86 firebird interior smoke problem

[s***@uwm.edu]

hey, I'm new to the firebird world. I have a 86 firebird v6 that runs
good for about 5 minutes and then smoke starts to poor in through the
vents on the inside of the car. The vents are turned off and still
this white smoke comes in the car. Car ran fine for about 6 months
after I got it now this problem. Still has same power or lack there
of(V6). The smoke is odorless and heavy. Didnt know if anyone had
any ideas on what is wrong or what I should check. Thanks...

["Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>]

Sounds dodgy mate.
have you had any new electical bits fitted.?
eg. stereo system.?
Maybee a short. danger of a fire if it is.
or Are you sure its smoke and not steam.?
Could the small radiator in the dash be broke and venting hot water inside
the car.?

Is the car moving when it starts to smoke.?

Post by s***@uwm.edu
hey, I'm new to the firebird world. I have a 86 firebird v6 that runs
good for about 5 minutes and then smoke starts to poor in through the
vents on the inside of the car. The vents are turned off and still
this white smoke comes in the car. Car ran fine for about 6 months
after I got it now this problem. Still has same power or lack there
of(V6). The smoke is odorless and heavy. Didnt know if anyone had
any ideas on what is wrong or what I should check. Thanks...

["Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>]

Sounds dodgy mate.
have you had any new electical bits fitted.?
eg. stereo system.?
Maybee a short. danger of a fire if it is.
or Are you sure its smoke and not steam.?
Could the small radiator in the dash be broke and venting hot water inside
the car.?

Is the car moving when it starts to smoke.?

Post by s***@uwm.edu
hey, I'm new to the firebird world. I have a 86 firebird v6 that runs
good for about 5 minutes and then smoke starts to poor in through the
vents on the inside of the car. The vents are turned off and still
this white smoke comes in the car. Car ran fine for about 6 months
after I got it now this problem. Still has same power or lack there
of(V6). The smoke is odorless and heavy. Didnt know if anyone had
any ideas on what is wrong or what I should check. Thanks...

[s***@uwm.edu]

yea it's movin when it starts to smoke. When I stop it continues to
smoke too. It has a different stereo in it from the previous owner.
I havent had any problems until about a week ago. its definalty doggy
haha. Let me know if ya have any other suggestions thanks for your
help.

["Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>]

Does the fan motor work.?
eg. or can you not here it working, as the bearings could be seised and
causing the armature to overload and get hot.
Is it smoke or is it steam mate.? steams better than smoke.
if you leave the car ticking over without reving the engine does smoke start
to come out.
as when your driving the alternator makes more juice and could at that point
be overloading something.

Post by s***@uwm.edu
yea it's movin when it starts to smoke. When I stop it continues to
smoke too. It has a different stereo in it from the previous owner.
I havent had any problems until about a week ago. its definalty doggy
haha. Let me know if ya have any other suggestions thanks for your
help.

[s***@uwm.edu]

its defiantley smoke. When I leave the car run without reving the
engine it takes a little longer but the smoke starts tocome out just
as it dies when I am driving it. The fan motor is working. Any other
thoughts? Thanks...

["Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>]

Hi
Dude, that might be the voltage regulator in the alternator thats not
working properly.
Get yourself a multimeter and slap it on the battery, when the engine is not
running or reving, the voltage should be around 12 - 13 Volts.
When the engine is running the MAX is should go upto is 15 volts, anything
above that will damage the car battery.
Also there might be a resistor Pack in the motor, which is used to get
varying speeds from the fan motor.
To much juice from the alternator runs the risk of overloading it. and
anything else that uses power.

What do you mean start to come out just as it dies.?
You sure its not oil burning off on the exhaust and being sucked in the
vents.?

Post by s***@uwm.edu
its defiantley smoke. When I leave the car run without reving the
engine it takes a little longer but the smoke starts tocome out just
as it dies when I am driving it. The fan motor is working. Any other
thoughts? Thanks...

["Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>]

Hi again.
Also before you let it get ANY worse, keep in mind that there could also be
a dead short in the wireing.
Which is a major worry. because if it is that, you could end up with a major
bonfire on your hands.
Should it catchfire make sure you First pull the + wire from the battery.
Dont even bother trying to put the fire out before you do it because it will
just re-light itself.

