Car Problem

[saevel25]

Calling anyone with car repair experience. I just want to get some opinions on this.

Car: 2009 Hyundai Elantra SE

Miles: 72700 (+/- 300)

I have kept up with all recommended maintenance on the vehicle. No problems with the car mechanically. I had the radio replaced under warranty with in the first month of buying it.

I was driving home today from my parents. 200 mile drive, took about 4 hours today with weather. I had the heater going on low speed. My car keeps pretty warm just from engine heat. Today wasn't too overly cold.

So I was driving and I smelled this burnt smell. There was a few cars in front of me, and I thought maybe it was just one of their cars giving off bad exhaust. So I turned my air to head/feet fans only so I can go with the cabin only air setting. I can't filter cabin air only when I have the defrost vent fans going. This got rid of the smell. I passed those cars and returned the vehicle to window defrost fans. The smell was gone.

When I reached my apartment and parked I got that smell again. So I get out of my car and I open the hood and there is some very light color smoke coming from my engine. So I checked all my engine fluid levels and they were good. I thought maybe the oil was low. I noticed the smoked was coming from behind this one section of the engine near the front.

I bought the Haynes Repair Guide and found that the smoke was coming from my exhaust manifold.

I am thinking there is a bad seal on the exhaust manifold or maybe oil leak of some kind and it is burning on the engine. It just happened today. I think I drove an extra 100 miles with this problem. Given I was out in the middle of no where with bad weather. I wasn't a consistent problem because the smell never lingered in the vehicle.

I was wondering if anyone had experience with this or if any guys who work with cars have their opinions on this. I am taking the car into the shop tomorrow to get it checked out. I wanted to see if anyone could give me a heads up on what I am looking at here.

Thanks!

[Patch]

Gasket maybe? Cracked exhaust manifold?

[Hammer 4]

Usually when you smell a burnt, or burring smell, it can be electrical, which in this case, may not be, or oil on a hot surface, i.e. exhaust manifold. I would check to see that you don't have a small oil leak some where, and that none of the wiring is touching any thing that gets hot.

When in doubt, take it to a Good tech, to have it checked out.

[saevel25]

Quick Addendum,

Just started the car. The engine has been sitting cold for about 2 hours before this. The car started just fine.  This image is a 2010, but the set up is identical to my car. Before the car even got warmed up again the exhaust smoke was coming out near the bottom right of the picture in the space were the radiator is located at. It was coming up from below the air intake assembly that sits there on the bottom of the image.

Not sure if that means it isn't something internal to the exhaust manifold or maybe a bad seal on the exhaust pipe. Could be exhaust is getting backed up somehow.

[Hammer 4]

Does it smell like burnt oil, or exhaust fumes..?

[saevel25]

Does it smell like burnt oil, or exhaust fumes..?

I am 99% sure it was exhaust. It didn't have the burnt oil smell.

[Hammer 4]

I am 99% sure it was exhaust. It didn't have the burnt oil smell.

More than likey a bad exhaust gasket, but could be  a crack in the manifold also. Best to have it checked out. Having exhaust fumes inside the car is not good.  Good luck on the repair..let us know what it was/is..

[jamo]

Was the smoke blue or grey? (Assuming there was enough to be able to identify it.)

[Club Rat]

Matt, usually when an issue surfaces as per your description, it's most likely an "anti freeze" drip.

Most likely a service tech will check for

A. Location of smoke after a short warm up period. (Exhaust manifolds heat up quickly)

Then check for visible fluids looking into the area with bright light.

Visually check from underside for fluid, drip or stream.

B. If unable to identify with a short warm up, then allow vehicle a longer period and preform visual check above and below.

C. Next will probably use a towel or rag and dab areas for presence of fluids after vehicle cools down.

If unable to locate, then parts will be remove for better access and visibility.

Most may have flexible scopes to probe the area, using a tablet for viewing.

Also, mechanics know which parts tend to fatigue causing the situation.

They may pinpoint the problem immediately or in a timely manner.

Hopefully it's only a minor development and not be an expensive repair.

Todays vehicles look like a "service nightmare" to most, but are actually "friendly serviceable"

Club Rat

[Hammer 4]

Matt, usually when an issue surfaces as per your description, it's most likely an "anti freeze" drip.

Most likely a service tech will check for

A. Location of smoke after a short warm up period. (Exhaust manifolds heat up quickly)

Then check for visible fluids looking into the area with bright light.

Visually check from underside for fluid, drip or stream.

B. If unable to identify with a short warm up, then allow vehicle a longer period and preform visual check above and below.

C. Next will probably use a towel or rag and dab areas for presents of fluids after vehicle cools down.

If unable to locate, then parts will be remove for better access and visibility.

Most may have flexible scopes to probe the area, using a tablet for viewing.

Also, mechanics know which parts tend to fatigue causing the situation.

They may pinpoint the problem immediately or in a timely manner.

Hopefully it's only a minor development and not be an expensive repair.

Todays vehicles look like a "service nightmare" to most, but are actually "friendly serviceable"

Club Rat

I thought that the anti freeze may be the case, but when he said it smelled like exhaust, I kinda ruled that out, although you may be right. I drive a diesel

[Club Rat]

Generally, a leak in the exhaust system is accompanied with noise. Faint hissing, popping can be heard.

I think Matt is referring to "smoke due to fluid contact on a hot surface" which may be the exhaust manifold or tubing/pipe.

The smell can be noticed either in or around a vehicle.

When smoke is visible, then the area can be identified and probable causes are determined.

Fluid leaks are generally an easy repair.

Club Rat

[saevel25]

Was the smoke blue or grey? (Assuming there was enough to be able to identify it.)

Just look like typical exhaust, the light grey color.

Matt, usually when an issue surfaces as per your description, it's most likely an "anti freeze" drip.

Most likely a service tech will check for

A. Location of smoke after a short warm up period. (Exhaust manifolds heat up quickly)

Then check for visible fluids looking into the area with bright light.

Visually check from underside for fluid, drip or stream.

This was like 15 seconds to half a minute and the exhaust could be seen coming out from near the radiator area in the car. Not sure if that is just the path of least resistance since there is a lot of air space for the exhaust to flow near the front of the engine compartment.

Generally, a leak in the exhaust system is accompanied with noise. Faint hissing, popping can be heard.

I think Matt is referring to "smoke due to fluid contact on a hot surface" which may be the exhaust manifold or tubing/pipe.

The smell can be noticed either in or around a vehicle.

When smoke is visible, then the area can be identified and probable causes are determined.

Fluid leaks are generally an easy repair.

Club Rat

Yea I don't hear any really big in terms of noise in the engine, such as something really rattling around. Though the engine idling does sound a tad harsher. Like if 1 out of 10 for the noise being out of place, were 1 is normal, I talking about a 2 or 3.

I don't hear anything when I drive, and I don't hear any whistling.

[Club Rat]

"This was like 15 seconds to half a minute and the exhaust could be seen coming out from near the radiator area in the car. Not sure if that is just the path of least resistance since there is a lot of air space for the exhaust to flow near the front of the engine compartment."

The fan will cause air movement, which may cause the visible smoke to various areas.

Check with engine off, may help with inspection.

[trickyputt]

72k and you havent washed the engine I bet. Most people don't. Spray your COLD engine with a degreaser like simple green, and use a low pressure hose and wash it. This allows not only a better inspection, but cleans up splash you may have driven through while allowing to see a fresh example of the problem. If you have a particularly dirty area that wont degrease use scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner.

[T-MAC]

Have you noticed any spots / leaks of fluids on your garage floor / driveway (wherever you park it)?