So my XJS runs fine when I start it but lately there's been smoke and a burnt kind of smell coming from my engine. It usually smokes a for a few minuets during my initial start up then goes away. How concerned should I be and what problems could be the source? In terms of location of the the smoke its on the driver side (US driver side) coming from the inside. Coolant is cool on the car, and there is a power steering fluid leak. Please Help me out! Thank You.

 

If yours is a v12 car remove the drivers breather housing, the black thing with the filter in it. Remove it entirely. Then, replace the 4 bolts and hand turn them all the way into the throttle body... The car will start and idle like this. Without the bolts you'll get a massive vac leak and the car will surge at idle.

Get a light and so you can see down into the space you have created by moving the breather, start the car and have a helper turn the wheel while you look down in there. What you might see is a leak in the high pressure line that shoots a stream of power steering fluid onto the HOT down pipe and or exhaust pipe. It's not good! Fix this before you continue driving IF this is what you find.

Hope this helps BUT I hope it's not your problem.

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Is the smoke coming from outside the engine, as in oil leak oil burning off?

OR, is smoke coming out one or both exhaust pipes?

Also, I am assuming a V12 engine.

Once we know where the smoke appears to be coming from, a more accurate repair process can be given.

 

Yes its the V12. No its not an oil leak as far as I know this car is only leaking the power steering fluid, I thought it was coming from the AC hose (i saw smoke from there once) area which is right above the drivers breather housing. Im gonna get Photos!

 

This is a classic symptom of:

• a weep of oil from the tappet block/head interface, or
• a weep of oil from the cam cover gasket (only remedy to replace that gasket), or
• a weep of oil from the rear of the engine/sump area being thrown onto the exhaust pipes.

In all cases, the oil drops down onto the manifold (or exhaust) where it burns off as the manifold/exhaust heats up and then the weep is not fast enough to cause trouble, until the car stops and a bit more comes out over a few days.

 

Steer fluid is still oil,. and smokes when it contacts the exhaust system.

The steer hoses on your car are all down the LH side of the engine, as is the notorious steer cooler, and again, your market has Cats in the exhaust downpipes, and that may well be the place it all begins.

Wash it off, carefully, run it for a few minutes and seriously look for the wet patch.

My sticky on oil leaks at the top of this section may also help you.