Smoke From Under Rear of Car

[cat in the hat]

Hello all !

I was driving the car on Saturday night, after not having driven it in a couple of months. (Haven't done much of anything - I've been dealing with some geriatric issues my mother has been having.) The car was fully warmed up, and had been operating normally for about an hour in City traffic.

I stopped at a light, and a cloud of light-colored smoke came from under the rear of the car, from what appeared to be the driver's side. There was also a noticeable smell of burning rubber or plastic.

The smoke immediately stopped - it was just one big cloud, and that was it. It was definitely my car, because the smell followed me for about a block. I figured I was probably screwed, but I drove it the rest of the night without any repeat of the smoke, the burning smell or any other problems.

I haven't had a chance to look under there yet. Any ideas ? ?

[Zack]

The firewall insulation may have fallen onto the catalytic converter.
Its common.

[fastblackmerc]

Or you ran over a plastic bag that stuck to the cat.

[martyo]

Or you ran over a plastic bag that stuck to the cat.

Or a cat that stuck to the cat.

[Jeffonebuck]

Best laugh all morning ^^^^^

[martyo]

Best laugh all morning ^^^^^

Send me a quarter. Admit it, it was worth it. :P

[fastblackmerc]

Speaking of cats and cars.....

Back in the late '70's, late fall, I was a technician at a Lincoln Mercury dealership. Owner comes in the shop in the AM and asks me to look at this Mark IV, making some noise under the hood.

Pulled it in my bay and popped the hood. What a mess! Remember older car had carburetors that rev at about 1500 RPM when you started them up when cold. Apparently a cat got in between the fan and the radiator to keep warm..... all was nice and cozy until the key turned. :eek:

[martyo]

Speaking of cats and cars.....

Back in the late '70's, late fall, I was a technician at a Lincoln Mercury dealership. Owner comes in the shop in the AM and asks me to look at this Mark IV, making some noise under the hood.

Pulled it in my bay and popped the hood. What a mess! Remember older car had carburetors that rev at about 1500 RPM when you started them up when cold. Apparently a cat got in between the fan and the radiator to keep warm..... all was nice and cozy until the key turned. :eek:

Genera;;y the smell after one of those incidents is nasty!!!

[88LTDCV351]

When I smelled burning from the rear of my car, it was a bad seal and a bad axle.

[MERCULES]

I noticed smoke and the smell of rubber burning right after a tune and 4:10's were installed :burnout:

[martyo]

I noticed smoke and the smell of rubber burning right after a tune and 4:10's were installed :burnout:

They all do that!

[cat in the hat]

Or you ran over a plastic bag that stuck to the cat.

When this has happened before, I didn't get a big ball of smoke in one big cloud like this, and I could smell the bag burning off for days. This whole thing was done in a minute.

[cat in the hat]

When I smelled burning from the rear of my car, it was a bad seal and a bad axle.

Another member suggested a bad pinion seal leaking onto the exhaust. It's not noisy, and it ran fine for the rest of the night.

[cat in the hat]

The firewall insulation may have fallen onto the catalytic converter.
Its common.

Ty, I'll check it.

[Shaijack]

I get that when I power brake it.

[Motorhead350]

Speaking of cats and cars.....

Back in the late '70's, late fall, I was a technician at a Lincoln Mercury dealership. Owner comes in the shop in the AM and asks me to look at this Mark IV, making some noise under the hood.

Pulled it in my bay and popped the hood. What a mess! Remember older car had carburetors that rev at about 1500 RPM when you started them up when cold. Apparently a cat got in between the fan and the radiator to keep warm..... all was nice and cozy until the key turned. :eek:

I know the smell.

[03_Merc]

I know the smell.

Had a friend of the family do the same thing to a stray kitten he only lost his tail. So they adopted him and named him fan belt lol.