Why Would I Smell Clutch Please

[one2hunt]

Hey all. Did my first hitch in the oil fields and my little red MJ took a beatin. I was on a $hitty ranch road, got dusted by a semi and hit a BIG speed bump because I didn't see it. I looked my truck over and aside from a flat and I'm pretty sure busted shocks(they were original anyway my guess)-I didn't find anything busted or twisted. But I do smell clutch now. Do you think I might have busted a tranny mount? Would that cause the clutch to slip. As stated before, I am no shade tree mechanic. I'm getting better at maintenance and repair but my diagnostic skills are still nil. Any help would be great. Also-the truck sits as it came off the factory and I want to lift it 2 inches in the future even though it's 2wd-should I just buy a set of gabriel or monroe shocks til then-any pros or cons to common auto part store shock absorbers? I'm doing alot of ranch road travelling to and from the oil rig and I'm sure new shocks are in short order. Thanks in advance for any advice>Chris

[cruiser54]

I think you should get under your truck and look at the trans mount and bolts. Look at the motor mounts, too.

Did you FEEL the clutch slipping? Sometimes crap can get thrown up on the exhast from puddles etc and smell somewhat like clutch burning smell, as can brakes.

[mvusse]

Transmission is securely bolted to the engine. Even if the transmission completely came loose from the mount it would still be attached to the engine and wherever is goes, the engine would go with it to keep it aligned.

 

Possible causes for a slipping clutch:

-clutch worn out

-too much load (I actually had this happen towing a loaded box truck out of a loading dock when it broke down in 6" of snow. Halfway to the warehouse to work on it I hit 3rd gear and it started slipping. This was in 4-lo with the pedal to the floor).

-blue flywheel from clutch slipping previously. Usually due to not knowing how to drive a clutch

-low fluid pressure, this could be a problem with the master or slave cylinder or a leaky line.

 

Believe I've covered all the bases here.

 

If you had to brake hard, hot (overheated) brakes do smell similar to a slipping clutch.

[mountainman]

Yeah you could have tweaked something and now a rear brake is dragging. Will smell similar to clutch but not the same. When you smell it bad, get out and put your hand near or on the rear wheels... one WAY hot? there you go. Or if you get out and smell the bell housing and it stinks BAD, then you have diagnosed where the issue is.

Next is of course.. WHY?

If you can't diag it quick, stop into a shop you trust and get a diagnosis before it hurts anything. If your clutch is just toast.. so be it. But if theres something hung up.. need to find out asap.

[johnj92131]

Watch out not to BURN ur hand!!

[one2hunt]

Thanks guys-hdn't thought that it could be a brake issue and the truck has had a noticable los of power. I wouldn't doubt if the e break cables or linkage were twisted or binding due to the impact somehow. I will for sure have time tomorrow to get it figured out. Wheel bearings this weekend and maybe a 2 inch lift and new shocks too if a friend comes through.