Smoking exhaust - United Bimmer Community

**billycuth** · 08-23-2005, 07:14 AM

So, I am still trying to work out all the kinks on my Stromung, that I installed 2 weeks ago and tightened up this past weekend. Now the f-er is smoking after my drive into work. It appears to be coming from the middle of the car, where the cat connects to the exhaust. Now, I did use an anti-seize compound on the bolts, could this be what is smoking? Or is it normal for the breakin process?

**94bmw325i** · 08-23-2005, 07:45 AM

I don't think any exhaust should be smoking, unless some of that anti seize dropped into the exhaust. The only other thing I can think of is that you have an oil leak....

**billycuth** · 08-23-2005, 07:50 AM

i don't think it is an oil leak, but how could I tell? It definitely doesn't smell like oil that's burning. But I guess I am not 100% on that.

**E36Bimmer** · 08-23-2005, 07:59 AM

What I noticed on all my cars was there is a break-in smell to the exhaust. Can't really describe the smell but for all I know it is normal. It ususally goes away after a couple weeks.. Unless you think a fire is about to erupt then I would give it some time to break in

**billycuth** · 08-23-2005, 08:11 AM

yeah e36.. I know what you mean, it's just a funky smell. no way to describe it really.

**Rooz** · 08-23-2005, 08:43 AM

Any exhaust will give you like a "paint burning" smell for about a month. I had it on ym stang and I loved that smell...

**94bmw325i** · 08-23-2005, 08:50 AM

oh so we have a paint sniffer on united... j/k

DEATH2000 · 08-23-2005, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94bmw325i

oh so we have a paint sniffer on united... j/k

mmmmmm.........paint

**Rooz** · 08-23-2005, 02:09 PM

it's not really a paint smell.. clsoe to the smell of smoking tires.... with some "cherry" scent

I dunno, it's a unique smell.... hard to describe

**xsperf** · 08-23-2005, 04:27 PM

it might be those type R stickers that are on the exhaust, they are probably burning off

**billycuth** · 08-23-2005, 08:28 PM

not the exhaust at all... my car was leaking (may still be) oil. My entire crankcase was empty. I tightened the filter housing, but I am not sure I solved the problem... any ideas? I cant tell where it is coming from either.

**xsperf** · 08-23-2005, 08:31 PM

maybe from the valve cover it was leakin onto the manifold?

**billycuth** · 08-23-2005, 08:33 PM

not sure xperf. I am going to give it one more day. if it is under the valve cover, I assume that is going to be bad news and an expensive fix, huh?

**xsperf** · 08-23-2005, 08:41 PM

no, not at all, valve cover is not that hard, just worry about the price of the gasket

and i dont know why so many people make this mistake, but it drives me nuts...

not xperf, but XSPERF

**Rooz** · 08-23-2005, 08:43 PM

if I were you I would take it to a shop for a leak check. Better to be safe than sorry, specially when it comes to a BMW...