2020 Ranger XLT, 2050 miles, towing package, 4X2 crew cab
I've been on a couple of trips towing a trailer of about 5000lb ( well under the 7500lb capacity). On normal flat road, it does well, but when under load, up a hill, I get a very strong lubricant-type smell. I took it to the dealer, and they fully inspected, changed the oil, and found nothing. They said when under the truck, they smelled the differential, but everything was fine. They checked tranny fluid, and nothing there either. They speculate some assembly grease may be burning off and should go away eventually.
has anyone else come across this or perhaps have an idea of what this smell is??

 

Check PCV system
With turbos you will get more blow-by so more oil vapor, any leaks in the system and you will smell it in the cab

Not sure if the 2.3l Ecoboost use similar PCV system as the 2.3l Duratec, it did have issues, needed to be serviced once a year
Mustangs using this engine were commonly updated with catch cans

Google: 2.3l ecoboost PCV system

 

Thanks, but dealer assures me there are no leaks at all..

 

New vehicles come with everything mechanical slathered with assembly grease as it was assembled. It is normal to get a strong smell when you heat up a new vehicle until the assembly grease all bakes off. I'm surprised your dealer didn't tell you about this. In addition, new exhaust systems are often coated with an anti-corrosion coating. This coating smells too as it bakes onto the exhaust system. In short, there's lots of things that can smell on a new vehicle that won't smell once everything is all baked on / baked off.

 

X2

Exactly what I was going to say.

 

the dealer did mention this. Thanks to both above. I just want to be very sure.

 

So I took the truck to a different dealer and they found that the differential fluid was burned, hence the smell under load.
they did change the fluid, but now I am very hesitant to tow anything. Does anyone know if towing would cause this burned differential fluid?
As I said, I did NOT exceed the 7500 lb weight..no way, not did I exceed the max tongue weight. I'm using a Fastaway weight distribution hitch, so i feel like this is Fords issue to correct. This is my first experience with towing a travel trailer, and the trailer specs say the GVWR, the absolute max that the trailer could weigh is 6900 lb, and I'm very sure I have not come close to that weight. Empty weight is 4650. I'm not carrying anything in the water tanks, so that's not an issue.

Anybody have any thoughts on how I should proceed?

 

After hauling a pontoon, I started smelling what I thought to be differential fluid. It was not motor oil or transmission fluid. At first I thought it was coming from the the trailer, but was coming from the rear of the truck, especially around the rear wheels. Trip to the dealer I guess.