I searched around but it seems this happens with people with programmers.

I noticed this twice while pulling a simular load. Just got back from one tonight.

18FT bumper pull trailer, pretty light load. My Jeep with just the motor, trans, t-case and axles basically. Just got the cage. So I estimate 5000 or so load.

I was crusing at about 65MPH on cruise control. Mid way and after each hill I smelt a slight smell of clutch. I am in 6th gear. The truck seems to be pulling without a problem and temps are normal, just a bit over middle when I get on the hill.

Any ideas or comments?

 

sounds like your clutch is slipping.. doesn't matter how new the truck is, if the clutch is shot, it's shot. your pushing a lot of power through the clutch. Even though you have a 'light" load, it's still stressing the clutch a lot more than an empty truck.

The only other thing it could be is a brake hanging up somewhere, but it would do that all the time, not just on hills.

 

Is your truck completely stock, or do you have a programmer/chip?

 

would just the smell of clutch mean it's slipping? i think many people with a wide variety of vehicles have smelled clutch when spinning their tires in snow for instance, but did that mean they slipped their clutch? could it mean that you're at the upper levels of what your clutch can handle (power and weight) but your clutch isn't actually slipping? just a thought.

 

Stock from the factory. No big tires, no programmers, only PS grey or white addative when its in stock...

I cant tell if its slipping. Speed is constant, I was not breaking loose from the pavement.


How would I go about testing if its truly slipping? My trans has never been butter smooth as everyone says it should be. 3rd, 4th, and 5th would never just slip into gear, it almost grinds every time. Its like it takes the syncros some extra time to engage...

Thank you everyone for your input so far.

 

Synchros can get glazed. Some hard shifts will push them together and remove the glaze. I do all my standards every 6 months or so when they lose their smoothness. I've never had them grinding though. High RPM and shift to next gear letting the synchros slow the engine is how I do it. Keep hard pessure on the shift lever.

Cya

 

My buddy slipped his with a 6-gun and no load just mashed on it about 1900 in 6th ..... his is an '06 with G56 and stock DD clutch.

 

Seems to me you could tell if it's slipping by watching the tach. If the tach doesn't go up when the smell happens maybe it's something else - like a hot exhaust.

 

Watch the tach, if it is bouncing slightly or going up some under hard accelleration, then it could be your clutch.

Also, regardless of how powerful the Cummins feels to you, 5th gear is really your towing gear, especially when towing uphill. There is a discussion regarding towing and gears in your manual.

On another noteworth subject about smell(s) that are different - I have noticed that the winter fuel has a distinctly different odor as compared to summer fuel. Additives will also create a different odor. Under a load the odor might be more prevalent. The other possibility is fumes from your breather tube. Since you are also in a higher load going up hill, it may be your breather fumes. Some oils have a stinkier odor to them and quite a few people report that odor more when under load than any other time. I was behind a guy who uses Rotella, he was getting on it pretty good, the odor reminded me a little of a burning clutch or hot brakes.

CD

 

since when does a banks product slip a double disk clutch??? where did he get the DD stock?

brett

 

You're right .... I called it a Dual Disk ..... I should have called it a DM (Dual Mass) as in what comes stock with the G56. Also, there is a bit more to the story; as in - He wasn't running empty but was pulling an enclosed 2-place snowmobile trailer with 2 sleds on a 6% grade with the 6-gun on #6. I talked to him this AM and he said the clutch does NOT slip empty and still pulls the sled trailer w/out slipping if he turns the box down and keeps his foot out of it. So, there ya go; I've known this guy for over 30 years and he's never told me anything that he couldn't back up with a demonstration ..... at any rate ..... thanks for helping me to remember the old rule of 'making sure brain is engaged BEFORE putting mouth into gear' ....

 

i there any time that you will actually smell clutch other than when it's slipping? if you get a quick sniff of clutch when nailing the pedal but no symptoms of slipping, does that necessarily mean you slipped the clutch?

 

Ya, I know I've never smelled it in my truck but it's got the NV5600 setup AND, I'd guess, my smeller has got a lot more miles on it than yours does. My buddy said that when his slipped he could feel it releasing and grabbing .... so

 

wasnt trying to bust on ya to hard

brett

 

never felt the 'releasing and grabbing' - just the slight smell once a little while back. i have smoked the clutch on another vehicle i owned so i know first hand the 'revving hard but going nowhere' feeling but haven't felt any symptoms of slipping on the truck.