Hi Guys & Gals,
Had a very strange thing happen today. The weather in the northeast here was just amazing the past two days. So I took a nice ride in the car up through Granville, NY and over the back roads to Vermont. The whole trip I am kinda hyper-mileing getting about 40 MPG (or better) the whole trip, on one long strait road with a mild declining grade I got over 60 MPG!! The whole trip I did 40 to 50 MPH, just taking my time, once or twice getting to 60 MPH, just so I didn't hold up traffic on a couple main roads.
Ok, so I just get southbound on Rt 30 north of Manchester, VT. I am heading south. The road is posted at 50 MPH. I am doing about 45 MPH and come on a vintage car doing about 40 MPH, no problem, I am really not in a rush, I leave him lots of room. Just enjoying the nice day at a leisurely pace. But the guy in the vintage car pulls over to let me pass. Ok, so I go around him and continue on at about 45 MPG…
I quickly come up on a white Subaru I think it is, looks to be 8 or 10 years old, now this guy is slowing down to 35 to 40 MPH…..there is a big long strait away, and no on coming traffic, and this guy seems to not even be able to hold 40 MPH on this road posted for 50 MPH…….so I decide to pass him. So I step on the gas and pull out into the oncoming lane. Next think I know I see white smoke EVERYWHERE behind the car!!! And it appears to be coming from MY car!!!
Now in full panic mode I am trying to sense any odd noises or vibrations from my car, fully expecting my dash board to light up like a Christmas tree any second!! I am already hoping I have cell phone service so I can call for help! My car proceeds down the road, I back off the gas as much as I can while still trying to pass the car I was passing, get back in my lane and get ready to find a place I can pull the car off the road….
After several hundred more feet the smoke that appears to be coming from the back of my car, or under it, tapers off…I keep watching my dash board for any engine lights that might come on…..car seems to be running smoothly, but I now VERY nervous about driving it…..
No lights came on. No odd engine or car sounds or vibrations. I am stumped where all the smoke came from!! It was NOT just a little, it was like a James Bond car setting off a smoke bomb so the cars behind couldn't see! I mean, I could not see anything behind me, in two lanes, for several seconds. I was like "WOW!!" As I looked in my mirrors!
Anyone else has a similar experience? My 2011 Elantra has about 12,000 miles now. Never had any engine problems at all.
I have four theories of what the cause might have been:
1. When I hit the gas to pass that car high pressure in the engine somewhere forced some oil into the exhaust system somehow, and it had to burn off.
2. Just as I was about to pass that car I think I turned on the AC. Maybe as the AC belt was about to engage the high engine RPM caused the belt to slip and burn, and smoke, until I backed off the gas and it caught on the pulley properly.
3. Maybe the transmission dropped one too many gears, causing the tires to slip on the pavement when I hit the gas and I did a "burn out", "smoking the tires".
4. Maybe the smoke came from the Subaru. But replaying the whole thing in my head I know I saw smoke out MY back window when I was in the oncoming lane. I find it hard to believe the smoke did NOT come from MY car. Especially given it started exactly the time I hit the gas to pass him.
I am tending to think it was theory #1 above. But I just don't know. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Still love my Elantra, And the car seemed fine after that for the 60 or so mile ride home.
But I would love to know the real source of the smoke I saw!!
Jeff
Had a very strange thing happen today. The weather in the northeast here was just amazing the past two days. So I took a nice ride in the car up through Granville, NY and over the back roads to Vermont. The whole trip I am kinda hyper-mileing getting about 40 MPG (or better) the whole trip, on one long strait road with a mild declining grade I got over 60 MPG!! The whole trip I did 40 to 50 MPH, just taking my time, once or twice getting to 60 MPH, just so I didn't hold up traffic on a couple main roads.
Ok, so I just get southbound on Rt 30 north of Manchester, VT. I am heading south. The road is posted at 50 MPH. I am doing about 45 MPH and come on a vintage car doing about 40 MPH, no problem, I am really not in a rush, I leave him lots of room. Just enjoying the nice day at a leisurely pace. But the guy in the vintage car pulls over to let me pass. Ok, so I go around him and continue on at about 45 MPG…
I quickly come up on a white Subaru I think it is, looks to be 8 or 10 years old, now this guy is slowing down to 35 to 40 MPH…..there is a big long strait away, and no on coming traffic, and this guy seems to not even be able to hold 40 MPH on this road posted for 50 MPH…….so I decide to pass him. So I step on the gas and pull out into the oncoming lane. Next think I know I see white smoke EVERYWHERE behind the car!!! And it appears to be coming from MY car!!!
Now in full panic mode I am trying to sense any odd noises or vibrations from my car, fully expecting my dash board to light up like a Christmas tree any second!! I am already hoping I have cell phone service so I can call for help! My car proceeds down the road, I back off the gas as much as I can while still trying to pass the car I was passing, get back in my lane and get ready to find a place I can pull the car off the road….
After several hundred more feet the smoke that appears to be coming from the back of my car, or under it, tapers off…I keep watching my dash board for any engine lights that might come on…..car seems to be running smoothly, but I now VERY nervous about driving it…..
No lights came on. No odd engine or car sounds or vibrations. I am stumped where all the smoke came from!! It was NOT just a little, it was like a James Bond car setting off a smoke bomb so the cars behind couldn't see! I mean, I could not see anything behind me, in two lanes, for several seconds. I was like "WOW!!" As I looked in my mirrors!
Anyone else has a similar experience? My 2011 Elantra has about 12,000 miles now. Never had any engine problems at all.
I have four theories of what the cause might have been:
1. When I hit the gas to pass that car high pressure in the engine somewhere forced some oil into the exhaust system somehow, and it had to burn off.
2. Just as I was about to pass that car I think I turned on the AC. Maybe as the AC belt was about to engage the high engine RPM caused the belt to slip and burn, and smoke, until I backed off the gas and it caught on the pulley properly.
3. Maybe the transmission dropped one too many gears, causing the tires to slip on the pavement when I hit the gas and I did a "burn out", "smoking the tires".
4. Maybe the smoke came from the Subaru. But replaying the whole thing in my head I know I saw smoke out MY back window when I was in the oncoming lane. I find it hard to believe the smoke did NOT come from MY car. Especially given it started exactly the time I hit the gas to pass him.
I am tending to think it was theory #1 above. But I just don't know. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Still love my Elantra, And the car seemed fine after that for the 60 or so mile ride home.
But I would love to know the real source of the smoke I saw!!
Jeff