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  #1  
Old 10-01-2009, 09:49 PM
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Smoke from under engine compartment

I am a complete NEWBIE to Mercedes and the whole home mechanic world so my question is a little simple in form but complex to answer. I have an 1997 SL320. The car runs fine but when I get on the accelerator and then stop at a sign or redlight, whitish smoke will come from under the engine compartment just to the rear of the front wheel. It also does this after a drive of 1 hour or more. Any thoughts on how I can begin to find this problem or possibly resolve it?
Thanks for any assistance.

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  #2  
Old 10-01-2009, 10:25 PM
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My first guess is an oil leak dripping onto the exhaust manifold.
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Old 10-02-2009, 10:07 AM
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Next time it happens, stop, get out, lift the hood, look and sniff.

If it smells like pancake syrup, it's coolant.

If it doesn't, it's probably oil like Hirnbeiss said.

Anyway, you should be able to see where the smoke is coming from. That's the first step.
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Old 10-02-2009, 10:56 AM
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Note to self. Never, ever, ever go to Jenkin's house for a pancake breakfast.
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Old 10-02-2009, 12:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike D View Post
Note to self. Never, ever, ever go to Jenkin's house for a pancake breakfast.

Oh, come on - think how much cooler you'll feel all day, especially in AZ.

Your body temp. will definately drop.
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Old 10-02-2009, 12:39 PM
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smoke from under engine compartment

When the engine is cold, have you checked your coolant level in the overflow bottle? Also while cold, what about oil level? Are you using oil? By monitoring your fluid levels everyday for week or so you can determine if the engine is doing something it isn't supposed to.
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Old 10-02-2009, 09:20 PM
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Sounds like a fluid leaking onto a hot spot as previously mentioned. Just make sure you don't have a seized brake caliper as that can get quite dangerous. If one of your front wheels is significantly hotter than the other after a bit of a drive, that's a clue. If so, get it checked immediately. Seized calipers can cause a nasty fire.

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