Burning Smell

[majiman3791]

My girlfriend has recently noticed a burning smell coming from under the hood of her 2000 ls. It seems like its coming from the area closer to the windshield, to the left a little. Wondering if the windshield heaters might have something to do with it?

[CGGorman]

Valve cover gasket. Fairly common. V8, right? Hope you're still under warranty. The work's not horrible(though it IS time consuming) and the parts aren't too expensive but it would be nice if you could just drop it off and have the "pros" take care of it.

[bigfreef]

Don't be so quick to yank the valve cover. I also have a 2000 LS that is producing a burning smell - mine is a phantom burning smell. I am not leaking any oil - nor am I burning any. Valve covers are clean. Burning smell occurs only when the temp dips below 40 or so. Same thing happened to a buddy of mine who worked at a Lincoln dealership. Had it in the shop many times but could never find the problem. Finally called out a Ford engineer to rip the car apart, never found anything. They took out the whole motor, replaced the firewall, checked all the wiring, replaced fan motors and heater elements, checked for fluid leaks. Never found anything wrong. Put it all back together and still smelled. Guy eventually got rid of the car. I still have mine and am obsessively on the trail of my stinkin' Lincoln. Where do you live? Does it only do it when it gets cold out? There's gotta be more people out there with this same problem though I have yet to find them. Just too weird that the exact same problem happened to me and my buddy in the same town (off the Great Lakes) and yet happened to no one else. Let me know - I would like to create a little havoc at Lincoln.

[Dode]

I get the same burning smell that seems to happen when it gets cold. It's more noticible when I'm accelerating or decelerating. I also have no leaks and the smell seems to be coming from the passenger side near the windshield. I can also smell it when I'm at the passenger side front tire but it is not a brake smell... Suggestion would be great .

[bigfreef]

Exactly the same as mine. Only when cold. Passenger side near windshield and I could also smell it down by the passenger front tire - also eliminated brakes. Now if we could only figure out what is causing it...

[CGGorman]

Valve cover gasket. Trust me. It drips on the exhaust manifold and the smell gets sucked into the HVAC system intake, which is in the pass. side cowl.

This is VERY common on '00 V8s. Mine has it. The leak is tiny and virtually imperceptible. the only reason it smells so bad is the proximity to the manifold and HVAC intake.

[Dode]

Thanks.. I'lll give that a try. I have an '00 V8 also. I appreciate your help. Perhaps it could be that when it's cold the valve cover gaskets don't seal as good as when it warms up? Who knows....

[TomPP]

Its is the valve cover gaskets. The dealer had to replace both of mine for the same reason.
TomPP

[CCheeks]

Originally Posted by Dode

I get the same burning smell that seems to happen when it gets cold. It's more noticible when I'm accelerating or decelerating. I also have no leaks and the smell seems to be coming from the passenger side near the windshield. I can also smell it when I'm at the passenger side front tire but it is not a brake smell... Suggestion would be great .

I have the same problem and when I just had my LS in for an oil change and I asked if they knew why it smelled that way. They stated that it was my traction control, it seems when it engages it's really the ABS working and that's what causes the smell even though it doesnt do that when applying the break.

[jmendoza]

Hello everyone I'm new here to this forum and its good to see so many LS owners. I purchased a 2000 LS a couple of months ago and noticed the transmission getting confused alot, well I took it in to the dealer yesterday as I had read that a PCM reflash would do the trick and boy did it. I love the way this car drives now even more so than before, but anyway when they were running those diagnostics they came across the common problem of the gasket covers leaking, they said my car had a small leak and fixed it at the same time. Luckily it was still under warranty. That being said it probably is the gasket covers.

[ViperACR]

its the valve cover gasket and nothing else. i replaced mine on the passenger side but now it is leaking from the driver side. i hope it is not as much a bitch to change as the passenger side

[Timbers]

I actually came to this forum looking for the answer to this smell. You pay over 40K for a car you would think this wouldn't happen.

Anyways I only notice the smell after I hit the brakes, or come to a stop after driving for awhile, such as in my car. And yes I only notice it in the winter months.

I changed my sparkplugs about a year ago at 50K miles. I noticed lots of the plugs, down in the plug holes, were full of oil. Obvious valve cover gasket leak.

Any recommendations on what kind of valve cover gaskets to use, and where to get them? If I am going to do this job then I want to do it right.

Thanks for the help,

...Tim

[BMS]

I have this problem now at 55K miles out of warranty has Lincoln helped out with courtesy warranty for anyone, This just does not seem right at this miliage. So I have cosmetic fit and finish problems, computer problems, the transmission was fixed when it failed and now I have an engine problem, I think I am going to give up on American Car companies. Real disappointment in Ford

[el es]

the do grant upto 2 after warranty adjustments.

Funny your LS should stat doing just at the moment mine begins to leak oil. I posted ealier about an oil leak but I get no buring smell. I hate to do a valve gasket replacement if it doesnt need esp being that I own a v6.

[CGGorman]

Good luck finding the perfect auto. Try Rolls. I hear they're ~nearly~ flawless.