mikestock wrote:
We flat towed our CR-V behind our Phaeton for 1800 miles over 4 days and made stops at least every 4 hours and ran the CR-V several minutes, shifting through the gears, as recommended.
We made a few short trips when stopped at overnight stays and noticed no problems. However, when we reached out destination, we noticed a distinctive hot rubber smell when driving the CR-V for longer errands. The smell eventually dissipated after a day or so but came back after the 1800 mile return trip. Once again the smell stayed around for a day or so.
It has been three months since the trip and we have experienced no problems or smells.
My only thought is that the radiator picked up rubber material from the roadways and burned off once the CR-V was driven any significant distance. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced any similar phenomenon after long tows.
Mikestock,
It's not the radiator that picked up material, it's the EXHAUST SYSTEM. You see, when you drive a vehicle, the exhaust system, which is sometimes, the lowest point to the road on many vehicles, gets very hot due to the engine exhaust traveling through it. Then there's the Catalytic converter which, runs even hotter. So, as you drive, anything that comes in contact with that exhaust system, gets immediately burned off and, you don't notice any smells.
But, as you TOW a vehicle, the exhaust on the toad, is COLD. Therefore, ANYTHING that can possibly stick to that system, i.e. water/mud, dust, debris, tar oil, (from repairs by road crews), tire dust(highly unlikely), anything that gets turbulated around the undercarriage, can potentially stick or cling to that exhaust system.
Now, you disconnect that toad, and, go drive it someplace and guess what, it heats up to the high temp it runs at and, vuuuuuaaaalllla, you have buring collected material. It will burn off after a short time. Just about everyone that tows a toad, will experience this, some more, some less, depending on the conditions driven/towed in and, just how well the exhaust system is concealed in the undercarriage of the car/toad/truck etc.
Scott
