Bad burning smell for short time?
05-19-2013, 01:08 PM
#1
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Bad burning smell for short time?
I was driving after it rained and after I splashed in a puddle it smelt like something was burning. I looked all around the truck (04 4.6L) and I found that this part by the front bumper was "burnt". You can only see it if you lay under the front bumper. Any ideas on what happened and if I need to replace the part?
05-19-2013, 02:31 PM
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It looks like a hole was punched in the remote transmission or power steering cooler when you hit the pot hole and hot transmission fluid or hot power steering fluid ignited. Trace the 2 lines attached to this heat exchanger back to the source to see which is which. Replacement of this heat exchanger will be necessary.
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TxForce (05-19-2013)
05-19-2013, 03:25 PM
#3
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It looks like a hole was punched in the remote transmission or power steering cooler when you hit the pot hole and hot transmission fluid or hot power steering fluid ignited. Trace the 2 lines attached to this heat exchanger back to the source to see which is which. Replacement of this heat exchanger will be necessary.
05-19-2013, 06:47 PM
#4
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TxForce is correct. It is a remote cooler for the power steering. You didn't hit anything. There was probably enough hot fluid in the coils, a very small leak and the aluminum fins were hot and when you splashed in the water it cracked open. Think of it like taking a glass bottle that's very hot and putting it into a pan of cold water. The bottle will crack or break. So did your cooler. I bypassed this on my 1970 F-250 and it wrecked the p/s pump on a hot summer day
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TxForce (05-20-2013)
05-20-2013, 12:39 AM
#5
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TxForce is correct. It is a remote cooler for the power steering. You didn't hit anything. There was probably enough hot fluid in the coils, a very small leak and the aluminum fins were hot and when you splashed in the water it cracked open. Think of it like taking a glass bottle that's very hot and putting it into a pan of cold water. The bottle will crack or break. So did your cooler. I bypassed this on my 1970 F-250 and it wrecked the p/s pump on a hot summer day
05-20-2013, 08:48 AM
#6
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Your concern is contamination of the fluid running through the cooler from the damage, but of more concern is, what if it cracks all the way open and dumps all the fluid? If you can't afford to fix it now I would at least bypass the cooler. You'll protect the pump from burning up which would cost a lot more than replacing the cooler. Once the weather starts getting hotter or you plan a long trip then change the cooler.Don't wait too long. Good luck
05-20-2013, 05:14 PM
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Wouldn't it have scratched my bumper also so something around it? When I bought the truck there was a small burn it it already and I thought maybe it was hot and when water splashed it left a mark. There are no lights on for the engine and the engine temp is halfway like it has been before
Had you included this info in your original post, a more accurate diagnosis would have been forthcoming.
Chances are this cooler is plugged and excess pump discharge pressure is the result and the reason for the cooler's deformation and bending of the RH mounting bracket. As for your PS pump and steering box, I would only guesstimate how much damage has already occurred. Replace with a new or used cooler asap, and check the pump fluid level daily until you do.
[note to Marc D] Jumping in late on a thread is still no excuse for your lack of forum etiquette. (BTW, taking credit where credit isn't due isn't cool.)
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05-22-2013, 05:10 PM
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Apology accepted Marc. The devil is in the details. 
One of these details are the built-in oil control pressure relief valve(s) incorporated in the power steering system. A non-functioning pressure relief valve will create excess pressure when the steering box is at full steering lock in either direction, and may be the reason this cooler ruptured. Normally the relief valve should limit pressure to about 900-950 psi at full lock. If there is no noise when the steering box pitman arm is turned to full lock, the relief valve is not functioning as it should.
It is recommended to never maintain full steering lock for more than 3 or 4 seconds, or overheating of the PS fluid can occur.
One of these details are the built-in oil control pressure relief valve(s) incorporated in the power steering system. A non-functioning pressure relief valve will create excess pressure when the steering box is at full steering lock in either direction, and may be the reason this cooler ruptured. Normally the relief valve should limit pressure to about 900-950 psi at full lock. If there is no noise when the steering box pitman arm is turned to full lock, the relief valve is not functioning as it should.
It is recommended to never maintain full steering lock for more than 3 or 4 seconds, or overheating of the PS fluid can occur.
Last edited by DIY; 05-22-2013 at 05:15 PM.
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Marc D (05-22-2013)
05-23-2013, 09:30 AM
#10
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Thank you everybody that posted. Took it to ford and they told me its from driving on dirt and gravel roads frequently that small rocks had bent a few coils and that it leaked and created a leak that made a small fire that bent the bracket frame and burned the cooler. It was a $108 repair and needed to be replaced to prevent the PS system from overheating and make more problems. I'm going to put a level kit on the front now and a skid plate to prevent it from happening again. And ford did the repair and tied it to the bracket with zip ties because they don't have the brackets and I would have to pay more for them to make one. Ill try to post a picture of the new cooler so you may see the difference.