11 replies to this topic

[lyndseyp27]

Hey Guys,

 

Im going to try and describe this as best as i can, but i can almost guarantee that it will make fudge all sense, but here goes.

 

Very early Wednesday morning we had realllllly bad rain over night. The mini was in the midst of it all as i, stupidly, decided to park her on my drive, instead of under the safety of the car port. Around 6.30 the rain eased off and 7.30 i trundled my way to her, ready for the exciting drive to work. Upon inserting my key in to the ignition and giving her a good turn on (proper story this), she starts to sputter a sad little noise, and exhale a small amount of white smoke from under the bonnet which had a strong burning smell.

I tried again to start her, thinking she had just had a rough night, and the same happened again.

I then did the really important thing of opening my bonnet and looking at the enging in wonderingment (not having a clue what i was looking for, but the builders next door were looking and umming and aaring whether to help or not, i didn't want them to think i'd lost to my little Violet). At which point, the BIGGEST spider i have ever seen crawls out of the bonnet (one of them awful things with a tiny body and massive legs). Cue me slamming the bonnet shut, jumping in out violet and trying, desperately, to start her again. Bingo. She started up.

 

Anyway - i digress. This morning she did the same thing (minus the bonnet being lifted by myself, i wasn't risking that spider again). A little sad noise and a small plume of smoke. I originally assumed she must have been a bit wet and was just letting me know she didn't like her new parking space, however last night it was perfectly dry (however maybe condensation?!).

 

Does anyone have any ideas as to what this could be? Somehting sinister or could it be moisture with the smoke being completely white and light. Is she ok to drive?! She starts on the third time, every time this happens, but the burning smell worries me.

 

Long way to describe the issue, but its a quiet morning at work...

[a_woolhouse]

have you checked your rota arm ? i had the same problem last winter minus the smoke, struggled to start a few times and then one morning it wouldn't start at all, checked under my distributor cap and my rota arm had been sparking causing it to fail,  problem was soon fixed after that  

[M J W J]

The burning smell by the sound of it is something electrical that is shorting out but the smoke is worrying.

 

I would check your distributor cap for water (this is a common thing that stops mini's starting), check your coil and I would check your starter motor/solenoid.

 

Does the engine turn over OK and once it is running does it still smoke? You don't have the standard air filter fitted if I remember correctly so I would check to see if the filter is fitted is soaking wet or not. The colour of the smoke can be an indication of what is going on.

[coopdog]

i wouldnt be driving it if you have noticable smoke from burning in your engine bay

[lyndseyp27]

In response to you both - the smoke is only visible for about 3 seconds and then it goes. It doesn't smoke once it is started and it is fine for the rest of the day - it is only whilst it is being started up.

 

I will check the things you mentioned Mike :)

[rally1380]

Could you ask a glamorous assistant to start the car whilst you have a scout under the bonnet to see where the smoke is coming from?

 

As mentioned above, might be serious, might not be (fingers crossed for the latter). If you can pin point the area, they the TMF detectives can do their work.

 

All the best on this one 

[lyndseyp27]

Could you ask a glamorous assistant to start the car whilst you have a scout under the bonnet to see where the smoke is coming from?

 

As mentioned above, might be serious, might not be (fingers crossed for the latter). If you can pin point the area, they the TMF detectives can do their work.

 

All the best on this one 

Thanks very much. I have sent a work colleague out to have a ride see what he thinks. Suicide mission and all that ;)

[rally1380]

 

Could you ask a glamorous assistant to start the car whilst you have a scout under the bonnet to see where the smoke is coming from?

 

As mentioned above, might be serious, might not be (fingers crossed for the latter). If you can pin point the area, they the TMF detectives can do their work.

 

All the best on this one 

Thanks very much. I have sent a work colleague out to have a ride see what he thinks. Suicide mission and all that ;)

 

 

But if its electric's cooking themselves (fingers crossed not!) then you really do need to work out what it is otherwise everything might go up in smoke.....sorry for the bad pun!

 

Hopefully and more than likely water has just got somewhere it shouldn't and is now boiling itself off!  WD40 would solve this in the future....failing that....move to somewhere hot (not that we're trying to get rid of you!) 

[lyndseyp27]

 

 

Could you ask a glamorous assistant to start the car whilst you have a scout under the bonnet to see where the smoke is coming from?

 

As mentioned above, might be serious, might not be (fingers crossed for the latter). If you can pin point the area, they the TMF detectives can do their work.

 

All the best on this one 

Thanks very much. I have sent a work colleague out to have a ride see what he thinks. Suicide mission and all that ;)

 

 

But if its electric's cooking themselves (fingers crossed not!) then you really do need to work out what it is otherwise everything might go up in smoke.....sorry for the bad pun!

 

Hopefully and more than likely water has just got somewhere it shouldn't and is now boiling itself off!  WD40 would solve this in the future....failing that....move to somewhere hot (not that we're trying to get rid of you!) 

 

How rude?! haha Im hoping its the water issue. The electrics have gone up on me before - wasn't fun haha

[RossKnight]

Have a look at the starter motor when you start it, see if the smoke is coming from there. There was a guy at a show that had a small plume of smoke come out the starter motor when he started the car, no one really knew what was wrong and I think he ended up changing the starter motor. I'm not sure if this is a common thing?

[rally1380]

 

 

 

 

How rude?! haha Im hoping its the water issue. The electrics have gone up on me before - wasn't fun haha

 

 

I remember you mentioning it on here a while back (not stalking you by the way!! honest) and didn't want the same to be happening again! 

 

Fingers crossed the spider has had a sponge out and has soaked it all up!!!

[M J W J]

By the way to solution to preventing water getting into your distributor in the future (if this is the problem) is a washing up glove and some rubber bands.

 

Cut the tips off the fingers and put the leads through (LT through the middle finger works best). You can secure the rubber glove around the leads with the rubber bands. Finally stretch the bit of the rubber glove that goes round your wrist over the distributor. Voila. One waterproofed distributor.