Smoking when parked

[Shadow277]

No, I'm not smoking. Something under the hood is. It only happens when stopped and turning on the heat didn't do anything. The AC did but maybe that's coinsidence. After work today I heard some whining but it eventually stopped.

All the temp gauges read normal. The computer is telling me to service the battery NOW. The only dumb thing I can think of is it burning soap residue. I washed the car and noticed a lot of soapy water went down the hood vent. That was 3 days ago though.

Any advice? I've never had this issue before.

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[sk47]

Hello; my neighbor has an F-150. The alternator froze up and cooked a belt. Just would not turn. Was a pain to get out.

 

[StangTime]

What year is your car?
Check your AC compressor clutch.
Also look for anything stuck to the exhaust manifold and down.
Check coolant level. Look for leaks.
Look for oil leaking from the valve covers.

 

[Shadow277]

What year is your car?
Check your AC compressor clutch.
Also look for anything stuck to the exhaust manifold and down.
Check coolant level. Look for leaks.
Look for oil leaking from the valve covers.

I have a 2016 GT. I Should definitely check the coolant.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Check for oil seepage out of the valve covers. There was a known issue with the 2015-2017 5.0 valve covers where Ford issued a TSB to install additional bolts to L and R valve covers. The problem was the valve covers didn’t have enough bolts and eventually oil seeped from the valve cover and burned off on the hot engine block and exhaust manifolds (this would cause smoke).

Thread containing the valve cover TSB:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/valve-cover-leak.131014/#post-2705151

Instructions for L & R valve cover R&R:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/attachments/5-0-valve-cover-rh-pdf.401025/

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/attachments/5-0-valve-cover-lh-pdf.401026/

—————

Look for black serpentine belt debris/dusting over the front of the timing cover, alternator or A/C compressor. If you see that, then one of the front end accessories is creating excessive tension against the belt and the belt is deteriroting

Water pumps are also known to fail and they will make a squealing sound once the internal bearing is fried. They will also weep coolant from the bottom. Also as others have said, look around under the hood for any wet areas that could be coolant spray. Coolant spray or leak against the hit engine will create “smoke” as it burns on contact with a hit engine or exhaust manifolds.

Water or soap from a car wash days ago won’t do what you’re experiencing and most likely, it’s all evaporated by now too.

 

[Shadow277]

Check for oil seepage out of the valve covers. There was a known issue with the 2015-2017 5.0 valve covers where Ford issued a TSB to install additional bolts to L and R valve covers. The problem was the valve covers didn’t have enough bolts and eventually oil seeped from the valve cover and burned off on the hot engine block and exhaust manifolds (this would cause smoke).

Thread containing the valve cover TSB:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/valve-cover-leak.131014/#post-2705151

Instructions for L & R valve cover R&R:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/attachments/5-0-valve-cover-rh-pdf.401025/

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/attachments/5-0-valve-cover-lh-pdf.401026/

—————

Look for black serpentine belt debris/dusting over the front of the timing cover, alternator or A/C compressor. If you see that, then one of the front end accessories is creating excessive tension against the belt and the belt is deteriroting

Water pumps are also known to fail and they will make a squealing sound once the internal bearing is fried. They will also weep coolant from the bottom. Also as others have said, look around under the hood for any wet areas that could be coolant spray. Coolant spray or leak against the hit engine will create “smoke” as it burns on contact with a hit engine or exhaust manifolds.

Water or soap from a car wash days ago won’t do what you’re experiencing and most likely, it’s all evaporated by now too.

That's what I figured. I wish Ford gave out warranty work for adding more bolts.

I haven't seen anything yet but I'll check the garage before leaving for work tomorrow to see if there are any leaks. I just don't see any.

 

[jacknifetoaswan]

That's what I figured. I wish Ford gave out warranty work for adding more bolts.

I haven't seen anything yet but I'll check the garage before leaving for work tomorrow to see if there are any leaks. I just don't see any.

Well, they did, but you needed to have the issue while you were still under warranty. I had the bolts added on my car, then had it back to have the bolts tightened, and I still have an issue on the driver's side rear. There's a further fix that people are doing, where you swap the valve covers for the new, aluminum valve covers from the GT350 and GT500. I've had a set that need to go on the car for some time, I'm just lacking the balls to do the work.

