Name That Smell - and Where'd It Come From!

[SnowBuck]

2005 XL, flawless trips to NJ (21.4mpg). But - to WV another story. Halfway up a 5 mile 9% grade, all of a sudden, car fills with an exhaust smell. Clears on the downside. Seems to come back on hill climbs. Got back to MD and when cold in the am = no smell...10 miles down the highway I swear I smell exhaust. Dealer can't find anything wrong. Mechanic took it home (100 mile r/t) and no smell ?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[Goodinblack]

Updates?

 

[SnowBuck]

Be carefull in giving ideas to the Service Center...

So as not to send the mechanics in the wrong direction. But they should be smarter then that!!! I ain’t no soccer mom that brings it in and says “it drives funny – fix it”. I was very clear about the smell being on hill climbs…but “exhaust smell” might not be the right word. More of a sweet burning (no – not the coolant) oily exhaust smell. NEVER had it happen again in the next 500 miles. They went over it and absolutely no exhaust leaks anywhere . No messages on the DIC either. I’m thinking more like burning transfer case or transmission. Heck … differential??? No codes thrown. Happened halfway up 9% 5-mile grade after it downshifted twice and doing about 50mph. There is only one definitive test = go back to the exact hill and try it again…but there is no way I’m driving 200 miles back into W.V. just to do that test as much as the curiosity is killing me!!!