning finger nails or skin.

[trosco]

My goldwing did that randomly for 155,000 miles. Took about the first 50,000 to figure out that when i washed the bike occassionally it would collect a small amount of the soapy water in the battery tray. It would sit there for days and then when the bike got really good and hot from some slow driving, the water would bake off and stink just like some wires were burning. I guess that most of the time when it did it I was rolling down the road and never smelt it but once in a while when I stopped, PU!

[billz410]

This thread has put the old Leonard Skinnard song 'That Smell' in my head now, so thanks a lot!! lol

[clayton]

Thanks Guys,
Today it has been raining so I really didn't go out much.
Tomorrow I plan on checking everything that has been suggested here.
Thanks very much
Ouuhh that Smell...Can't smell that smell... da da... :)

[AlabamaNomadRider]

I have a male cat and sometimes he will spray my exhaust and or the goat bladder. Now that has a very nice aroma. If you have ever waxed you exhaust sometimes when you clean it off you don't get it all off and that will cause an odor. I have had that problem but it burns off and the smell is then gone.

[clayton]

Originally Posted by Ringadingh

I was thinking an antifreeze leak as well, youll have to remove the tank to check it . Or is it gear oil from the final drive leaking onto the catalytic What kind of burnt smell is it? Motor oil, gear oil, wires, electronic, paint etc. If you can be more accurate with what it smells likeit will be easier to point you in the right direction

Hey Ring
Most of the time it smells like burnt plastic...it is very odd and I sometimes even notice the smell at highway speeds.
As soon as I get the "Wife Chores" off my plate...hehe...I am going to look at the bike.
Thanks

[ringadingh]

Next time you smell it stop and try to pinpoint which part of the bike its coming from. Check the fuse block, and under the seat to see if some wires are getting too hot and melting plastic. Or is some wiring harness touching the exhaust pipes somewhere (unlikely but possible).

[macmac]

Oh yeah.... my 06 1600 scortched the right side cover... up high and inside some... you might check there.