Steering Column Smoke

1329 Views 6 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Alleggerita, Mar 9, 2011

velocedoc

Discussion Starter · Sep 20, 2007

I encountered the other day while driving my wifes spider a puff of white smoke that came from the steering column after I was straightening out from a corner turn. Now the wife last night said she was getting on the freeway and a white puff of smoke came from the column again after she turned the corner. Now she won't drive the car until I resolve the problem. I already changed out the turn signal unit a few months ago. Any thoughts on this one?

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ghnl

· #2 · Sep 20, 2007

Does the horn button work? Perhaps the horn wire is shorting out?

Is there any evidence of smoking under the hood? Perhaps some smoke (oil leak into the exhaust manifold?) is finding its way up the column. Maybe cornering encourages/allows a bit of oil to slop/splash onto the manifold?

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rogerspeed

· #3 · Sep 20, 2007

Two thoughts from personal experience. The cancel/return spring could be broken or have come unhooked, if it is flopping arround it can short out terminals. If that is not the problem, although some frown on the proceedure, I have found spray soaking the unit, in place, with WD-40, cures most problems. You have to put newspaper or plastic on the floor to catch the run-off. It has worked for me on several different 105/115 units.

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velocedoc

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 21, 2007

Horn does work, but I know of the terminal you are talking about, but it is sheilded from shorting to the steering column.

I was thinking it is the return spring shorting out on the column from the lack of grease. I might have to pull the lower unit and regrease the spring. If nothing else, it would be a good idea to check it, to see if it tight. Last time I checked there was enough tension on it. I like to use Sil-glyde for this part.

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Tifosi

· #5 · Sep 21, 2007

My pet theory is a wire finally going to short after being crushed while putting the clamshell column cover back on when the turn signal unit got changed.

Unless of course you don't have a column cover on it.....

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John M

· #6 · Sep 21, 2007

I second Roger's thoughts on the return spring loose grounding one of the stalk terminals to the steering column.

Best Regards,

John M

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Alleggerita

· #7 · Mar 9, 2011

Indicator return spring is a likely candidate. I had one that broke and it ended up glowing red and yanked it out with my bare hand as I was worried that it was gonna burn down my GTA ... ouch. I have removed the return spring on every Alfa I own since.

velocedoc said:
Horn does work, but I know of the terminal you are talking about, but it is sheilded from shorting to the steering column.

I was thinking it is the return spring shorting out on the column from the lack of grease. I might have to pull the lower unit and regrease the spring. If nothing else, it would be a good idea to check it, to see if it tight. Last time I checked there was enough tension on it. I like to use Sil-glyde for this part.

Save

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