Ford Scorpio Forum - Print Page


    
      
        Ford Scorpio Forum
        (https://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl)
      

        General >> Problems >> Hot smell -towing?
        
(Message started by: harry.m1byt on Mar 17^th, 2007, 7:37pm)

Title: Hot smell -towing?
Post by harry.m1byt on Mar 17^th, 2007, 7:37pm

Hi,

I've towed a respectable distance for the first time with the Scorp. It's a 2.9 12v auto and coped without a problem all the way from my home outside Leeds to Anglesey and back. That is except for one small concern.

Keep in mind that this is my first auto and certainly the first auto I have ever used for towing.

On arrival at the site it turned out to be quite hilly, wet and slippy - in fact I could not manage to drive up with just the car. I needed to have both the caravan then the car towed up a short grass slope. There had been no smells at all from the car on the way down except for when I'd slipped the box into 2 or the * position to make the best use of the grip I had.

I spent no more then a minute or two trying gently to get up, but it was obvious I wasn't going to make it, it was just too slippy. Then I briefly smelled a hot overheating smell - just like a clutch burning. I had done no more than get a bit of speed up to get up the slope, got so far, started to loose traction and stopped before it dug itself in.

It was too wet and I was too busy to try to find the source that evening, so all I could do was leave it until the next morning. I checked the box fluid level, there was nothing showing on the dip stick so I drove very gently into the village to get a couple of bottles to top it up. It took almost none to bring the level back up - no smells from the box at all and the fluid looked fine - probably it was just the fact that it was cold and on a slope.

It drove around solo during the week fine, so my concerns about the smell were forgotten about - but what was it?

Not the grass under the tyres, it was too wet.
It hadn't smelled during all the miles of 50 to 70 cruising on the motorway and on the back roads. Engine temperature never moved throughout.

BTW, who owns that black (or very dark coloured) R reg Scorp on Anglesey? I saw you parked outside your home on my way in, then a couple times during the week - but never close enough to give you a wave. You where heading out from Llangefni towards the A55 earlier today, but too fast for me to catch up with you with the caravan on tow.

Title: Re: Hot smell -towing?
Post by Spannerdemon on Mar 18^th, 2007, 6:08am

Hi Harry,

I too have the 12v Auto 2.9, and my wife and I use it down here in Devon to tow our Lunar Caravan which is a 5 berth Clubman model 17 feet long (21' with the drawbar). It's an older van, and consequently, quite heavy.

We can tow it anywhere in the country without any problem, but the Scorpio doesn't like major hills or strain. Unfortunately Devon and Cornwall, where we do most of our caravanning, IS very hilly.

From reading your post, I'm certain that you've had the same 'syndrome' as us. We've had this a number of times, particularly when reversing with the caravan on slight backward inclines, and on 'greasy' uphill ground which is what you've encountered. Basically the 12v isn't a strong 'towcar', which totally surprised me when we first used it with the caravan.

There's a road from Weymouth to Bridport which runs along the coast here near Chickerell. A tougher hill would be hard to find. Our last car (a Volvo) would pull the caravan up it like a train. The Scorpio only just made it, and smelled like Stephenson's Rocket at the top!!

I had a Volvo 940 GLE Turbo 2.0 before this, which absolutely knocked the spots off the Ford for towing. I had expected a 2.9 engine to have a lot more grunt. Even my old Granada 2.4i was a better towcar.

We've had these smells before, and like you say, it smells like a stressed clutch.

Who knows, but we've never had any resulting after effects, and once the caravan is parked, the car then runs as normal from that point on with no smells.

I wonder if it's simply hot transmission fluid?

We keep some old carpet squares in the boot to throw under the rear wheels and get more grip when we're out with the van. You can get them at car boot's for peanuts. They usually get things moving again.

I usually throw the wife out too to keep the weight down!! ;D ;D Ouch!!!

Hope this puts your mind at rest anyway. I have to be honest and say that next time we change the car, I'll be returning to a Volvo, much as I love my Scorpio. As towcars, the big Volvo's are supreme as far as I'm concerned. ;)

Title: Re: Hot smell -towing?
Post by TiberiuS on Mar 18^th, 2007, 2:14pm

It's not the engine, the 12v is quite torquey. It's the Ford autobox I reckon ;)

Don't worry about smells, we got quite used to this when we had the Capri...that was only a 2.0 but sometimes it smelled like it was going to cook the box on a hot day...and that was without towing anything behind. And then you get the times when it let the fluid out all over the road and lived to tell the tale ::)

Title: Re: Hot smell -towing?
Post by harry.m1byt on Mar 18^th, 2007, 4:10pm

That is good to know then!

As said it did pull like a train, surprisingly good and the revs stayed between 2 and 3k (mostly 2k) all the way. It was just the last bit on the slippy grass - It wasn't steep, just no grip at all.

I checked it on arrival back home, towing the same distance and it was fine - not the slighest smell on route or on arrival home.

BTW, caravans have become much heavier rather than lighter over the years. Due to all the extras installed in them, rather than the actual structure. Mines a 15' with all the trimmings.

Spannerdemon....
As we seem to be assuming it was the autobox overheating - I was wondering whether it might need some extra cooling for towing? Have you added anything to provide some more cooling?

Anyone thought to add a means to check the actual temperature?

Anyone tried simply adding a couple of cheap 12v fans to the fluid cooling radiator?

Title: Re: Hot smell -towing?
Post by wudz on Mar 18^th, 2007, 7:10pm

Hi,

I to have noticed a slight hot transmission oil smell when towing in Cornwall with a 2ltr 16v with a 17' Elldis. Done the trip 6 or seven times from NE Lancs and have also fitted an extra cooling rad from a scrappy...seems the smell is norm and as said it is the box that is the letdown as I have towed with other Autos and been up Telegraph hill with a Rover 2ltr SDI similar van and had much more torque.
That said the 2ltr Scorpio does 20 to 22mpg and goes like a train on the motorway...just the steep hills that show the boxes short comings...
All I can say is do not worry and if you can get your hands on another oil cooler rad it just gives that peace of mind and with last years temperatures I would say would be a wise move. :)

Cheers
John

Title: Re: Hot smell -towing?
Post by harry.m1byt on Mar 18^th, 2007, 7:21pm

I might just go down the monitoring the temperature route.

Now assuming I were to fit a temperature probe to the input pipe (which one is the input?) of the oil cooler, would that be a good place to monitor it and what sort of temperatures should expect and what is too hot?

Would I be correct in assuming that the tendency to overheat is at low speeds, with poor air flow over the existing cooler?

If that is the case perhaps two or even three cheap 12v PC case fans switched via a stat would solve it.

Title: Re: Hot smell -towing?
Post by wudz on Mar 18^th, 2007, 7:33pm

Hi,

If you go down the fan route which does make sense then perhaps the engine water temp is near enough related to the oil temp as theyboth would build in temp when having to work in a low air flow enviroment...could take the 12v supply off the rad fans so that the new fans come on at the same time...just a thought..

cheers
John

PS please let me/ us know on the outcome... :)

Title: Re: Hot smell -towing?
Post by harry.m1byt on Mar 18^th, 2007, 7:39pm

Good idea, though I have never heard the fans cut in on anything but slow speed for the A/C cooling.

I'll certainly let everyone know.

Title: Re: Hot smell -towing?
Post by Octavian_P on Mar 19^th, 2007, 7:37am

A few days ago i felt the smell. I did run the cossie on sport mode and trash it hard around town ;D

....no officer, honestly, it wasn't me ::)