STUMPED!!!white electrical smelling smoke from rear of engine bay

[darbuck]

Hi Lads, I am having a strange problem on my 2003 C5 2.0 hdi it has white smoke coming from the rear engine of the engine bay,it smells rubbery, as some of you may know I recently removed the engine and replaced all suspect gaskets while I was changing the Turbo I know that there is very few electrical's behind the engine and the smoke seems to be coming from around the egr which it cant really be because I have replaced it as well while I was at it. Any suggestions lads I am stumped.
. I need this car running right this is my last attempt with it, if I cant fix it this time I am going to scrap it. I am sick to my teeth of it at this stage I literally cant drive it because of the smell.

[Paul-R]

Has something plastic fallen down behind the engine onto the turbo or exhaust system. The plastic oil filler cap has a tendency to pop out if it's not put in properly.

[elma]

the turbo or exhaust system.

First place I'd be looking as well, thats where all of the heat is and was recently "visited."

[GiveMeABreak]

It does sound like something is / was touching the exhaust manifold or something similar - I'd be concerned that a hose isn't in place and is burning through. Trouble is, even if it was a plastic clip or similar, once burnt on it can take ages for the smell to go. One of those expandable small mirrors with an LED light on might help see if there is anything happening round the back.

[RichardW]

There's a water heater down the back of the engine. It has 4 glowplugs in it, and pulls a reasonable amount of current. If you haven't bled the cooling system properly then it quickly overheats and creates the sort of symptoms you are describing. I had this trouble after changing the cam belt / water pump on my Xantia HDi. You can just disconnect it, or remove the relays, trouble its, once it has been cooked it will leak - and changing it is awkward - unless the engine is out....

[darbuck]

ok lads all good starting points, oil cap is where it should be. Do all hdi's have one of those heaters that you mentioned Richard ? , the only thing I can think of is the plastic turbo pipe at the back I will have to buy a mirror I used to have one but of course it will turn up after I buy one. Murphy's Law, that engine is staying put, I cant take it out again I would be divorced or apple tree fertiliser . there is no electrics near the exhaust or turbo is there ? I know I only had engine out but I cant remember, my head is wrecked at this stage The weather is crap here today so will have to wait till Monday but keep the ideas flowing its better to have a list at the start

[wheeler]

There's a water heater down the back of the engine. It has 4 glowplugs in it, and pulls a reasonable amount of current. If you haven't bled the cooling system properly then it quickly overheats and creates the sort of symptoms you are describing.

Don't think I can ever remember seeing a C5 with the glow plugs in water type heater, the C5 has an electrical air heater in the heater box instead for faster heating, Think the glow plug water heater disappeared after the Xantia.

[darbuck]

is the heater standard or an extra

[GiveMeABreak]

What's your VIN? I'll have a look to see what's there.

[darbuck]

Hi Marc ,
My Vin is
VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
thanks.

[GiveMeABreak]

So yours has a Glow Plug pre-heating box (item 3) in case that helps identify the part Darren:

[ekjdm14]

The above item 3 looks like the relay to control the engine glow plugs, so I doubt it has the water heater if that's the closest Marc could find.

Just out of interest, how long have you run the car for? If not long, and you don't find anything obviously melting on the exhaust then it may just be assorted muck from reassembly burning off.

[darbuck]

maybe so, yes that's the glow plug pre-heater relay it lives under the injection ECU I can't see anything that would preheat at the back of the engine, thanks lads I couldn't see anything, but visibility is poor it could be something on the manifold itself I suppose which is hiding under the EGR assembly.

[wheeler]

is the heater standard or an extra

The Electric heater in the air box is standard on the diesel models I believe.

Yes, that relay is for the engine glow plugs only.

[darbuck]

hmm interesting I didn't know there was an air heater on them little extras your not even aware of .