Tracon Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I have a 1995 Subaru Impreza with under 100K miles. So far my car has smoked 2 times since I've had it. When I drove my car at a high speed for a while 60-70MPH freeway my car when I slowed down was smoking from the engine, from under the car, the back, everywhere minus the air conditioner vents. The two happened with similar issues: Driving for a while on freeways, both times my air conditioner was turned on. (My air does put strain on the engine but never has smoked driving on city streets going under 50 most of the time.) I have checked fluid levels on the car. Transmission level is normal, powersteering is good, oil checked while engine was hot and oil was right at the F. Coolant reservoir tank was on low while the engine was hot and I have had to fill the tank up several times over the last 1-2 months because the tank seems to drop and never stays the same. The temp gauge in the cockpit is steady and not showing hot or cold, right in the middle. There are no warning lights appearing. 2 times this happened it has been very hot 95-105 degrees air temp, possibly more on the street but never has happened anytime before even with my air conditioner on but it was not nearly as hot. I ran a check a little while ago and let the car sit idle and turned on the air conditioner. I've posted several pictures via flickr and a video showing what seems to be the compressor stopping and stalling and then starting again and also what is the oil pan and a white object next to that (sorry my knowledge of cars is below what any guy would like) both spilled a few droplets of oil during this event. In the set are also pictures of the spot and my fingers having touched the fluid. I can't be sure if any of this is the cause. I checked to see if there are any cracks or rust spots on my manifold but I don't see anything. Pictures here: Please help if you can http://www.flickr.com/photos/juju_bean/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 need to find out if you're loosing fluid. sounds like you've done a good check so far - if you're loosing coolant then you need to keep an eye on that. are you *really* loosing it? are you consistently adding coolant? if so then you're loosing it somewhere. need to find out where - a leak. there are multiple hoses, radiator caps, radiator, hoses, clamps, water pump, etc - need to find where it's leaking. or it could be leaking internally but doesn't sound like it given the smoking issues! nicorrette? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 whats the smell of it? I'm betting front crank oil seal.. I had that happen on my Ej22 and my current ej25 Not really hard at all but depends on how much you know. Also could be the rear oil separator plate too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Well I've thought I might be losing oil, but I have no idea if I am because this smoking issue has only ever happened two times and the thing is over the last 2 months I did need to fill the coolant tank to the full and this has been in a cool and hot engine. If I'm losing that I haven't a single clue. Now, I can say that having my air conditioner on I have noticed that there is a acrid maybe sweet smell coming from the vents. I've smelt that on the two times I ran the car this way. When the car is idle I just don't see any puddles or anything other then those spots I've showed on the pictures. My knowledge on cars is beyond embarrassing for a guy... trust me, I hate it, but maybe I can get a clue as to what this might be. I'll keep looking about to see if I find any other fluids while driving it. Like I said, only has happened running the car hard on the freeways, never once driving the car on normal streets in the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subie Gal Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 that sweet smell is going to be coolant sounds like you've got a leak somewhere, time to go through "everything" to find it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Subie, I thought it might be it, but I just don't see anything dropping from it ever but then again why do I need to fill my coolant. I do have 50/50 in the radiator and tank and I keep an eye on her to see whats going on and I just don't know where it is if it is leaking. Do you think I should leave the card on idle with the air conditioner on to stress the engine more to see where there might be a leak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 they can loose coolant internally - headgaskets or more. coolant can be lost in the heater core as well, just hope that's not it though. but that would cause seeping sweet smell through the vents. coolant can leak and not much hit the ground if it's pooling on top of the engine, crossmember, and or burning off hot components. or a pinhole leak can "spray" and not really pour out, creating mist not likely to drip like a running stream. so that you're not seeing gobs of it isn't that unusual if you do have a leak somewhere. leaks can come and go due to movement (engine moves, radiator does not, heater core hoses do not, etc) or due to heat, etc leaks can change too. seems like fluid is going somewhere, need to find out where. look around all sides, top/bottom of motor for wetness/green coolant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 (edited) Not sure entirely of the heater core, but I can say I hope not as well because it's a pain and costly. But if this helps, this winter I wasn't able to use my heater in the car because it was pumping cold air. The heater had worked before, so not sure if that's a clue or not. Plus the carpet is not wet and the smell is not everytime I drive the car or turn on the air, it's just happened when the car smoked. Edited June 9, 2011 by Tracon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Might be a ripped axle boot. Passenger