• I posted a couple of weeks ago about my lights dimming when I roll up the windows - suspected battery problem.

    Today I go to start the car before a big journey and it doesn't start. Shite. Probably a battery problem I think, so I go and buy one of those lithium jump starters so I can get it going to make it to a garage for a new battery.

    I charged the thing up and tried to start the car and it doesn't work. It seemed like it struggled to turn over and it almost started going but not quite. After maybe 10 gos with the jump starter it eventually starts, but it's running pretty shittily and after a minute I notice that there's some really horrible burning-smoky-smelling fumes building up. Jumped out of the car and had a look at the back and there's a bit (not a lot) of smoke coming out the exhaust. Last time it started, I did note that the exhaust was smelling particularly petrol-y, but didn't really think much of it. This time it's a nastier smoky metallic smell.

    Had a look under the bonnet and noticed this peculiar spray/leak looking thing on the engine cover.

    Guess I'm going to sign up for AA or whoever tomorrow but what am I likely to be in for here?

  • Looks like something is leaking onto the belt below and that’s flicking it up like that. Get a torch and have a poke around.
    Using your phone to record a video with the camera light on can be a handy way of getting a look at the hard to reach places too.

  • Had a check - looks like the belt runs the opposite direction so the fluid is probably not from there. The spray had dried up this morning so I suspect it was most likely water but possibly some other volatile fluid. No noticeable dripping or leaking.

    It must have come from somewhere obviously... so I guess I'll need to investigate at a later date

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