'95 Altima - Burning smell at stop

[pnoman]

I have a '95 Altima GXE sedan I bought used (very used!) last year with 138K hard miles on it. I had the trans rebuilt because the output shaft bearings were shot.

The past couple of months, I've noticed a slight burning smell occasionally when I come to a stop and after the car is warmed up - like after 5+ miles. After looking under the hood, I found something unusual (maybe). On top of the transmission (the 5-spd manual), there is a hard rubber hose, like a vacuum hose, shaped like an upside down "J", about 1/2" or 5/8" diameter sticking up about 6 inches and going nowhere. It seem to be a vent tube, and I thought it would attach to the intake tract at some point, kind of like a PCV system, but no luck. I thought this might be the source of the smell, with hot gear oil fumes being vented under the hood and sucked up into the ventilation.

Any help on whether this tube really does attach to something? I have looked through the library repair books and cannot find a vacuum hose diagram. I called the trans shop and they said it's probably supposed to be an open vent. I'm doubting it, though.

Thanks,

pnoman

[driftingmy240sx]

the hose you are talking about is a vent tube and goes to nothing. however, it would not be the cause of the smell you have. is the valve cover gasket leaking onto the exhaust manifold? is it possible you drove over a plastic bag and it melted to the exhaust?

i would check for oil leaking onto or near the exhaust, and check to see if a bag might have stuck to the exhaust first.

[pnoman]

Thanks! There is quite a bit of old oil residue on the front of the engine block, apparently leaking out of the valve cover gasket and onto the exhaust manifold. It's not leaking fast, because I have not had to add oil between changes - the level stays the same over 3K miles. It must just be a trickle. However, I got a can of degreaser and a new gasket set which I will install after it gets a little warmer. (That should smell really sweet the first time I run it!) That should take care of it.

Thanks again.

pnoman

[3Q Jay]

i love clean engines.from experience: don't get water in the spark plug holes when you rinse.very very easy to do on the ka24de.