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weird sound and smell

958 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  jribble
WE have a 97 awd safari. We have been hearing a wierd noise, and since its a new vehicle to us we wondered if it was normal. It sounds like a gear driven timing chain or a supercharger. It speeds up with the engine and changes with the shifts of the transmission. Also there is a smell, like a burning clutch. The smell seems like its from the front wheels. I just did brakes and I didnt notice a stuck caliper or anything. Im not sure if its just a new smell as the pads get seated or what. Any ideas?
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It's REALLY tough to diagnose a noise from words. Have you checked the transmission fluid yet? Is it bright red, or is it dark and smells burnt? Dark and burnt smelling is bad, it means you have a burned clutch pack and the tranny will need rebuilding soon.

It's something in the engine or tranny because the noise follows engine RPM. Wheel bearing/brake noises are speed dependent and do not change with engine RPM alone.

Another thought- Could it be your alternator? The one in my 77Impala is original, and when the battery is weak I can hear the difference when it's charging or not. I would describe the sound as similar to what you describe.

Welcome to the site, good luck, let us know what you find!
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