smoke

[phanatikz32]

my z is giving me hell right now! i was driving 2 a friends house and smoke started coming out from under the dash on the passenger side, me and my friend stopped and tried to take a look but we couldnt find anything obvious...the car was running fine and not overheating or anything, the engine didnt smell hot, my fluids where fine except my powersteering is kind of low...really low actually, but does anyone know whats going on!

[gpelite]

Hows your wiring? Did you install anything aftermarket or did someone else? Bad to see smoke on the ECU side of the car lol Sometimes the harness I have heard wears or melts if it is subjected to adverse circumstances, how specifically I wish I could tell you.

[phanatikz32]

i have no aftermarket parts of anykind under the hood so i have no idea what it could be.

[gpelite]

Well I mean in the cabin too, a bad or cheap wiring job can cause a fire. Not too uncommon really. I guess I should ask if your Z is stock everything. In anycase I can only give you an shot in the dark diagnosis at best without seeing it.

I would run it, with the hood open and try to nail the source and go from there...

[phanatikz32]

the only mod on the car is a cat back exhaust system, but it doesnt smoke all of the time just sometimes and ive tried looking under the hood while its running but didnt notice anything

[gpelite]

Well the headers for the Z32 do run underneath both sides of the car. The only way to really have an exhaust leak would be a hole in the end of the header, loose connection from header to straight pipe, or a hole in the straight pipe itself. If the fumes do infact smell like exhaust, then its something to look at. If it smells like oil or an odd fluid check your seals on that side and where the air from the cabin is taken in.

I can't pin point such an odd problem, run it, trace the smoke back. Take out your glove box (its not too hard) and watch carefully. Still monitor fluids.

Seriously take some time out and do some trial and error and I'm curious to know what you find that could narrow things.

[phanatikz32]

i went and bypassed my heater core yesterday and it stopped the smoking also so i guess the 2 probs. were linked. thanx for your help tho