Just noticed this, burning rubber smell that goes away quickly. Only happens at 4500+RPM. Its a 2.8L so it not the tires or anything. I suspect the belt is burning, I replaced it about 3 months ago. Is it common for a new belt to burn?

Another thing is I replaced the water pump about a month ago, and it sort of fits the time frame when I first smelled it. Could the new autozone duralast pump not be able to rotate that fast? Its the same pulley as old on the new pump.

At the same time I had the water pump off I was to do the timing chain, but never got the crank pulley bolts off, I managed to ding it all up with the 3 jaw puller trying in vain to get the pulley and balancer off all in one unit. I've since learned my lesson and managed to get the pulley bolts off and the dinged up pulley replaced with a boneyard exact replacement. (still haven't done the chain...) The new pulley had no effect on the burning rubber smell at 4500+ rpms.

Belt doesn't look burned or melted or even very much glazed. Could I be imagining this, or is there another rubber component that could be burning at high rpms?