Situation:
Car has 101K on it. I drive 75 miles a day, 60 of which are highway. It was raining, I had the wipers on at their top speed and the heater on to 78 degrees. As I was coming off 25 miles on the highway, I smelled burning rubber. No idiot lights. No temp change in the engine. Dash looks fine--I assume it isn't me (lots of stopped traffic coming off the highway there). I pull into first gas station just to check--when I stop, I see the smoke coming from under my hood. I opened the hood VERY CAREFULLY and the smoke was coming from under the hoses in these photos (for reference, this is in front of the washer fluid resevoir), and when I tried to look a litttle more carefully I could see some red hot metal in there too (no flames or anything like that--just really smelly smoke and something glowing). I did not try to get any closer to get a better look. What is this thing that the smoke was coming from, and what is your guess on the problem? I called my car saavy friend who said that since I was literally a block from home and there were no idiot lights and the temp was fine to limp it carefully home and take it to the mechanic in the morning. We limped the half block fine--it is about a mile to the mechanic.
Yes I am am idiot, yes I should know what the basic components of my engine compartment are. Point taken, I will learn more I promise...
Thoughts?
http://www.blight.com/~westyp/fire.jpeg
http://www.blight.com/~westyp/fire2.jpeg
Car has 101K on it. I drive 75 miles a day, 60 of which are highway. It was raining, I had the wipers on at their top speed and the heater on to 78 degrees. As I was coming off 25 miles on the highway, I smelled burning rubber. No idiot lights. No temp change in the engine. Dash looks fine--I assume it isn't me (lots of stopped traffic coming off the highway there). I pull into first gas station just to check--when I stop, I see the smoke coming from under my hood. I opened the hood VERY CAREFULLY and the smoke was coming from under the hoses in these photos (for reference, this is in front of the washer fluid resevoir), and when I tried to look a litttle more carefully I could see some red hot metal in there too (no flames or anything like that--just really smelly smoke and something glowing). I did not try to get any closer to get a better look. What is this thing that the smoke was coming from, and what is your guess on the problem? I called my car saavy friend who said that since I was literally a block from home and there were no idiot lights and the temp was fine to limp it carefully home and take it to the mechanic in the morning. We limped the half block fine--it is about a mile to the mechanic.
Yes I am am idiot, yes I should know what the basic components of my engine compartment are. Point taken, I will learn more I promise...
Thoughts?
http://www.blight.com/~westyp/fire.jpeg
http://www.blight.com/~westyp/fire2.jpeg