engine issue

[turboaddict21]

OK, so I was waiting for my girlfriend to get out of class yesterday and I had the motor turned off. The car had been sitting for about 15 minutes and I saw my girl so I started it up. It starts fine but probably 5 minutes later I see white smoke coming from under the hood on the alternator side. I shut it off immediately and open the hood. It smells like burning rubber with a little bit of a sweetness to it. I managd to get it home without it smoking anymore and it didnt smoke a couple hours later when I started it up. So this morning I go to Autozone to have thm check the alternator and I get that "smell" again but no smoke, so I turn around immediately. Also, sometimes when I am sitting at idle, my brake light, open door light and that coolant light(i think thats what it is) all come on at the same time but fade away as I accelerate. Does anybody know what all this could be? Alternator isn't new (just bought the car 2 weeks ago). Could this also be a belt maybe?
Thanks guys!

 

[forGEE63]

White smoke could be oil in your exhaust, and if it is by the alternator, than that could mean your turbo has a bad seal and is letting oil into the hot side. The sweet smell would not be the oil though. Are you leaking any type of fluid? All of the Warning lights coming on at the same time while nothing is wrong could mean your ECU is going bad.

 

[v2ner]

Oil in your exhaust would be blue smoke

 

[fanatic26]

the sweet smell is normally associated with antifreeze....also I dunno how it is on a DSM but my last car all the dummy lights would come on when an alternator was goin out...it was even listed in the manual.

 

[turboaddict21]

Well, we took the alternator of and went to have it tested and it came out fine. I am leaking a bit of power steering fluid and my turbos seal is leaking a little too so I am not sure. Would/could a belt make the smoke??

 

[GTM]

...
I see white smoke coming from under the hood on the alternator side. I shut it off immediately and open the hood. It smells like burning rubber with a little bit of a sweetness to it. I managd to get it home without it smoking anymore and it didnt smoke a couple hours later when I started it up. So this morning I go to Autozone to have thm check the alternator and I get that "smell" again but no smoke, so I turn around immediately. Also, sometimes when I am sitting at idle, my brake light, open door light and that coolant light(i think thats what it is) all come on at the same time but fade away as I accelerate. Does anybody know what all this could be? Alternator isn't new (just bought the car 2 weeks ago). Could this also be a belt maybe?
Thanks guys!

Nothing like unqualified replies, read #3 people.

White smoke from under the hood or out the exhaust is Antifreeze! You either have a leak or the engine is boiling. Have you checked the coolant level in the system not just the bottle???

As the engine gets warm to operating temp pressure builds in the cooling system. If you have a leak it will be forced out, when it cools it can then draw in air rather than drawing coolant from the bottle. Next time you start the air expands as it gets warm and forces more coolant out. Without enought coolant to circulate the car will overheat but the temp sender needs to be in liquid and not air thus it doesn't show. You apply the brakes, you accelerate, you go around a corner and some coolant will slosh into the radiator and circulate for a short while until the water pump starts drawing air and it will then stop. One of the tell tale signs of low coolant is no heat from the heater when it's turned on and the engine is warmed up. It needs coolant and not air inside the core to work properly.

When the engine is cool enough to touch, check and fill the system, turn the heater on and start the car with the cap off add until full and you have heater operation. You may have to rev the engine a few times to force the air from the core and trapped pockets inside the engine.

Let is know about leaks and what you find.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[turboaddict21]

GTM,
Thanks a lot! I will do this as soon as I get home from work in the morning. I wil let you know how it goes! Thanks again!

 

[GTM]

GTM,
Thanks a lot! I will do this as soon as I get home from work in the morning. I wil let you know how it goes! Thanks again!

I've got my fingers crossed that you didn't overheat to the point of blowing a head gasket. These are high maintenance cars and you must lift the hood at least once a week to check fluids, belts, battery cables etc. In keeping with Murphie's(sp) Law they will let you down at the worst of all times.

You could have a sticking or bad thermostat but one thing at a time.

