Smoke from underneath car!!!!

[magyar]

A strange thing happened today. I was driving home from Ohio to Pennsylvania, and just when I got off the freeway, I smelled smoke coming from somewhere. So when I got home, I looked under the car and smoke was coming from the exhaust pipes around the catalytic converter. It was a good amount of smoke too!

Now, what the heck could cause that? I'm afraid to drive it again for fear of starting a fire.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
M

[dsatt12]

Originally Posted by magyar

Now, what the heck could cause that? I'm afraid to drive it again for fear of starting a fire.

Nothing good no doubt...

Fuel/air mix being too rich will make the catalytic converter get absurdly hot as it breaks down all the hydrocarbons- I actually had a foil type one (not the monolithic variety) on an '85 cavalier that was glowing fairly bright red when I figured out I had an injection problem.

I would think you'd notice a blown head gasket or something in blue and/or white smoke out the tailpipe instead of coming out around there. Check for other leaks that could drip or blow back there is all I can think of. There's not much down there to smoke though, is there?

[bustedratchet]

You drove in all that rain today didn't you ? I live in Pa. and we got it to. Is the convertor glowing cherry red ? I would double check it when it's dry out maybe at night.

[magyar]

Yeah, I drove through 3 hours of rain. Then when I got off the highway, I noticed and smelled the smoke. When I looked under the car, I didn't see it glowing red, but it was definately smoking....

Originally Posted by bustedratchet

You drove in all that rain today didn't you ? I live in Pa. and we got it to. Is the convertor glowing cherry red ? I would double check it when it's dry out maybe at night.

[bustedratchet]

Did it have any particular smell. Like oil, plastic I've seen a few plastic shopping bags get stuck on plastic. If we ever get any dry weather check it then.

[magyar]

It didn't have a bad smell...neither oil or plastic. It just smelled like smoke...kind of a sweet smell...like I was buring logs underneath my car.

[bustedratchet]

Maybe you ran over a telephone pole Nothing like the smell of creosote ! get out the hot dogs ! I'd take her out for a spin and see if it happens again, Maybe a stick got jammed in there.