Acrid smell and smoke from heater vents

[MrDeathcare]

Hi All,

I have got a reoccurring issue. With my blowers on, every drive i get smoke and a burning smell coming from the heater vents. It seems to be caused by hard acceleration. If I drive the car home after work, the next morning on the drive back to work the smell comes from the vents and the cockpit fills with a smokey haze. Any ideas what this could be and what I can do about it?

 

[enuff_zed]

Is it burning oil?
I would suggest pulling over, popping the bonnet and seeing if you can see where the smoke is emanating from.

 

[brillomaster]

exhaust leak somewhere from the manifold? plastic bag stuck to the exhaust?

get the car warm, then pop the bonnet and ask the missus to rev the engine while you look for smoke.

either way, id get it checked out asap. exhaust fumes can kill.

 

[flybobbie]

Could be cam cover seal leaking, dripping onto exhaust.
Switch the vent to recirculation see if it goes away.
I see it's a 23i, it's very easy to look down the right side and see the exhaust is right below any leaking cam cover gasket.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Is it burning oil?
I would suggest pulling over, popping the bonnet and seeing if you can see where the smoke is emanating from.

Call a Pan and run, leave it for the lineys :lol:

 

[enuff_zed]

Is it burning oil?
I would suggest pulling over, popping the bonnet and seeing if you can see where the smoke is emanating from.

Call a Pan and run, leave it for the lineys :lol:

That'll confuse the locals.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

I have got a reoccurring issue. With my blowers on, every drive i get smoke and a burning smell coming from the heater vents. It seems to be caused by hard acceleration. If I drive the car home after work, the next morning on the drive back to work the smell comes from the vents and the cockpit fills with a smokey haze. Any ideas what this could be and what I can do about it?

I had a similar effect with a leaky cam box cover following a new cam chain..but that was an N20 engine but I think the layout on the N52 is similar .

The engine is canted over and any oil naturally pools above the exhausts..then drips onto them.

Apparently all the N20/N52/N54 cam covers can crack as well generating the same fault.

 

[Anonymous]

Is it burning oil?
I would suggest pulling over, popping the bonnet and seeing if you can see where the smoke is emanating from.

Call a Pan and run, leave it for the lineys :lol:

That'll confuse the locals.

Only if you file a MOR

 

[MrDeathcare]

I’ve just had all my filters and an oil change, mechanic didn’t find any leaks. I have yet to go out on a long run which I will be doing later today as I head back in to England for a sea fishing trip so I will see how she is then and will try all your suggestions thanks guys

 

[flybobbie]

MOR, way to get something off your chest without getting into a fight.
Bit like "i'm going to tell teacher".

 

[Anonymous]

MOR, way to get something off your chest without getting into a fight.
Bit like "i'm going to tell teacher".

Bit of a 2 level system...certainly for private operations falls into tell school teacher..

For commercial ops bit more tricky...if the regulator finds out you didn’t file one when you should have done it’s a slapped wrist job..

 

[Pondy]

I’ve just had all my filters and an oil change, mechanic didn’t find any leaks. I have yet to go out on a long run which I will be doing later today as I head back in to England for a sea fishing trip so I will see how she is then and will try all your suggestions thanks guys

It could be coming from your fan (blower) motor overheating. If the motor windings get too hot the insulating varnish, used to be shellac, burns off and is horrible.

 

[bryand]

I recently had smoke and fumes coming through the air vents, garage replaced the cam cover seal and a few other seals while they were in there, sadly it didn't cure the issue, on its 2nd visit they used a smoke machine to check where the leak was coming from, turned out to be a hairline crack in the cover, not a cheap fix, £530 parts and labour but no issues since.