Very hot outside, traffic jam and puffs of smoke in cabin

[Wolvesboy]

Hi All. Sorry about the long post.
Having refitted exhaust after doing wishbones, handbrake etc I had to use some WD40 on the exhaust bracket to free the mount as stuck tight.
Drove to a meet this morning and temps outside 30+ wind very hot (the worst combo). Stuck in traffic on the approach and gauge got up to and stayed at 90 with fan kicking in all ok. Managed to get in and park after about 10 minutes of stationary tickover like this and turned off, got out and lifted bonnet to let her cool down. Then some wafts of pale smoke came up from the gear gaitor area and I immediately grabbed the extinguisher! I leant in and sniffed with a slight burning smell obviously but nothing major. Watched as it stopped after about 30 seconds and sigh of relief.
I looked and checked underneath as much as I could with nothing untoward. Checked fuse box/engine bay/ lines and all ok.
After 2 hours I had to get home. Started and double checked everything again. Albeit I drove down the motorway rather than go through town - she ran perfectly through the heat and once again only a little hotter than normal.
Got home with temp gauge a little higher than normal (80 rather than 78) but no repeat of the smoking episode.
Any ideas as I was very worried but assumed it was the oil burning off on the exhaust. I do have an oil leak but "they all do that sir!" came to mind.

[ukkid35]

On the 4.5 there is a rudimentary catch tank full of steel mesh where oil collects from the crankcase breather. It is virtually impossible to seal it to the airbox, and that is where oil often drips on to the exhaust manifold.

I guess this smoke could end up coming in to the cabin from the gaiter, but it's the cats that are right under the transmission tunnel just there. I'm not sure how well they would fair in the high temps in Oz.

I admire you for running the Cerb there, I reckon that is quite a feat!

[Wolvesboy]

Decatted so nothing underneath the gear box except plan old exhaust until the smallish back boxes! I reckon it is oil burning on the exhaust - may have been blown there when moving and then heated right up when stationary in the jam. I'm not worried if it is this as continual oil leak whenever it is used but I will check and tighten up the various bolts visible to see if this helps.
Having searched for an oil catch pot there seem to be some viable alternatives but all of the photos are unavailable on Thumbsnap or something.
No fun when it happens though, especially when roasting hot. Not very cool either at a car meet with 400+ other classics around and mine is the only one smoking!

• *(Check the "classic cars and coffee Perth UWA" if interested as some serious metal there - old Jags, Lambo Uracco, Mustangs etc).

[NuddyRap]

Just a quick thought - there is a little breather nobble type deely on the top of the gearbox on the driver's side at the back of the main housing (See pic).

Feel up there when the car is cold and check whether or not up there is wet. It could be that a bit of gearbox oil has been expelled and wound up being burned.

It does stink and make quite a lot of smoke, gearbox oil.

[Wolvesboy]

Yes I remember that part when I had the ‘box out.
Has not happened since, but although sitting in traffic for that amount of time has not been experienced either. However, I don’t want to try it again!
I was really concerned that it was possibly some wiring but I don’t think there are any passing through the tunnel area.

[NuddyRap]

The only things passing through the tunnel under the car in that area are the copper brake lines, the carbon can vapour vent which attaches itself to the airbox and the handbrake cable/switch.

Inside the car under the console piece you'll find the hard fuel lines, a run of wires for the rear speakers, a run of wires for the fuse box, light and alarm modules etc in the boot, all of which route round to the controls or out through little holes to the engine bay.

I can't see any of that lot catching fire or smoking without being shorted, so see a problem there as very likely.

[Jonbouy]

There is a earth cable which runs in the tunnel from near the selector to the earth point on the chassis. Also there is the gearbox reverse switch wiring, my connector has come loose before and caught on the exhaust causing to melt

[Wolvesboy]

Great info - thanks. Puts my mind at rest a little! Car has got hot since but no smoke, YAY. Hopefully just some oil burning off but it wouldn’t that smell pretty bad too?

[gruffalo]

Gear oil stinks when it burns off so could easily have been heat soak heating up the gearbox and it venting a small amount of oil and that burning off the exhaust.

[Jonbouy]

You might of driven over something, even a plastic bag, they absolutely sink and melt instantly.