Burning Rubber Smell Under Hood (not My Car)

[90LS400Lexus]

I do not know the exact details, because its not my car, but a friend of mine has a LS400 (I think its a 94'). It has a slight smell of burning rubber from under the hood. It smells exactly like tires that were spun on pavement. You cannot smell it until the engine warms up abit. The car had the timing belt replaced not too long ago at a Lexus dealer, so I am assuming its just something like oil or something burning off, or a new hose or something? Its a little worrisome for them, so any help I can pass along appreciated.

[90LS400Lexus]

Someone on the other Lexus forum said that it could be the new belts/hoses causing the odor, as they said that their car did that as well. He said that the belt was changed about 9000 ago, so I think that the smell should be gone by now?

[90LS400Lexus]

I know there were no replies, but I thought I would update anyway. Come to find out, there is a small oil leakage on the passenger side valve cover gasket, but the smell was so faint that it smelled like tires burning when the engine warmed. Its barely noticable now. The car had been setting in the garage since September and I guess some excess oil had leaked out. After some driving, it burned off and the smell is very minimal now. They are going to have new cover gaskets installed soon... or when the leak gets worse.

<_<

The one on my 91' LS400 is leaking a little too and it was also leaking on my old 90' LS400. Guess after 15-18 years, its common for these cars.

That is one area where the "older" American cars seemed to "beat out" these cars, which is strange. I have three General Motors cars that are over 30 years old and one still has original valve cover gaskets that are still not leaking at all and the other two are slightly leaking... pretty impressive for 35 year old cars. I guess they had pretty good gasket materials back then. ;)