Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Wed 12 Mar 2008 12:25

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - Volcano

So I'm driving along a dual carriageway last night with all the wind and rain when I get a strong smell of smoke in my nostrils, turns out it's a car travelling slowly (approx 30 mph) about a hundred metres ahead. The cars behind it are pulling out to overtake and when I get closer I realise it is because they can't physically see past this car.....

I've been driving for 20 years and I've NEVER seen anything like the thick, black smoke billowing out of the back of this car! It was just a huge, massive great pall blocking out all visibility and churning out of this car at an unbelievable rate, despite the high winds (superlatives fail me at describing this). You've seen a car completely alight by vandals etc on telly? The smoke was that bad!

I didn't get the car make, (too busy trying to see the road) though it was an 03 year. I'm 80% sure this smoke was coming out of the exhaust, though again I was concentrating on the road. I was very surprised I didn't see any flames. The driver showed no sign of stopping though obviously was experiencing engine problems (due to their slow progress) and was last seen turning onto an even busier dual carriageway (maybe I should have called the police?)

So, what was wrong with the car?

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 12:32

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - moonshine {P}

My guess would be a failed turbo on diesel engine.

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 13:11

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - Volcano

I've never seen that before. If the turbo fails doesn't the engine operate normally, just with less injector pressure?

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 13:22

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - mss1tw

Depends how it failed

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 13:26

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - normd2

I had an Allegro like that. it would use an entire sumpful of oil between Edinburgh and Glasgow with a huge smokescreen behind it all the way. Stripped and rebuilt the engine a couple of times but never did find out why.

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 16:25

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - Tron

Could have been filled with wrong fuel? Diesel in a petrol = lots of smoke...

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 16:53

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - madf

Engine oil in hot exhaust = gray smoke... so probably burning engine oil due to broken piston rings or diesel burning engine oil...

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 16:52

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - moonshine {P}

I should have been more specific - I meant failed seals on the turbo. The turbo continues to function but the oil pumps out into the intake and gets burnt by the engine.

I don't think a failed turbo would affect the injector pressure, they are two sperate systems. However, happy to be corrected if anyone knows otherwise.

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 17:01

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - adverse camber

I've done this.

Volvo diesel with failed intercooler hose - smoke smoke and more smoke and no power.

Happened to me on the autoroute while heading for the ferry back to the UK. Too late to find a garage and not wanting to miss the boat I did 100 miles slowly and smokily and then 20 miles in the UK to a friends house where I repaired it.

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 17:10

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - grumpyscot

Happened to me too - failed turbo seals

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Wed 12 Mar 2008 18:33

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - b308

Volcano - what did it smell like? There's a world of difference between the smell of diesel and engine oil - whenever I've seen it its been because diesel has been put into a petrol engine - if you watch those Police progs on TV its always that which has caused it and the owner is trying to drive it off!!

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Fri 14 Mar 2008 13:45

Lots of smoke (no, more than that!) - Volcano

Thanks for the replies, sorry about the delay in replying.

tbh, the smell was a bit 'clutch-like', you know that kind of burnt, asbestos-like smell?

Maybe a combination of, say 50/50 petrol:diesel may smell like that? It certainly wasn't the distinctive 'behind a bus up a hill' diesel smell, nor the 'I spilt oil on my exhaust manifold' smell we all know and love.....!

The huge volume of thick, black stuff churning out reminded me of tyres on fire.

Thanks again for the replies, I'll try and see if I can see anything similar on a tv programme. If it'd been daylight I could have took a vid on my phone.

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