Thought my car was burning up!

[jrdavid68]

I got in the 911 to go to work this morning, it was a little chilly, windows all fogged up. Put the defrost on, one notch short of the high setting. After about two or three minutes, the window was getting defogged and as I was ready to pull out, I started to get smoke? steam? streaming out the vents - mostly from the passenger side area including under the glove box and out the A/C vent (A/C not on). What a nasty smell! Although, I can't say it really smelled like smoke or not, more like some really nasty stale cigarette/cigar smoke. I think it was more like steam since it dissapated right away and stopped when I turned the heater off. I rolled the windows down and drove to work without any more problems - no heater.

I am assuming/hoping this is not a huge problem. Normally I park my car in the garage, however, for the last few days it has been outside as I am storing a friend's 914 race car in my garage while their house is getting remodeled. I drove the 911 on Thursday, about 70 - 80 miles round trip - no problems. It was parked since Thursday night - also, Thursday night we had some torrential downpours and more rain on and off over the weekend. I am assuming water got through the grill and into places it shouldn't be. If that is the case, is this something that will dry on its own, or do I need to do something? Of course, when I tried to pop the engine lid this morning, I couldn't get it to release and everyone else had left already so I didn't have anyone to push down on the lid to see if I could get it open that way.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,
JrDavid68
1986 911 Carrera

[wckrause]

Maybe you got some water inside the heat exchangers. They aren't sealed, and can get water (and oil) inside them.

[jrdavid68]

Thanks Bill. So, should I do anything? Or when I get off work today should I roll the windows down, crank the heater on high, turn up the tunes and hit the freeway for awhile to dry it out? Good excuse for some spirited driving!

I also had a friend suggest that my windshield could be leaking a bit and some water got down in the fresh air vents - any thoughts?

Thanks again!
JrDavid68

[wckrause]

If you drive with your heat off, air still gets forced through the heat exchangers but then exits at the flapper boxes rather than entering the cabin. If my heat smells a little, I just turn the heat off for awhile and that usually clears it out.

I don't think a leaking windshield will get water into the ventallation system. Water (and snow) can get into the fresh air plenum, but there is a drain hole that allows water to drain under the car (or into the trunk if it's not connected right).