GrahameS

Whilst driving to work this morning I noticed a funny
smell everytime I stopped in stationary traffic like the
engine overheating, but the temperature gauge is normal
Then at the end of my journey there was a small amout
of what looked like steam coming out of the bonnet scoop.

It was the kind of smell/steam you get if you drive your
car after washing it as the water boils off the rad.

Any ideas what this may be, sorry if this is a dumb question
but I haven't got time to look at it and haven't owned
the car for very long.

Thanks
Grahame

bruce

iTrader: (5)

The same happened to my car just the other day, after a reasonably quick standing start!! I managed to put enough stress onto the top rad hose that it split. It has split where the hose connects to the alloy tube that goes across the block, under the hose clip. It was probably on its way out any way. Check for puddles of water around this area on top of the block.

GrahameS

Cheers I will have a look tonight, I did do a rather
spirited standing start yesterday so maybe that could
have caused it. Is it the kind of thing I shouldn't
drive with just a couple of mile home, or will it be OK
as long as I check I have plenty of water.

bruce

iTrader: (5)

I drove home, but happened to have a bottle of water with me. I stopped every mile or so to check the levels and took it very steady trying to avoid standing traffic. I've been quoted £17 +vat for the replacement pipe from a dealer.

GrahameS

Ok cheers, I will have a look and see if I can come up
with a temporary fix till the weekend..

GrahameS

Can you show tell me where the offending hose is off this Pic
so I know where to look please ??



Thanks

bruce

iTrader: (5)

As you look at the pic its the one that is on the top left of the radiator, its "S" shaped and goes under the pipe between the MAF housing and the Power steering resevoir.

GrahameS

The one that looks really awkward to get to !!
Typical !

bruce

iTrader: (5)

I fitted my replacment pipe this evening, and as a tip for ease of fitting (and to save your neighbours from the bad language that mine heard!!), the pipe came with a white arrow printed on it that shows the direction of flow, this end goes onto the block pipe end. Fit the arrow so that it is at the top center of the alloy pipe. This will stop the new hose from kinking when you fit it to the radiator.

GrahameS

Ok, on inspection last night there are no leaking hoses anywhere
the source of the smell & steam/smoke appears to be down to one
of the following:

1) Oily liquid that seems to be coming from a pipe under the intercooler that is dripping down on the wires for the lambada
sensor is assume? and it then burning off as it reaches the
exhaust causing the smoke. Or a puddle of said fluid has formed
somewhere and is slowly burning off.

2) The Lambada sensor has come a bit loose & is leaking some
exhaust gas.

The funny thing being that it is not constant i.e. It will let off
a little smoke, then stop for a couple of minutes, then let out
a bit more..

It's a weird one...Any ideas ??

Cheers
Grahame

bruce

iTrader: (5)

If it is oily smelling then it could be the drivers side rocker cover gasket leaking, the oil drips onto the exhaust manifold and then burns off. If you look down the gap between the rocker cover and the inner wing, closest to the turbo, sometimes you can see a black stain on the exhaust manifold. Or when the car has been standing over night you can just get your fingers to the bottom corner of the rocker cover to check for oil.

GrahameS

It's coming more from the area behind the gearbox oil dipstick
there is a heat shield just behind the turbo, do you
know where I mean ? The smoke is coming from down there
somewhere. I'm pretty sure it is the fluid that has come from
the intercooler connector pipe below the intercooler, but was
under the impression the intercooler was air-air and this stuff
feels more like water with an oily feel if that makes sense ?
I have tightened the jubilee clip and it appears to have stopped
the wetness appearing, so maybe it's just slowly burning off the
fluid that was there, I could only smell it a bit today and didn't
see any smoke coming out the scoop at any point.

sg72

Check your gearbox oil level.
If theres to much in it. It can spit out of the dipstick tube riht onto the exhaust causing white smoke and awful stink.

the gearbox oil level can be hard to see as the oil is clear.

Guess Who's made this mistake before?