Overheating condition - need help pinpointing

[AntF]

Fast on the heels of my not as important in comparison sunroof problem, my SHO has spouted another unfortunate problem. I have to be fairly descriptive so bear with me...

For the few months I've owned my SHO, I haven't had any problems with overheating. But after I had the first spirited drive with the SHO in the twisties, I noticed my temp gauge was higher than norm, and I had smoke billowing out of my engine bay. Popped it open, and it was coming from under the power steering fluid reservoir. I let it cool down, and drove back home and have been driving for almost a month without another instance of this happening.

It then happened again last week, when I was just driving around to do some errands and went WOT to get onto an expressway. I only went up to 60 - then just went into the higher gears. No other spirited driving. I came to a stoplight just a few moments after the WOT run and smoke was just billowing out. I got the fan to turn on and got the air to blow max heat.

It didn't happen again until today, when I was simply making my commute from school to home. I came home, noticed my temp gauge was a little high, and popped open the hood, and ta-da, a bit of smoke.

So for a quick summary: SHO started billowing smoke from the area under the power steering fluid reservoir after a spirited drive. Didn't see condition again for about a month, then saw it again for a 0 - 60 WOT run. The condition is now returning under normal driving conditions.

And two observations I've made -the smoke is white, so I don't believe it to be oil. And once the fan is going and I have the heater on, the temp gauge drops immensely and fairly quickly and the smoke gets moved out of the engine bay and stops.

And some hypothesis - could there be something wrong with my cooling system and the engine is simply overheating? Wouldn't explain why smoke is billowing out only on the left side though. Also, the heater and fan get things under control fairly quick. Is something possibly just burning up like power steering fluid and causing that smoke and tricking the temp gauge to go berserk? The power steering as of yet is okay.

I need the SHO to get myself to school, so I hope I can get a solution soon. If this somehow manages to stump everyone, I suppose I'll start with the cooling system and flush the radiator and put in new coolant.

And just to be extra clear where the smoke is coming from:

Thanks in advance.

 

[SolidState]

The area you have circled is the waterpump.

I am wondering if you have a leak in the cooling system or a bad waterpump. If coolant was to leak there, it might drip on the cats and the smoke would be white.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

White smoke usually equals water (steam).

The forward exhaust manifold catalytic converter is under the power steering reservoir.

The first two instances may have been due to the water pump seal first beginning to leak only when under high pressure loads (ie. high rpm).

The latest incident due to progressive deterioration of the water pump seal, which no longer needs to be under a high pressure load to leak (ie. seal is getting worse).

 

[Vsho93]

dude you have the exact problem I'm having lol , anyways was suspecting the water pump due to the smell in that area hopefully will get to it soon good luck with yours

 

[Mr95Gl]

This may sound stupid, but what does the smoke smell like? Oil, or coolant?

 

[AntF]

Thanks for all the replies. Vsho93, let me know how you go about yours. Good luck with yours too.

This may sound stupid, but what does the smoke smell like? Oil, or coolant?

Hah, I feel more stupid that I can't give you a solid answer. I've not been around enough burning liquids to identify this. It has a fairly distinct smell, but I'm fairly certain it is not oil, as the smoke (or steam, as it should be) is white, and not blue.

 

[93rev2sev]

My shot in the dark...

Lower radiator hose being pulled off the ****** because of a torn front engine mount.

 

[Mr95Gl]

Hah, I feel more stupid that I can't give you a solid answer. I've not been around enough burning liquids to identify this. It has a fairly distinct smell, but I'm fairly certain it is not oil, as the smoke (or steam, as it should be) is white, and not blue.

It could be your cam seals that are leaking. Anything above 4500 rpm would cause a white smoke SHO in your engine bay. The smell of coolant is very rich/sweet.

 

[Kens1992mtxSHO]

White smoke usually equals water (steam).

The forward exhaust manifold catalytic converter is under the power steering reservoir.

The first two instances may have been due to the water pump seal first beginning to leak only when under high pressure loads (ie. high rpm).

The latest incident due to progressive deterioration of the water pump seal, which no longer needs to be under a high pressure load to leak (ie. seal is getting worse).

X2 -

I would look into a new waterpump as it sounds like it's getting ready to go. Coolant has a very distinct sweet smell to it.