Smoke from back of engine compartment. Driver's side.

[Don]

We're seeing puffs of smoke coming from the rear of the engine compartment, driver's side.

The heat shielding protecting the bodywork is flaking off there but does not look burnt at all. The smell is plasticky. Needless to say it's off to the specialist but has anyone else had this? What was it? What fixed it?

[chris1972]

What colour is the smoke and in what density? Is it near the exhaust manifolds?

[jamienshelly]

It sounds like something on the exhaust manifold, I had the white unused air con plug fall onto the manifold and melted it.
If it is that it will be at the front of the engine where the 4 branches meet, or maybe a plug lead touching or close to the manifold.
Please check that it is not fuel dripping from the fuel pipes at the bulkhead as this could be very dangerous. Hope you find it and its nothing serious
Jamie

[chris1972]

Could be coolant from the heater pipes burning off the exhaust. Check the jubilee clips and the pipes. You may have developed a split in one of them.

[MADMAX2]

jamienshelly said:

It sounds like something on the exhaust manifold, I had the white unused air con plug fall onto the manifold and melted it.
If it is that it will be at the front of the engine where the 4 branches meet, or maybe a plug lead touching or close to the manifold.
Please check that it is not fuel dripping from the fuel pipes at the bulkhead as this could be very dangerous. Hope you find it and its nothing serious
Jamie

if its fuel dripping from the fuel pipes

STOP.TURN ENGINE OFF IMMEDIATELY DO NOT DRIVE,OR IDLE

[Don]

Thanks guys.

It was a puff of white-ish smoke. I don't think it's fuel as there isn't a petrol-smell. I do think something is in contact with the exhaust manifold somewhere...

I'll take it to my local chap and get it looked at on a ramp.

[chris1972]

I had white smoke and it turned out to be coolant leaking onto the exhaust. A quick tighten of a jubilee clip and problem solved. Check your swirl/ expansion tanks for coolant levels first. You may save yourself some money!

[Don]

chris1972 said:

I had white smoke and it turned out to be coolant leaking onto the exhaust. A quick tighten of a jubilee clip and problem solved. Check your swirl/ expansion tanks for coolant levels first. You may save yourself some money!

Thanks, Chris. I'll have another look and see...

[over_the_hill]

It could also be brake fluid which as I'm sure you know is flammable like petrol.

Does the white smoke appear when you press the brake pedal. The pressure in the brake pipe will force the fluid out through the smallest of holes/cracks and if it hits the manifold then white smoke can be a sign.

Although PAS fluid might be a better bet given the propensity of PAS leaks.

[Bassfiend229hp]

Probably a bit obvious but I par under trees at my house and every time I drive I get smoke billowing up through the engine bay after about half a mile as the leaves that have dropped overnight and have fallen through the slits in the bonnet burn off the exhausts...

[over_the_hill]

Does this happen continuously or just after start up. If you have a very small leak there could be a pool building up somewhere while you are parked that burns off once the engine gets hot. If the leak is very small once it has burnt off that might be all you see until next time when the pool has had chance to build up again.

[Don]

Actually it happened to the wife. Driving along it was OK. Come to a halt and she sees a puff.

To reproduce the problem I just got it out of the garage and let it idle. Once hot there was the puff. It smells plasticky. I switched off immediately I saw the smoke. I think if I had left it it would have smoked continually - and now I don't want the risk.

I'll get it up on a ramp and have our local guy find the problem, I think.

[chris1972]

Don said:

Actually it happened to the wife. Driving along it was OK. Come to a halt and she sees a puff.

To reproduce the problem I just got it out of the garage and let it idle. Once hot there was the puff. It smells plasticky. I switched off immediately I saw the smoke. I think if I had left it it would have smoked continually - and now I don't want the risk.

I'll get it up on a ramp and have our local guy find the problem, I think.

There appears to be a bit of a story appearing here...

Driving along it was OK. Come to a halt and she sees a puff.


I just got it out of the garage and let it idle.


Once hot there was the puff.


It smells plasticky.


I switched off immediately I saw the smoke.


I'll get it up on a ramp and have our local guy find the problem,

[Don]