Marcward989

Hi people
Just started my car up for the first time since the bad snow hit. After leaving it idle for a couple of mins to warm up an start to defrost i noticed a little bit of whispy smoke coming from the drivers side bonnet shut line. I didnt think anything of this and made my quick journey out where it got a little worse on the way back. Opening the bonnet (which i should of done in the first place) there was smoke coming from around the engine collants reserve tank, the metal one on the drivers side. I filled all fluids up the other day and when i removed the metal cap some coolant spilled out and around the surface. Could this be the reason for the smoke, if the collant has dripped below and what ever is below has got warm and started to burn it off???? after leaving it off for 5 mins the smoke stopped.
Any ideas would be great, on the journey the car seemed fine, no wierd idling etc, the temp gauge didnt move, just worried it could be serious

The car is a 2004 wrx saloon
Thanks

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Smoke? Or steam?

If it happens again, get your head down and sniff it. Burning oil has a pungent hot smell, coolant, note spelling ), smells of curry, steamy, slightly sweet.

It could be the coolant spill, but other culprits regularly found on Scoobs are an oil leak from the cam cover on the driver's side, which leaks onto the headers and smokes off.

Mine has wrapped headers. When they get wet, they steam ALARMINGLY! If you drive a short distanmce, then stop, say at a red light, the amount of steam makes you think the engine is on fire

Marcward989

Well i think it smells more like the curry, gets right to the back of the throat so you can smell it for ages after. i dont know too much about engines if im totally honest with you, would it be a garage job to figure out if its the cam cover or can i see this myself? around the top of the reserve tank there is coolant like dried on. was meant to be selling the car this month, sods law

KAS35RSTI

iTrader: (73)

I done a coolant change on mine and some coolant got onto the header tank & when hot it steamed for a while & stopped.

Marcward989

Not sure if this is steam, looks more like smoke to me. i may just run the car on the drive to see if it burns off. not sure how to see if theres an oil leak, theres no oil spills under where the car has been parked.

KAS35RSTI

iTrader: (73)

If its a rocker cover gasket leak then the oil will go onto the headers & burn off so you wont see a huge puddle of oil.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

That's correct, unless you have BOTH sides leaking, or a large leak from the driver's side.

Most are just drips, so burn off as the exhaust warms up. Mine used to start smoking as the Defi water temperature gauge reached 40 degrees.

If you have some way of getting under the car in all this snow, you could reach up and feel the rear corner of the cam cover, it's usually there it drips. Do it cold, of course.

irondrew

iTrader: (1)

Hi........

Sorry to jack your thread here dude, just didnt wanna start another one for the same reason. Did you get to the bottom of the problem? Im having a similar problem now, after running the car for maybe 30 mins i can smell a kinda burning rubber type smell. its coming from the same place as yours, drivers side etc. no probs on idle or driving or any other eratic behaviour just the slight smoke and smell. its a 98 uk turbo, no mods all standard. Cheers for help..............................

Pedroturbo

Ive just solved this exact problem........... Smoke & burning smelt lil bit like power steering fluid. Checked the fluid level and it was still FULL but noticed it was damp on the base of the pump. I took the power steering pump off and looked under the inlet manifold and there was some tiny puddles of Red fluid. mopped it all up with kitchen roll & took the Power steering pump to 3 bits cleaned it and changed 2x O rings.

As it turns out the pas fluid was collecting in little puddles over time and then spilling onto the Exhaust manifold under braking.

The smell and smoke has gone with a simple free fix. took me 2 Hours to do as a novice.
Check Yours for any signs of leaking matey could be same thing.

irondrew

iTrader: (1)

Nice one matey cheers ill have a look at weekend. Hope its something simples like this.

Pedroturbo

Here is the pas pump on my 1996 model mate hope this helps.



no worrys mate

Pedroturbo

the 2 o rings i changed were o ring (item5) as shown in picture.
AND there was another bigger oring sat ontop of item6

Alternator out 1st tho because it is attatched to the pump and the alternator pully adjusts the belt tension.

prodriverules

iTrader: (52)

Theses early type pump's are very notorious for leaking fluid,i had to take the tank apart by pealing back the folded steel parts that lap round to hold the two halfs together and reseal it as it was leaking on the o-ring that sits between the half tanks which is item 3 on the diagram mate.

irondrew

iTrader: (1)

Starting to sound like a bigger job!! Lol

Pedroturbo

Lol mate it aint that hard! I wud help u if u anywer near shropshire?

irondrew

iTrader: (1)

Lol wish I was now.... I'm in N London. ;-)

demon_dald

ditto, belzona failed, volvo B10 flat type intercooler o'ring solved that! sh*t design like you said involves uncrimping the factory built unit. how hard would it have been to make it one unit??