After driving the car for a good little bit when you put the car in park it starts smoking from under the hood. It looks like the smoke is coming from the back side of the engine.


Any ideas what it could be?

 

Not much info given in your post so it could be a whole crap load of things. So I'll ask a few questions to help get more info out of you so the rest of the guys can possibly assist.

1. please describe the smell .. does it smell like fuel, oil burning or electrical
2. have you checked your oil level to rule out an oil leak and it simply burning off.
3. have you checked your coolant level to see if you possible have a leak and that is what is burning off.
4. have you checked that your belts are moving freely or is there a possible motor burned out.

Just a few questions to get things started off .. I am sure that some of the guys will have several more before any type of help can be offered.

 

Oil and heat will make lots of smoke!
My first guess is that your high pressure power steering hose is spraying oil onto the rear exhaust. Or, typical rear valve cover oil leak.

 

Might also consider injector o-ring leak. I had a 2002 MR2, a 97 Maxima, and a 92 300ZX TT do that. Popped in a new injector o-ring and the problem was solved.

On the 5th gen Maxima, I think the post above is more likely to have you pointed in the right direction, but I figured I'd offer my suggestion in case it's not.

-Nathan

 

I tried to smell it, but at the time it did not smell like anything to me.

I checked the oil level and trans fluid level, and they are fine.

Now that you mention coolant level, I'm thinking back and it might have had a "sweet" smell to it, so I will have to check that today.

The belts are fine.

I do have a set of brand new valve cover gaskets sitting in my garage at the other house if that is what it turns out the be.

Thanks for the input everyone, I'll take a better look at everything today.

 

So the coolant level is low, where should I be looking for a leak back there? I am going to run up to the auto parts store and pick up some coolant.

 

I would think heater hoses off the top of my head, if it's coming from close to the firewall. Other than that, maybe one of the coolant lines that runs through the intake.

Find the coolant runner that sits on the side of the engine just above the transmission (where the coolant temperature sensor is), and follow that back while looking for leak(s).

-Nathan

 

back of the engine? near firewall? maybe the coolant lines running to the IACV? under the throttle body?