You are welcome,
Cheers,
GTM

 

[turboaddict21]

I am glad that you brought up the thermostat. I did what you said in post #6 and this is what happened. I took the cap off, had the car running and everything was fine. I let it get to normal operating temp. and waited for the thermostat to do its thing, but it didn't kinda. While it was running, it wouldn't take any coolant or anything. I wiggled the hose next to it though, and it then took some coolant in. Before I go any further, I am assuming that the thermostat is at the end of the radiator hose correct?? It did smoke again from the alternator area again, so I am not sure what's going on down there. Thanks again!



ps- If I sound like a total newb, I am. That is, when it comes to doing work myself. Local shop closed, so I thought it would be nice to learn. Oh well.

 

[GTM]

I am glad that you brought up the thermostat. I did what you said in post #6 and this is what happened. I took the cap off, had the car running and everything was fine. I let it get to normal operating temp. and waited for the thermostat to do its thing, but it didn't kinda. While it was running, it wouldn't take any coolant or anything. I wiggled the hose next to it though, and it then took some coolant in. Before I go any further, I am assuming that the thermostat is at the end of the radiator hose correct?? It did smoke again from the alternator area again, so I am not sure what's going on down there. Thanks again!



ps- If I sound like a total newb, I am. That is, when it comes to doing work myself. Local shop closed, so I thought it would be nice to learn. Oh well.

No problem with being a "newb", we all started knowing nothing.

The thermostat is in the housing that is bolted to the head that the top radiator hose is clamped.

When it got to operating temp did you see water rushing past the hole where the radiator cap seats?? Did you get plenty of hot air from the heater when turned to max?? If it was full and didn't take any coolant then you were fine.

It just occured to me that the power steering pump is mounted above the Alternator and has been known to leak oil into the alternator who's windings can get very hot and can smoke.

Have you seen it smoke when the hood was up? The confusing aspect is the sweet smell. Ah, there is a crosover pipe that runs along side the block just above the oil pan. This connects to a hose underneath the alternator that is the intake for the water pump. Maybe it's leaking onto the block and it's hot enough to cause it to smoke.

You need to borrow or rent a cooling system pressure tester from one of the chain parts stores like Pep Boys or Autozone. This is a hand pump with a gauge which attaches where your radiator cap is, you then pump it up to the specifications on the radiator cap and start searching for leaks. You can put newspapers under the car and see if you find any spots if you have to wait an hour. If you have no leaks it should hold the pressure overnight.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[turboaddict21]

I didnt see any coolant/water rushing past it at all. Coolant would get to the end of the hose ( where the thermostat is) and would just bubble. It did this for some time. I wiggled the hose to the left of the thermostat, and it then took some coolant in. And yes, the it got really hot inside the car. You also said "if it was full and didnt take any collant, then you are fine", what are you reffering to? The coolant resevoir? Also, it has smoked only two times. Once while I was in the car and once while the nhood was opened. It came straight from the alternator area. I will get a cooling system pressure tester Friday if possible and check it. GTM, you have been a huge help ang thank you a ton!

 

[wvturbo2]

i think we should just go head n change the thermostat its only like 20 bucks, alex said its easy...

 

[turboaddict21]

Hey GTM,
I checked the power steering fluid resevoir and it was very over filled. Could this lead to being over pressured and blowing a gasket on one of the lines? I took some of the fluid out so I guess only time will tell?

 

[GTM]

Hey GTM,
I checked the power steering fluid resevoir and it was very over filled. Could this lead to being over pressured and blowing a gasket on one of the lines? I took some of the fluid out so I guess only time will tell?

It certainly could though without seeing it I can only guess. If it's just a paper gasket on the suction side they won't take much pressure. When you go full lock the relief valve is dumping the pressuer, if you then suddenly release the wheel it will bounce to the normal flow and cause a huge pressure spike on the suction side. With little or no air cushion in the resivoir I've seen them split the plastic remote mount resivoirs.
..................

If it were a very cold day and the heater on high the T'stat might not have opened very much because the heater circulation bypasses the the tstat. Did you find a cooling system pressure pump to rent?

If there is oil in the alternator it can cause it to overheat for it will collect dirt and dust which reduces cooling resulting in alternator burn out. It won't happen overnight but as the days get warmer it's something to think about.

Cheers,
GTM