IS THIS A PROBLEM? smoke from front scoop

[kee1983]

hi guys. i have a mini cooper s, and ive found that when it rains, there is a lot of smoke coming out of the front scoop! is this normal? please help.

thanks

[LMB]

Yep......it's just steam.

[Paul]

Very common, "dragons breath" is one name for it.

[kee1983]

does this happen to u?

[vickietots]

Totally normal and rather cool!! Have a search on the forum for steam or dragon's breath and you will find a couple of threads about it.

[SimonSJR]

its simple really. think of it like when you breath outside in the cold.
the heat is escaping through the scoop (as the hot air rises) and comes in contact with the cold air.

[LMB]

Quote: Originally Posted by kee1983 (original)

does this happen to u?

Yes.

[Muel]

Nope mine doesnt do it.....

probably because my R56 S Scoop doesnt go anywhere!!!!

[Richard Crofts]

Yep my R53 S does it if its been raining or on motorway and nice and hot in the spray....when you stop and the all the water in the bay in the scoop gets heated by the really hot intercooler it steams out the scoop

[--Mike--]

I had this happen to me and I sat i the car for a bit watching it wondering if everything was alright. Was a little worried!!!

Glad it's not just me that it happens to!

[kee1983]

i know, i was s*&tting myself! my girlfriend said to me, "WHY IS YOURCAR SMOKING?"

i had to pull over a wait a while

[CC07ERS]

is this just from r53s then

[kee1983]

well one guys who has a r56 said hes doesnt do it, but our model does!

[Paul]

The 2nd Gen S doen't have a hole there for steam to come out of.

[..Blackadder..]

Yep mines does the same must say when i first saw it happen i was a worried, not smokin at the moment though its stuck in service at BMW getting the air bag warning light sorted what was to be a 2 day job has turned into a week back order on a part someone somewhere hates me.