Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Smoke in the cab....

[Loghead]

Today, while plowing through 3 or 4 foot snowdrifts, I began smelling smoke in the cab.

I had just finished one particularly heavy push and I was backing up to go again when I could see smoke near the floor on the passengers side of the cab.

I hopped out to have a look under the truck; seeing no sign of fire underneath, I opened the passenger door and the smoke had begun to dissipate (I always plow with the rear slider open, else it gets too warm, and it's easier to see when backing up with the slider open).



I uneasily finished the job, wondering if there was some electrical problem, and maybe there is, but I'm also wondering:



Given that I was pushing the truck pretty hard (running in low gear, 4H, tach at about 2500 at times), is it possible that the turbocharger was heating up, causing the years of oil etc. on the firewall insulation to smoke and then go through the heater intake and into the cab?



Truck is a '97 2500, AT.



Any thoughts on the matter would be welcome.

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

Just a thought - Maybe your turbo or exhaust pipe got really hot. Check under the truck cab and follow the exhaust system from the turbo back for any body paint scorching - and if you see a suspicious area pull the carpet up in that area to see if the under pad got toasted.

 

[fkovalski]

Just a reaction reply off the cuff... .

... is it possible that you were smelling one thing and seeing another? Is it possible you were smelling AT fluid burning by over working the trans... and seeing steam (from snow collecting around the underside of the exhaust?) I am not accusing nor flaming... just trying to dissect and understand (not having been there) from your words...

I have been in situations where snow has been so deep that it turned to steam in an instance and it looked like smoke. It was mostly on the outside and only lasted for a short while as steam dissipates quickly. Perhaps you seeing one thing and seing another?

 

[Loghead]

Hey, it could be anything; that's why I asked... . just don't use the word "flame", it sceers me .



I need to get behind the seats and remove a bunch of junk that the previous owner put in there:

Speaker boxes for 10" woofers, and an amplifier w/ all associated wiring. I should have done this already, seeing as how any guy moronic enough to think he needs a living room stereo system in a truck cab probably lacks the brains (or shook them numb) to do a proper wiring job.



I also wondered if maybe some critters built a nest or something between the chassis and exhaust system, and it finally lit up.



All I know at this point is that I'd better find out what the trouble is before it snows again.

 

[Allnew2Me]

In my old Ford truck I was driving down the freeway when I got a cab full of smoke. It turned out to be the HVAC blower fan burning up one of the windings. Check to see if you have all the speeds on your fan, if not you may have lost one of them.

 

[Loghead]

I'm a fan of the fan motor idea...



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