Ok, my truck REEKS of a nasty, undescribable smell. Like a burning type smell. Anywho, changed my air filter (my fiance did) tonight because it's so bad. There was a little smoke coming out of the PCV hose after the truck had been turned off. Here's pics of the Throttle Body and Filter.

Any suggestions would be amazing. If we can't figure it out, it's getting traded in.

 

You talking about in the cab as well or outside the truck?

 

Yes. I think it originates outside in the engine. And is smelled inside. People say it sounds like I'm burning something.

 

Maybe the filter simply needed to be replaced. You could also check the PCV valve. Is there oil in the hose coming from the elbow on the VC?

 

A little bit of smoke rising from the PCV after shutdown is normal.

Does the nasty smell give you any hint of what it is that's burning? Having an idea of what it might be would be very helpful.

About the nastiest smell I can think of would be burning gear oil (from your front differential). Take a peek around there to see if some's getting out and onto the engine somehow, or if the diff is running really hot. And of course check for small dead animals roasting on the exhaust -- this time of year, rodents like to get into engine compartments for the warmth, and can become trapped when the engine starting sends them into a panic.

 

Yes there is oil in the pcv elbow.

He did some investigating and we think it was the firewall melting/burning on the hood.

 

I think its just the pvc being stuck open. I cant see much oil in the throttle body which is good. And the smell was the foam crap had fallen down on to the engine and kinda disingrating on the engine and radiator hose. As for the pcv im gonna replace it with a breather filter. Cheap and efective.

 

Drove the truck about 30 miles today (picked up the girl I babysit and brought Josh to work). The smell is still there, I'm hoping it's just because of the crap being stuck to the engine. Sunday Josh is gonna get it powerwashed for me so we will see.

 

Replace the PCV valve with one from the dealer. Do not just put a breather in there. Venting those gases to atmosphere is illegal these days...... Not to mention that PCV system helps evacuate products of combustion from the crankcase that bleed past the rings, and help with ring seal. Just using a breather instead, is going to accelerate oil contamination, and reduce engine life.

 

thats prolly the dirtest air filter i have ever whitnessed....( this next part is a joke ) the smell you describe is prolly your engine sh**ing itself from trying so hard to breath.

^1 on the whole dont just use a filter get a pcv valve i just picked one up from dealer for $6.88 which was more than the auto parts store but i know the dealer part lasted 227xxx miles on my truck.