Rubber Burning Spell @ Startup In Cold Morning

[hammer008]

Well, when I started my car this morning (-25 celcius), there was a screetching noise for about 20 seconds after the car started and there was SMOKE coming from the front engine compartment on the driver side. The smell was like that of BURNING rubber or burning plastic. I immediately opened the hood but could not find anything obvious.

1. I checked the visible belts and smelled them....nothing. The alternator looks fine. I suspect the area around the starter...thats where it seems the noise is coming from.

Could any of you gurus solve this problem? When the car is warmed up, there is no noise at all when starting but when it gets below -15C, I get some screetchings but to a lesser extent (1-3 seconds). -25C is only time that smoke appeared.

Summary:

>-15C: Perfect startup/No noise

-15 to -25C: Screetching noise for 1-4 seconds

<-25C: Smoke sometimes + screetching noise for 10seconds :cries: :cries:

Using:

Optima Battery, XD-0W30, Purolator oil fiter

[Steve]

certainly sounds like belts. Rubber goes hard the colder it gets.

Change belts or have the tension made tighter then see if it still does it.

Also on a cold morning ask a friend to turn the key.. have a listen under the hood

[ArmyofOne]

certainly sounds like belts. Rubber goes hard the colder it gets.

Change belts or have the tension made tighter then see if it still does it.

Also on a cold morning ask a friend to turn the key.. have a listen under the hood

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Steve, that avatar scared the crap out of me for a second!

check your powersteering belt. i would bet thats the culprit.

how could it be the starter? isnt that ont he opposite side fo the engine? i'm just asking, i have a Gen I, dont now too much about the upper gen ES's.

[SKperformance]

It is you alternaotr belt

as the alternator is trying to recharge tha battery after starting under the heavy load it slips squeels and burns

it needs to be adjusted or replaced

[hammer008]

It is you alternaotr belt

as the alternator is trying to recharge tha battery after starting under the heavy load it slips squeels and burns

it needs to be adjusted or replaced

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Thanks for all the replies. I will keep my eyes on the belt and report back. Believe it or not it is still the Factory Original belt but still looks good!

[steviej]

Thanks for all the replies.  I will keep my eyes on the belt and report back.  Believe it or not it is still the Factory Original belt but still looks good!

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if it has the factory original belts, I wouldn't wait. Just change them out.

Your belts are 9 years old!!! They are an accident waiting to happen.

Belts should be replaced at a minimum of every 5 years.

They may look good on the visual surface but I bet they are all dry and cracked on the surface that rides on the pulleys. It is not and expensive fix.

steviej

[hammer008]

if it has the factory original belts, I wouldn't wait. Just change them out.

Your belts are 9 years old!!! They are an accident waiting to happen.

Belts should be replaced at a minimum of every 5 years.

They may look good on the visual surface but I bet they are all dry and cracked on the surface that rides on the pulleys. It is not and expensive fix.

steviej

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I actually suggested to change the belts but my mechanic said it was not needed! Just a bit of tightening that is all...so I said ok!

[NeiLtYmE]

you live in a very cold part of the world. Your belts are constantly under cold dry weather during the winter. What he was trying to say is taht by looks it may looks fine.... but they gotta go. definetely an accident waiting to happen. Your seeing some signs already from what i read in your posts.