Just jumped a car that I'm looking after, and the engine is now smoking.Oops. The car had been sitting for a few weeks and there is oil on the concrete.Is it just oil burning on something hot or have I jumped the car ito death! It's a BMW by the way, hope the owner doesn't read this.
intrade,
Jun 25, 10:14am
jumped you eman jumpstarted! and do you mean its smoking in the engine bay !
floydy3,
Jun 25, 10:18am
Yep used the jumper leads and hooked them up to the battery terminal under the bonnet, not the battery in the boot.It started after a wee bit of effort but now smokes under the bonnet left hand side.
intrade,
Jun 25, 10:24am
post car model engine and what is the smoke smelling like ! if it stinks like some of them smoking mitsubishi you sometimes still see on the road then it is engine oil, If it is coolant then it will smell sweet stinky and you should shut it off and check fluid levels but learn first how to open and close the systems correctly. once you posted what car year engine somone will then tell you how to check the levels. if its a plstic burning smell then you got a badshort and need to disconnect the battery soonest
intrade,
Jun 25, 10:25am
electrical problem will smoke imidiatly . oil and coolant only once part where it evaporates gets hot enough
mm12345,
Jun 25, 10:34am
Which can be pretty quick if it's on the exhaust.
Given the detailed description from the OP, I'm actually guessing that it's a vent from a new supervolcano about to erupt under the OP's garage, this being 2012 etc.
floydy3,
Jun 25, 10:42am
Hopefully the car won't blowup!I think it's a pretty old BMW bout the 1997 era and pretty sure it a 320!It smelt lie burning rubber more than anything.My friend google reckons it may be a leak from the valve gasket!
mm12345,
Jun 25, 11:01am
Possibly - oil droozeling down from the valve cover / rocker cover onto the exhaust manifold.You should be able to see it, though under the bonnet of many people's cars, there's often so much oil from other leaks, dust, rat's nests, feathers, and dead insects, it's hard to see what the hell's going on unless the whole engine bay is cleaned down first.
Biggest mistake with tightening most valve covers is that the service manuals often have a torque spec for the bolts, and it's usually bugger-all - a few inch pounds, but people don;t read manuals, and few have actually seen a torque wrench that small.When they first start to leak, a gorilla usually tightens them up to max, compressing the gasket and distorting the cover, so when it inevitably starts to leak again, they get a new gasket and overtighten that one too.
floydy3,
Jun 25, 11:05am
If it was a leak of some kind,(not very big by the look of the oil on my garage floor) would it be safe to drive it 5 minutes up the road to a mechanic!
mm12345,
Jun 25, 11:07am
yes - check the oil level with the dipstick first.
floydy3,
Jun 25, 11:09am
What about 4 hrs to akl!
mm12345,
Jun 25, 11:14am
That's puts you at about Taupo or the Bay of Islands, distance wise.Unless you're on a boat, at sea, headed to Auckland, I'm sure you'll find a mechanic much closer than 4 hours away.
floydy3,
Jun 25, 11:19am
Man u are clever, BOI! Was just thinking if it could make it to akl then it would be someone else's problem!
mm12345,
Jun 25, 11:35am
At least I was clever enough to work out that a 4 hour trip in a car with an oil leak that you haven't got a clue how to diagnose, hoping that it might make it so that it could become somebody else's problem, might just blow up in your face.If you had the right attitude, a local mechanic might take a quick look, tighten the valve cover if that's all it is, and send you on your way without even charging.But with your attitude, I don't fancy your chances.I feel sorry for your friend too.
floydy3,
Jun 25, 11:39am
Good one thanks.No attitude, just wanting to pass the problem onto the rightful owner.
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.