Trickydickdillo

Hey guys, I have a weird issue I could use some help with. 2 times over the past month when I started my car I noticed a little poof of smoke come out of the engine bay. The first time it floated up and through the crack between the drivers side front fender and the hood and also out of the hood scoop (don't have the plastic piece that directs air to the intercooler). This time when I started it up it came out from under the car on the drivers side. So I'm ASSUMING the source is near the drivers side of the car. I didn't do anything out of the norm I'd just driven it to work and back, maybe 2 miles all side roads, no boost and never above like 40 mph. Had kind of bitter smell and was slightly grey-ish, the smoke lasted about 2-3 seconds and seemed more like a burn off of something. I've had the car up on jacks and looked for any leaking fluids but can't seem to find any. Any ideas would be appreciated.

04GG

iTrader: (33)

And you checked the levels of everything? Did or did not smell like antifreeze? Recent work done on the car?

pho_shizzle

iTrader: (17)

Does it smoke up when you are warming up the car and then burns off, or does it come on when its been running for a while already. Check your power steering rack under the car on the driver side and see if all those fittings are tight. Check to see if there are any wet residue surrounding that area.

Trickydickdillo

Smoked up right when I turned it on like something was burning off and then disappeared. The fluids are all good, I'll check the power steering, but I'm fairly certain its not that... Also, didn't smell like anti-freeze, and I changed the oil about 2 or 3 weeks ago, no work other than that.

mistaanime

iTrader: (12)

maybe a small leak on the radiator hose? or some left over anti freeze spilled aorund the radiator and its burning it off?

04GG

iTrader: (33)

Yeah, the fittings on the PS pump are known to leak over time.

Fluids can leak onto the undertray or frame and might not be visible from below.

Trickydickdillo

Yeah, I don't have an undertray, I'll check around the frame and what-not though, thanks guys.

pho_shizzle

iTrader: (17)

The fittings on the power steering rack, where the hard lines meet the rack, are steel while the rack is aluminum and hovers over your headers. The heat given off from your headers can heat soak the fittings and make then expand and shrink, loosening them over time. Power steering fluid can leak through drop by drop and accumulate when you park over night, either on your headers or on the ground.

StealthMODE

iTrader: (15)

could be your cv boot as well. i know 04/05 wrx are known to have those go out fairly quick.

Trickydickdillo

Yeah, one other thing I forgot to mention is both times it happened I had been driving the car about 2 hours before. But I only ever drive it around the neighborhood or to work and back like a mile and a half away.