One of my old cars caught fire, because the wires from the Alternator
shorted to earth, luckily it was under the bonnet, so I could whip the +
terminal off which was bloody hot.
then I got the flames out with my mini Extinguisher. That cost me a new
loom. ! the insulation had worn through on a sharp part which ran around the
bottom of the engine.
If you can, first try and find out which wire is shorting or getting hot. it
might actualy be under the bonnet where the short is, but the thing might be
getting hot inside first.
It will always find the weakest point in the ciruit to melt first.
I noticed when I was changing the Bendix on my Trans-am V8 that there was a
small metal pipe that holds the wires for the starter motor. They go to the
ignition switch.
Which made me instantly think of my other car that cought fire. Should the
insulation wear down on any of those wires it would short to earth. Very
easily.
plus the heat from a very hot engine/exhaust could melt the insulation
causing the same outcome. You should check for dead shorts with the
multimeter around the areas thats smoking.

Is there a particular side its coming from.? drivers side is the fusebox,
passanger side is the ECU. If your stereo has not been fitted long id look
at that wireing first.
Dont keep making it smoke mate, as it will eventualy melt another wire which
might not be able to be shut off with the ignition key.
Permanent lives are your main worry, because they just get hotter and
hotter, and it runs the full length of the loom !! melting more and more as
it goes...
which is why yo need to pull the battery terminals off. not all wires have
fuses.

Post by s***@uwm.edu
its defiantley smoke. When I leave the car run without reving the
engine it takes a little longer but the smoke starts tocome out just
as it dies when I am driving it. The fan motor is working. Any other
thoughts? Thanks...

[Joel Edge]

Post by "Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>
Hi again.
Also before you let it get ANY worse, keep in mind that there could also be
a dead short in the wireing.
Which is a major worry. because if it is that, you could end up with a major
bonfire on your hands.
Should it catchfire make sure you First pull the + wire from the battery.
Dont even bother trying to put the fire out before you do it because it will
just re-light itself.
One of my old cars caught fire, because the wires from the Alternator
shorted to earth, luckily it was under the bonnet, so I could whip the +
terminal off which was bloody hot.
then I got the flames out with my mini Extinguisher. That cost me a new
loom. ! the insulation had worn through on a sharp part which ran around the
bottom of the engine.
If you can, first try and find out which wire is shorting or getting hot. it
might actualy be under the bonnet where the short is, but the thing might be
getting hot inside first.
It will always find the weakest point in the ciruit to melt first.
I noticed when I was changing the Bendix on my Trans-am V8 that there was a
small metal pipe that holds the wires for the starter motor. They go to the
ignition switch.
Which made me instantly think of my other car that cought fire. Should the
insulation wear down on any of those wires it would short to earth. Very
easily.
plus the heat from a very hot engine/exhaust could melt the insulation
causing the same outcome. You should check for dead shorts with the
multimeter around the areas thats smoking.
Is there a particular side its coming from.? drivers side is the fusebox,
passanger side is the ECU. If your stereo has not been fitted long id look
at that wireing first.
Dont keep making it smoke mate, as it will eventualy melt another wire which
might not be able to be shut off with the ignition key.
Permanent lives are your main worry, because they just get hotter and
hotter, and it runs the full length of the loom !! melting more and more as
it goes...
which is why yo need to pull the battery terminals off. not all wires have
fuses.

Post by s***@uwm.edu
its defiantley smoke. When I leave the car run without reving the
engine it takes a little longer but the smoke starts tocome out just
as it dies when I am driving it. The fan motor is working. Any other
thoughts? Thanks...

The fact the the smoke is odorless doesn't point to an electrical problem.
Maybe a leak in the heater core.

["Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>]

Post by Joel Edge

Post by "Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>
Hi again.
Also before you let it get ANY worse, keep in mind that there could also be
a dead short in the wireing.
Which is a major worry. because if it is that, you could end up with a major
bonfire on your hands.
Should it catchfire make sure you First pull the + wire from the battery.
Dont even bother trying to put the fire out before you do it because it will
just re-light itself.
One of my old cars caught fire, because the wires from the Alternator
shorted to earth, luckily it was under the bonnet, so I could whip the +
terminal off which was bloody hot.
then I got the flames out with my mini Extinguisher. That cost me a new
loom. ! the insulation had worn through on a sharp part which ran around the
bottom of the engine.
If you can, first try and find out which wire is shorting or getting hot. it
might actualy be under the bonnet where the short is, but the thing might be
getting hot inside first.
It will always find the weakest point in the ciruit to melt first.
I noticed when I was changing the Bendix on my Trans-am V8 that there was a
small metal pipe that holds the wires for the starter motor. They go to the
ignition switch.
Which made me instantly think of my other car that cought fire. Should the
insulation wear down on any of those wires it would short to earth. Very
easily.
plus the heat from a very hot engine/exhaust could melt the insulation
causing the same outcome. You should check for dead shorts with the
multimeter around the areas thats smoking.
Is there a particular side its coming from.? drivers side is the fusebox,
passanger side is the ECU. If your stereo has not been fitted long id look
at that wireing first.
Dont keep making it smoke mate, as it will eventualy melt another wire which
might not be able to be shut off with the ignition key.
Permanent lives are your main worry, because they just get hotter and
hotter, and it runs the full length of the loom !! melting more and more as
it goes...
which is why yo need to pull the battery terminals off. not all wires have
fuses.

Post by s***@uwm.edu
its defiantley smoke. When I leave the car run without reving the
engine it takes a little longer but the smoke starts tocome out just
as it dies when I am driving it. The fan motor is working. Any other
thoughts? Thanks...

The fact the the smoke is odorless doesn't point to an electrical problem.
Maybe a leak in the heater core.

Thats why I said Steam from the Rad !

[Joel Edge]

Post by "Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>

Post by Joel Edge

Post by "Wombat-Pipex-News" @dsl.pipex.com>
Hi again.
Also before you let it get ANY worse, keep in mind that there could also be
a dead short in the wireing.
Which is a major worry. because if it is that, you could end up with a major
bonfire on your hands.
Should it catchfire make sure you First pull the + wire from the battery.
Dont even bother trying to put the fire out before you do it because it will
just re-light itself.
One of my old cars caught fire, because the wires from the Alternator
shorted to earth, luckily it was under the bonnet, so I could whip the +
terminal off which was bloody hot.
then I got the flames out with my mini Extinguisher. That cost me a new
loom. ! the insulation had worn through on a sharp part which ran around the
bottom of the engine.
If you can, first try and find out which wire is shorting or getting hot. it
might actualy be under the bonnet where the short is, but the thing might be
getting hot inside first.
It will always find the weakest point in the ciruit to melt first.
I noticed when I was changing the Bendix on my Trans-am V8 that there was a
small metal pipe that holds the wires for the starter motor. They go to the
ignition switch.
Which made me instantly think of my other car that cought fire. Should the
insulation wear down on any of those wires it would short to earth. Very
easily.
plus the heat from a very hot engine/exhaust could melt the insulation
causing the same outcome. You should check for dead shorts with the
multimeter around the areas thats smoking.
Is there a particular side its coming from.? drivers side is the fusebox,
passanger side is the ECU. If your stereo has not been fitted long id look
at that wireing first.
Dont keep making it smoke mate, as it will eventualy melt another wire which
might not be able to be shut off with the ignition key.
Permanent lives are your main worry, because they just get hotter and
hotter, and it runs the full length of the loom !! melting more and more as
it goes...
which is why yo need to pull the battery terminals off. not all wires have
fuses.

Post by s***@uwm.edu
its defiantley smoke. When I leave the car run without reving the
engine it takes a little longer but the smoke starts tocome out just
as it dies when I am driving it. The fan motor is working. Any other
thoughts? Thanks...

The fact the the smoke is odorless doesn't point to an electrical problem.
Maybe a leak in the heater core.

Thats why I said Steam from the Rad !

Also another thought, when the core is leaking, usually running the defrost
steams up the window.