Unknown smoke issue?

DownhillMR2 · 11-13-2009, 01:27 PM

Okay, so I replaced my 02 Censor which was causing my CEL to come on, and took her on a drive. Well, about 20 minutes later when I come back, I smell something cooking off of the engine. Smelled like coolant, maybe, or oil. So I check, and there's nothing I can see up top. It seems to be very very little smoke, and the engine isn't overheating. Oil pressure and coolant temps were fine according to the gauges. I'm not leaking oil, and my coolant levels are still the same this morning. Could I have a pinhole leak somewhere causing it (it being whatever may be leaking) to drip on to the block and cook off? Could it be a hairline crack in the water pump dripping just a bit of water? I'm at a loss for what it could be, as I've been over everything with a fine toothed comb.

Edit: To be specific, there's no smoke from the tail pipe. It's coming from the engine bay.

espguitarist33 · 11-13-2009, 05:03 PM

oil from the distributer seal? i guess in theory you could have a coolant rupture in the head head gasket allowing it to leak out under some rpm conditions or something who knows, you have to get your hands in there and trace the wet

DownhillMR2 · 11-13-2009, 05:51 PM

Sounds like the best answer. Thanks.

was just checking to see if anyone else had had a similar issue.

espguitarist33 · 11-13-2009, 06:39 PM

i had an oil drip, i think it was the distributer O-ring...never took the thing off cuz i didnt wana retime hte engine

etc… · 11-13-2009, 06:41 PM

Were your hands dirty or greasy when you changed the oxy sensor? I'm thinking that you grabbed the exhaust for leverage and the pipe going to the cat got dirty and it is burning off when you drive.

DownhillMR2 · 11-13-2009, 08:13 PM

I actually whiped down the exhaust before I did anything, so that wasn't it. I've found where the oil is. It's sitting atop the head, right near the TVIS hose that runs from motor. Really thin coat of fresh oil. Blow-by maybe?

DownhillMR2 · 11-14-2009, 07:15 PM

And I have now developed a very tiny oil leak which drips about three droplets per hour.

scottohno · 11-18-2009, 01:44 PM

wait wait wait... are we talkin the front or rear of engine, left or right? front=f bumper rear=r bumper feft=drivers side, right=passenger side. LOCATION<LOCATION<LOCATION. if its by the distributor and oil filter, make sure the oil filters tight. if it still leaks u gotta do that oring. i had oil on my header from BOTH my distributor o-ring, (which was as hard as a candy cane), and the oil filter that backed itself off. if i drove it hot and hit the brakes, smoke would pour from the engine lid vents. are you having the problem in the same location?

Maruki-kun · 11-18-2009, 03:40 PM

I had this issue when my dipstick wasn't on all of the way.

11-13-2009, 01:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
DownhillMR2 No Skills Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Unknown smoke issue? Okay, so I replaced my 02 Censor which was causing my CEL to come on, and took her on a drive. Well, about 20 minutes later when I come back, I smell something cooking off of the engine. Smelled like coolant, maybe, or oil. So I check, and there's nothing I can see up top. It seems to be very very little smoke, and the engine isn't overheating. Oil pressure and coolant temps were fine according to the gauges. I'm not leaking oil, and my coolant levels are still the same this morning. Could I have a pinhole leak somewhere causing it (it being whatever may be leaking) to drip on to the block and cook off? Could it be a hairline crack in the water pump dripping just a bit of water? I'm at a loss for what it could be, as I've been over everything with a fine toothed comb. Edit: To be specific, there's no smoke from the tail pipe. It's coming from the engine bay.

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11-13-2009, 05:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
espguitarist33 Cage Fighter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: west chester PA Posts: 528 Thanks: 4 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	oil from the distributer seal? i guess in theory you could have a coolant rupture in the head head gasket allowing it to leak out under some rpm conditions or something who knows, you have to get your hands in there and trace the wet

11-13-2009, 05:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
DownhillMR2 No Skills Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Sounds like the best answer. Thanks. was just checking to see if anyone else had had a similar issue.

11-13-2009, 06:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
espguitarist33 Cage Fighter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: west chester PA Posts: 528 Thanks: 4 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	i had an oil drip, i think it was the distributer O-ring...never took the thing off cuz i didnt wana retime hte engine

11-13-2009, 06:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
etc… Some Skills Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 71 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Were your hands dirty or greasy when you changed the oxy sensor? I'm thinking that you grabbed the exhaust for leverage and the pipe going to the cat got dirty and it is burning off when you drive.

11-13-2009, 08:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
DownhillMR2 No Skills Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I actually whiped down the exhaust before I did anything, so that wasn't it. I've found where the oil is. It's sitting atop the head, right near the TVIS hose that runs from motor. Really thin coat of fresh oil. Blow-by maybe?

11-14-2009, 07:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
DownhillMR2 No Skills Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	And I have now developed a very tiny oil leak which drips about three droplets per hour.

11-18-2009, 01:44 PM	#8 (permalink)
scottohno control your hose Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 5,100 Thanks: 43 Thanked 93 Times in 83 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	wait wait wait... are we talkin the front or rear of engine, left or right? front=f bumper rear=r bumper feft=drivers side, right=passenger side. LOCATION<LOCATION<LOCATION. if its by the distributor and oil filter, make sure the oil filters tight. if it still leaks u gotta do that oring. i had oil on my header from BOTH my distributor o-ring, (which was as hard as a candy cane), and the oil filter that backed itself off. if i drove it hot and hit the brakes, smoke would pour from the engine lid vents. are you having the problem in the same location?

11-18-2009, 03:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
Maruki-kun Cage Fighter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Millington, MD Posts: 2,487 Thanks: 9 Thanked 74 Times in 67 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (5/100% )	I had this issue when my dipstick wasn't on all of the way.