Yesterday while driving on the motorway smoke started the fill the passenger compartment of my 97 X300 4.0 executive.

I eventually got off the motorway and had a look under the car. It looks like the under seal was burning on the RHS where the rear silencer is close to the battery tray steelwork.

I suspect the exhaust and metal car body around was getting so hot that the under seal started burning and the smoke was coming into the car through the bung holes and other apertures in that area.

Can any one suggest a solution to the heating of the rear silencer? It opens happens up at +140Kms on the motorway.

I read in a thread earlier about blocked cats which I have to say scares me a little. ( OK scares me a lot)

AM I missing a heat shield or something? I've never known an exhaust to run hotter than standard before. LHS seems OK.

 

Here's the Heat Shields that should be fitted:



(click on the image to enlarge it)

Provided the Heat Shields are present and not damaged, the Rear Silencer could be too close to the body if the mountings (items 10 and 14 in the following diagram) are damaged or missing.



Even a small hole in the silencer could be allowing exhaust to be directed onto the body instead of venting through the tailpipe.

Graham

 

yup, check exhaust for cracks, and here's picture of my heat shield (actually, I was taking a picture of gearbox at the time) and trust me, it is quite big. Although on my other car, Focus MK2, I got rid of it, and never had any problems...

 

Guys,

I spent some more time under the car today and there is a hole I can get my fist into on the right rear silencer. I guess I'm jst used the driving my other car which is a tuned 200SX so a throaty roar from the exhaust usually accompanies me when I drive. I guess I forgot that the Jag should be quiet and refined. Thanks for the replies anyway.

Have to look for exhaust suppliers in Poland now for that replacement silencer.

 

That shouldn't prove too difficult in Poland, and most likely will be a lot cheaper than for most of us Good luck!

Pozdrawiam