Also, though, my AC clutch seized last summer, and it was burning through the stretch belt. That produced a nice, acrid rubber smoke.

JR

 

[ay1820]

I guess some things never change ... my '89 5.0 Mustang used to seep from the valve covers too.

 

[Strokerswild]

Well, they did, but you needed to have the issue while you were still under warranty. I had the bolts added on my car, then had it back to have the bolts tightened, and I still have an issue on the driver's side rear. There's a further fix that people are doing, where you swap the valve covers for the new, aluminum valve covers from the GT350 and GT500. I've had a set that need to go on the car for some time, I'm just lacking the balls to do the work.

Also, though, my AC clutch seized last summer, and it was burning through the stretch belt. That produced a nice, acrid rubber smoke.

JR

It's not that bad to install the GT500 covers, just time consuming. Removing the battery, battery box, and the piece of shielding for the battery box makes the passenger side very easy.

 

[Shadow277]

Well, they did, but you needed to have the issue while you were still under warranty. I had the bolts added on my car, then had it back to have the bolts tightened, and I still have an issue on the driver's side rear. There's a further fix that people are doing, where you swap the valve covers for the new, aluminum valve covers from the GT350 and GT500. I've had a set that need to go on the car for some time, I'm just lacking the balls to do the work.

Also, though, my AC clutch seized last summer, and it was burning through the stretch belt. That produced a nice, acrid rubber smoke.

JR

I'm still pretty sick. Long story short, probably Wuhan as I shared a drink with 2 people from across the country and now she tested positive...

So I can't smell very well. Checked the coolant and that's normal. No odd fluid on the garage floor from yesterday.Need to warm up the car a bit more so when I get home I'll check the oil level. If that's normal then I'm calling it quits and will let Firestone diagnoise it. Probably the water pump or AC work which is fine. I don't care as long as it's not dentremental and is repairable.

 

[ay1820]

If it's oil seeping from the valve covers, it may take a while to show in the oil levels. In the case of my '89, it was a tiny drip, but it if you popped the hood right after shutting down the engine, you would get a burning oil smell and you would hear an occasional "hisss" from the drip hitting the exhaust, maybe once or twice per minute.

 

[Linkster1666]

No, I'm not smoking. Something under the hood is. It only happens when stopped and turning on the heat didn't do anything. The AC did but maybe that's coinsidence. After work today I heard some whining but it eventually stopped.

All the temp gauges read normal. The computer is telling me to service the battery NOW. The only dumb thing I can think of is it burning soap residue. I washed the car and noticed a lot of soapy water went down the hood vent. That was 3 days ago though.

Any advice? I've never had this issue before.

Was the A/C on? did it smell like smoke?

May have been an over-pressure release of A/C Juice, just a thought.

 

[Shadow277]

Was the A/C on? did it smell like smoke?

May have been an over-pressure release of A/C Juice, just a thought.

Believe it or not I leave the AC off even in this 103F heat.

Forgot to mention that I noticed the wheel didn't turn as easily as it usually does. Happened yesterday once for like 2 seconds but never occured again. I know I'm not crazy because it seemed like the wheel "clicked" and stop rotating.

Wondering if it really is the battery....

 

[Cobra Jet]

OP, if you have the 2025-2017 valve cover seepage, it’s not going to show on the floor…. It’s seeping down the side of the block and could hit the exhaust headers (burning off) or the oil is just coagulating on the side of the block under the valve cover. It’s not the type of “leak” where so much oil is draining or pouring out of the valve covers that it’s noticeable. Take a bright LED flashlight, shine it all around the base of the valve covers.

 

[nustang]

A/C leak can occur even if not used. Most common is the seal at the pulley end. There's a bit of oil circulating with the refrigerant, and when the seal leaks you get a telltale stripe of flung oil on the underside of the hood - side to side above the pulley.
Some will blow back on the block, etc as well.

More likely engine oil from somewhere, or steam vs smoke, and its coolant.

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