pinpointing burning smell

hey guys

ive read a few places that say if the autobox hasnt been regularly serviced , when you come to change the oil it can make the autobox fail (brake)

is this true or crap?

i dont think its been regularly serviced by the previous owner

and im not ready for my conversion yet so i dont want it to brake now

the reason im asking is because obviously it hasnt had regular service and when i was out i it earlier i could smell a clutch like smell ? or burning

the reason i havent done the oil on the autobox myself yet is because reading about it has put me off when alot of people say it will brake

but the posts are old so i wanted updated info

You should to be honest not keep changing the Autobox fluid but should keep it topped up to the right levels on hot by taking it for a drive, using all the gears L,2,D,R etc and check the level. That would be my first port of call before doing a full change and have a look here too http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?56684-FAQ-Oil-Fluid-Interval-Capacity-Steering-Brake-Coolant-Diff-Engine

As above, I read that if there is no problem with the gear changes it should only require a quick sump flush every year or two, draining the box completely can cause more harm than good because it loses all the additives it needs to lubricate it. A full flush should only be performed if there is a problem with the box.

I would just drain the sump (2 litres ish?) and see how it responds.

the reason im asking is because obviously it hasnt had regular service and when i was out i it earlier i could smell a clutch like smell ? or burning

Normally such a smell is oil/fluid leaking onto the exhaust, I've not read on here of autobox smells per se and think the operation of the box normally gives other signs of wear eg delays and clunks when selecting reverse to drive and vice versa for example.

I would be checking underneath thoroughly for signs of leaking fluid....

hi again guys

ive just taken it out again and then when i got back home i lifted the bonnet and smelled different parts to find where the smell was coming from.

its the engine bay and its coming from the area by the headlight

there is no way my intercooler could have a weird burning smell is there?

i know it needs changing anyway but i wanted to pin point this burning smell now

i altered the title

i forgot to add that the car hasnt been run for over a week, not even started up

Sort of related, the gearbox oil is a service item, like the engine it has a service schedule and the fluid should be changed regularly. And the gearbox filter.

As for your burning smell, sure its not coolant, maybe you have a small leak on the engine somewhere?

Also, break not brake

lol thanks for pointing out that im useless at spelling lol

but thinking about it the smell, you mentioned coolant and when i had to change the rad on my subaru it had the same smell just before it broke,

ill give it a good look over in the morning when i can see,

wheres the best place to buy the coolant from bud? ill want the genuine toyota red ( i think thats the one i need)

just checked and yeah its that coolant (Toyota 4Life Red)