Smoke Under Hood

[TyphonZ88]

Hey, I came across a problem today, I was driving along when i came to a red light. As I was sitting there puffs of white smoke came out from under my hood, not a lot of smoke, but seeing as how my car shouldn't smoke at all, I was wonderin what y'all might have to say about it. Is something not sealed right, or is there a hole in something?? HELP!!!

[Neukam]

Hey, I came across a problem today, I was driving along when i came to a red light. As I was sitting there puffs of white smoke came out from under my hood, not a lot of smoke, but seeing as how my car shouldn't smoke at all, I was wonderin what y'all might have to say about it. Is something not sealed right, or is there a hole in something?? HELP!!!
check your cooling fan and radiator cap

[smufguy]

yeah probably ur fans are not clicking in. It would do that if you have a coolant leak also.

[BlueBead]

rad cap, fans, or maybe a pinhole in the rad...
Also check your hoses.. I blew a head gasket on my hatch by not checking the heater hoses well enough.....

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

It is either coolant, oil, or power steering fluid. All have a peculiar smell. Best way to tell is to smell around your hood once the engine is at operating temperature. My radiator developed micro cracks around the filler kneck and would slowly seep coolant out. That in turn caused some smoking. Similarly, a leaking valve cover can drip on the exhaust manifold and also cause smoke. A few 3G owners have also had powersteering hoses leak above the exhaust manifold and in turn drip P/S fluid right onto the hot surface. Hope this helps.

[POS carb]

does it stink? if it does it's oil. if not it's water. Usually the valve cover leaks 1st, then the power steering is the 2nd most likely followed by the oil pan..

Degrease your engine bay, drive it for a day, look for fresh stains

[IN_ONE_ACCORD]

Also look under where the distributor mounts on the block...I had the same problem and went to honda and got a $4 o-ring for the disty. Easy fix (2 bolts) and no more oil leak ;^)

[1987HondaAccord]

I had that happen a while ago. it was the valve cover gasket in the front. it was kinda embarassing. lol

[danronian]

Mine does that when it has a blown valve cover gasket (which is always). The first time it blew I thought I had a head gasket blown but since then it doesn't worry me any more. It isn't like a smoke screen produced by the engine but just an annoying odor when the car is stopped and a little oil steam rising from the hood and grille.

[cubert]

my oil pan was up to leaking at least a quart a day...and man did that thing smoke...so the oil pan is definetly a possibility

[FyreDaug]

Oil would be more blue smoke he said it was white... Just incase anyone missed it.

[danronian]

When oil burns off the engine it isn't noticeably blue, it just looks like smoke.

[mr eff]

i've had a hole in the high pressure hose into the power steering... it would leak slowly and the fluid would burn on the exhaust manifold. not a lot of smoke, usually, mostly noticeable at drive-through windows (because of all the turns and the sitting).

good luck diagnosing

chris

[FyreDaug]

When oil burns off the engine it isn't noticeably blue, it just looks like smoke. I guess, there is a blue tint to it maybe he didnt see it. Its hard to tell the color when your in the car and you faintly notice smoke

[TyphonZ88]

Thanks everybody, I'm gonna check all these things and hopefully find out what the problem is