1998 240SX Manual Trans - Smoke Rising From Shifter

[willriordan]

There is light smoke rising up from the shifter boot. Where should I begin to try and dignose this problem? Could it be out of gear oil? Clutch?H E L P !

Thank U for your time!

[elwesso]

well DEFINITELY check your fluid..... my guess is something is leaking and its hitting the exhaust...

Get under the car and see if you can see where it leaks. Does it only come up through the shifter, or does it come up from under the car too??

Regardless, id check the boots on the base of the shifter, as it shouldnt let in any smoke even if something is smoking!

[willriordan]

Thanks for your advice! I got under the car and found no leaks. So I checked the gear-fluid level in the gearbox. I pulled the Fill-plug and checked the level with my finger. The level seemed fine so I decided to drain the gearbox to measure the contents. I measured close to 74 oz. Still don't know if that's the right amount! Refilled the gearbox with fresh (new) 75-90 gear oil and called it 'good'. I had to add surgical tubing to the end of a funnel to get the gear-oil into the gearbox.

To prevent any chance of smoke enterring the inside of the car, I added a zip-tie to the rubber boot around the shifter shaft. (After pushing the boot down, lower onto the shaft.

Maybe I'll try and change the clutch next....

[navysnail]

wes is right. smoke results from leaking oil or fluid onto the exhaust. check around the exhaust manifold were it meets the head, smoke can easily travel from that area to the transmission and blow up into the shifter boot.