side inner boot is right next to the catalytic converter. When it splits it flings grease all over the cat, smokes like woah. A small hole might allow grease to fling out at higher speeds, but keep it contained at low speeds and in town driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted June 10, 2011 Author Share Posted June 10, 2011 it's funny you say that because that right axle boot was already going. A friend told me to have it replaced ASAP because it was on the verge of ripping entirely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 there you go, replace the known issue and go from there. sounds like he's got you covered. the grease flies out of the axle and hits the hot exhaust, which is most noticeable at a stop. reboot the original axle, that's a far better option than aftermarket axles which have really poor quality and lots of issues (all of them can be found to have issues). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted June 10, 2011 Author Share Posted June 10, 2011 So I took a little trip and stayed at 40mph the entire time and when I got where I was going I noticed my car was smoking slightly from the right passenger and right hood side. When I opened the hood to see where it was coming from the smoke seemed to be coming close to the firewall but a little down where the axle boot is above what looks to be a grey/silver container I'm guessing the converter. I got a little water and spilled it on there and it sizzled and smelt a little sweet hitting the container, smelled slightly rubbery/sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 So, I had the mechanic look at this and well he thought a tiny leak of coolant was the issue but after more tests the car still smoked. (He fixed the coolant leak) We traced it to the exhust leading to the catalytic converter. He thought I may have a clog in there, but I had the converter checked and they said it was perfectly fine and all of them said it was a leak. I looked for a leak, the mechanic looked for one and nothing at all. After driving the car a little, smoke was visible at those pipes under the car leading to the converter, some tiny bit of smoke coming out from the bottom of the converter, but more from where the pipes at the bottom lead toward the converter coming from the engine. Any ideas where if anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 axle grease all over the cat, inside the heat shiled, and at highway speeds it gets hot enough to cook off. Not to say you are having a leak onto the exhaust pipe. What i am seaying is there is already grease residue there, and it will cook off more smoke over sustained driving vs stop and go. it's really much simpler than all the speculations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 It's grease or oil that is either dripping or being blown onto the heat shield on the cat. Exhuast doesn't just come out of a pipe. There has to be a hole. If there's a hole in the cat big enough for you to see visual smoke, it's going to be so loud you'll think you're in a race car. Plus it will be blowing a massive cloud out the tail pipe. You won't get a little bit of smoke out of a small hole, and then not get smoke out of the big hole at the end of the pipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 Well a 2nd mechanic thinks I have a leak. He thinks it's the head gasket because there is no visible leaking of anything. There is no holes on the converter or the pipes leading to it. The smoke itself is coming from the pipes coming out of the engine, halfway to the converter. We did about a 5-6 mile test drive and light white smoke was visible coming from those pipes. So I hope this other mechanic can verify that if it is the head gasket or something other then that. As for the axle, we checked that and it wasn't throwing out anything, in fact the book was dry after an earlier test of 2-3 miles at around 60-70MPH on the freeway. Plus the smell was coming sweet, so he think for sure it has to be the gasket and it's letting the coolant leak into the cylinders and then pushes that through the exhaust and hence the acrid/sweet smell through my vents I got from time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 Alright, finally got the answer, so it ends up being the crankcase. Mechanic noticed a small leaking of oil running out a valve and thinks the oil dipped out towards the oil pan and that fell into the exhaust while running the car. Which explained how I saw drops of oil from the pan but no leak. He's going to keep in for a 1-2 two to make sure he knows if its coming from the top or bottom and then replace what he needs and go from there. Looking at $80-$400 bill depending on where it's coming from and how much work and that's the friend discount ouch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 It could very well be the oil pressure sensor, which is on top o fthe middle of the engine under the alternator. This is a 7 dollar part. Look for yourself before you pay a big bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) Don't get me wrong Miles, he plans to look at it in more detail tomorrow, but as of now the oil leak is coming from the valve, however, he does plan to look at it all and if it's just that then great, but he will need to replace everything including the bands for the alternator which were about to give. She's an older girl. with 97278 miles on her, I asked how much more life she has and he said, "easily this thing has another 100-250K more miles. Plus I get offers from high school kids all the time wanting to buy her because of the options you can have. Once I got a little more cash I want to fix her up much more nicely giving her some body work and a new paint job and one hell of an engine cleaning lol, doesn't help living in the southwest. Edited June 13, 2011 by Tracon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now