Strange smell and no coolant fan

[Andy_with_a_screwdriver]

A couple weeks back my wife was driving the 75 CDTi Auto (since Christmas she had been using the 75 as a daily driver rather than the Zafira which I was going to attempt to change the inlet manifold on, and have off the road for a few days)
when she noticed a strange smell in the cabin.
I was asked to come and check the car, she had parked at our daughters dancing lesson ,and didn't want to drive any further.

I started it up and couldn't smell anything unusual, I had a good look around the engine bay but couldn't see anything. My daughter then told me that it happened when the aircon was on with front window demist. I put the AC but still couldn't smell anything and drove home without any problems.

We carried on using the car as normal for about a week, and I did notice a strange smell when the AC was on a couple days later, the smell was almost like a burning rubber or electrical smell. Then last week my wife came home from work and said she had a charge fault warning light and the power steering became stiff and heavy momentarily, "the steering just went" were her exact words.

I started it and looked under the bonnet. When I put on the AC the fan didn't start up. I took it for a drive at this point still no fan but the air was blowing cold when set to low. After going round the streets a couple times when I returned home the fan was running.

On Tuesday I started it up again to move it nearer to outside our house. The fan didn't work when the ac was switched on and I could smell something in the area around below the power steering pump. I didn't go any further and switched it off. I've been so busy with work these last couple weeks and haven't had time to investigate, though I'm hoping to this weekend especially as the weather is picking up a bit.

Any ideas? I've read on here the alternator brushes can smell when wearing out , or could it be the AC compressor

[rovertone]

A key point for me would be the steering going stiff and heavy and the charge light coming on which suggests that the pump and the alternator stopped turning which points to the auxiliary drive belt not turning.
Now if this happened in conjunction with the AC being switched on the compressor puts a load on to the crank pulley which if the rubber bonding to the centre is failing you will get a burning smell, in conjunction with the pulley stopping.

I have had a crank pulley fail without warning where the crankshaft was turning without the pulley hence the burning smell and no pwr steering or charging.

I also recently had an alternator pulley bearing fail that stopped the aux belt completely but that came with a few miles of noisy warning.

I would suggest running the engine at idle with AC off and watch the aux belt then switch on AC and see if the belt rotation falters as well as AC try turning the steering lock to lock which will add more load to the crank pulley.

If all seems well I would switch off and check the tension on the aux belt, perhaps the tensioner is failing which is causing the belt to slip thus intermittently stopping the steering pump and alternator again you would get a smell from belt slipping.

Hope that helps, good luck.

[Andy_with_a_screwdriver]

If I'm back from work in time today I'll get underneath and have the undertray off for a good look. It's not so easy to tell from the top. I put a new belt on about 15 months ago when I changed the power steering pump.

[T-Cut]

Usually accompanied by low revs clattering.


TC

[Cable Tie]

Sounds like bottom pulley as others have said exact same thing happened to me last year

[Andy_with_a_screwdriver]

Weather has been miserable not been able to get under car today. Just been reading up on crankshaft pulley, sounds like its hard work to undo the bolt.

[75driver]

Andy, where did you purchase your new pulley from?
The picture in the eBay link from Rovertones post #13, shows the corteco pulley + the bolt & washer.
You may be ok.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rovertone]

After Arctic's post I went back to ebay and realised there was no mention of the bolt so sorry I missed that. However the seller includes bolts with numerous other pulleys on offer.
If the bolt isn't included then I think the ad is very misleading. I have reused bolts before without problem.
I have had a look on the Corteco web site and they advertise 'Corteco Pulley Kits' so maybe bolt is included as standard, when my garage changed mine they put a new bolt on and I never specified it so maybe you will be OK, hope so.
Tony

[Andy_with_a_screwdriver]

Originally Posted by 75driver

Andy, ...
You may be ok.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sadly not.

I finally got hold of island 4x4 on the phone at the 3rd attempt. The conversation went like this;

Me: Hello, I would like to add an item to an order I placed earlier today?
Mr Island 4x4: I’m unable to enter an order.

Me: ?? Hmmm but I would like to add an extra item to an order to be delivered to me please.
4x4: I’m not able to enter an order.

Me: What exactly does that mean? Does that mean you can’t add an item?
4x4: Yes, I’ve got no way to take any payment from you it needs to be ordered through the online ordering service.

Me: ok if i order it online, can you then stick it all in the same box to save on postage then?
4x4: No you’d have to raise another order then that would be packaged separately and posted separately.

Me: What if you just invoiced me for the item and i pay it online and then you put it in the box ?
4x4: no we can’t do that.

Me: Let me explain, I’ve ordered a new TD4 Crank Pulley and just realised it doesn’t come with a new bolt. I’m going to need the new bolt please, as it wasn’t altogether clear that it didn’t come with a bolt.
4x4: You will only get what’s in the picture

Me: It wasn’t pointed out that I would need to order the bolt though was it? Nor was there a link advertising it either.
4x4: No you only get what’s in the picture. (this guy must have missed the customer services course)

Me: might be worth putting a note on the website then to let people know that? How much is this bolt ?
4x4:£7

Me: And delivery?
4x4: £5 if it costs less than £50 to buy
Me: and there is no way that can all go into together to save me some postage?
4x4: no we can't do that

Thinking that seems a bit steep for a single bolt and being ever so slightly annoyed by the whole ordeal, I thought I would cancel my first order then re-order the whole lot together. I asked about my current order without telling him the reason why, he said ‘Yes we won’t dispatch that very quickly, what is the order number?’ Upon receiving it he told me with surprise that someone else had processed it and the order has already been collected by DPD and I’ll receive tracking info from them shortly.

I know there's an old saying you get what you pay for, but why is it they are so inflexible? Also why are they so reliant on computerised system. God forbid if it didn't work for whatever reason they’d never sell anything!!

I've got my own business and if I want to retain customers I must do as Simon and Garfunkel said and keep the customer satisfied.

I know it's not their fault I never ordered a bolt, but I was thoroughly disappointed with their lack of helpfulness and customer services. Out of principle I will be getting the bolt elsewhere and not giving them any more of my cash. Their loss.

Rimmers have it for £4.95 and can manage to post it for £3.75 !!
I need some front drop links too so will have a look at them as well on the same order.

[rovertone]

Customer service!!!!!
Have you a Land Rover or BMW dealership with a parts counter locally that could supply one, dealership prices but no P&P might be just as competitive.
If you can afford to wait till the pulley arrives Corteco might just supply it as a kit.

Frustrating when you just want to get on with the job!