# My Subaru Took Up Smoking... **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [January 5, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475 "2006-01-05T21:07:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RuBiCaNT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rubicant/32/7622_2.png) [@RuBiCaNT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RuBiCaNT)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/1 "2006-01-05T21:07:06Z")
Wednesday I noticed my Subaru was smoking after journeys lasting longer than 10 minutes. I narrowed the smoke down to someplace under the air filter box right by the transission bell housing. The car is a 2001 Outback wagon with the SOHC 2.5L and 4 speed AT transmission. My guess and I really have not seen exactly where the smoking originates from is that it’s an AT cooler line that has cracked or weakened. When the fluid gets hot it expands and forces a small pinhole of fluid out on a hot part of the car and thus the smoke. I don’t think its oil since the smoke is in the rear of the car and doesn’t smell like burning oil. The oil level is perfect. I don’t think it’s coolant because there is no sweet smell that you typically get with burning coolant. What does everything think? Saturday I will be getting a better look to see exactly where the smoke is originating from. There are no driveability issues, no CEL’s or anything of that sort. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Freek](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/freek/32/7357_2.png) [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/2 "2006-01-05T21:43:27Z")
hrmm there a power steering line in that area … that’s about the only other thing i think it could possibly be if you said not coolant or oil … what color is the smoke? ---
**Author:** ![Locutus](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/locutus/32/7574_2.png) [@Locutus](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Locutus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/3 "2006-01-05T21:50:58Z")
i miss your sig… i thought it was a funny pic of zerodaze, he does his hair like that when he drives is vw ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/4 "2006-01-05T22:12:39Z")
if it was PS then u would prolly notice a difference in steering, yeah u prolly got a leaky hose somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/5 "2006-01-06T04:17:06Z")
Color/volume of smoke? ---
**Author:** ![RuBiCaNT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rubicant/32/7622_2.png) [@RuBiCaNT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RuBiCaNT)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/6 "2006-01-06T08:41:30Z")
Smoke is a dark greyish… I doubt it’s power steering since there is no difference in steering at all. ---
**Author:** ![Freek](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/freek/32/7357_2.png) [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 9:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/7 "2006-01-06T09:27:40Z")
i’d really like to say it’s oil … subarus from everything i’ve known have oil issues … if it’s only a bit leaking from a valve cover gasket onto the header… throw some more details out there … volume of smoke is a good indicator … smell powersteering feels fine … what about the brakes how do they feel? ---
**Author:** ![RuBiCaNT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rubicant/32/7622_2.png) [@RuBiCaNT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RuBiCaNT)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 9:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/8 "2006-01-06T09:43:52Z")
> [@sprfreek](#): > > i’d really like to say it’s oil … subarus from everything i’ve known have oil issues … if it’s only a bit leaking from a valve cover gasket onto the header… > > throw some more details out there … volume of smoke is a good indicator … smell > > powersteering feels fine … what about the brakes how do they feel? The master cylinder looks good as far as fluid level goes. It could be oil but I am guessing it isn’t based on smell. I’ve smelled burning ATF and it’s very similar… ---
**Author:** ![Freek](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/freek/32/7357_2.png) [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 9:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/9 "2006-01-06T09:49:08Z")
i think without crawling under there best way to check that would be: after it get’s hot hold down the brakes and rev it up in drive … see if the smoke increases when you do that ---
**Author:** ![RuBiCaNT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rubicant/32/7622_2.png) [@RuBiCaNT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RuBiCaNT)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 9:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/10 "2006-01-06T09:50:29Z")
> [@sprfreek](#): > > i think without crawling under there best way to check that would be: after it get’s hot hold down the brakes and rev it up in drive … see if the smoke increases when you do that Saturday I am heading over to hybrid to put it on the lift, I will know more tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Russian](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/the_russian/32/7414_2.png) [@The\_Russian](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/The_Russian)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 11:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-subaru-took-up-smoking/6475/11 "2006-01-06T11:02:35Z")
Remember it a lot of smoke can come form a very small amout of liquid, doesnt take much oil to make a lot of smoke