I've just gotten a VT Commodore 99 Wagon 3.8 and when I drove it yesterday it started to smoke, I popped the hood and had a look to see where it was coming from but I couldn't really find it, I checked the fuses and relays and the engine cont. relay was quite hot and looked slightly browned on top no other relay was as hot as that one. But I noticed what was being said about the rocker covers and I have had it sitting on a fairly steep driveway would that allow oil to leak from the rocker covers. Any help will be appreciated.
It shouldn't leak. Check around the gasket and see if there has been any seepage. May have been some and it has spilled onto the exhaust manifold.
You stated and solved the problem before anyone has had a chance to post. Oil is leaking onto the exhaust manifold which is creating the smoke. Replace the rocker cover gaskets, make sure the bolts are done up to specified torque, degrease engine bay, allow to dry, take it for a run to see if it's fixed.
Cheers I just wasn't too sure with the relay being so hot but as I said I only got it 10 days ago and wanted a second opinion just to reassure myself.
The relays will get hot being on constantly. They are a small electro magnet with coils of copper wire. So an electric current flowing through a compressed coil of wire = resistance and resistance = heat.
Just a heads up, if you do go and replace any fuses or relays always buy name brand, bosch etc. I had an electrical fault which i couldn't identify so changed over a fuse with some cheap p.o.s from supercrud and nearly set the car on fire.
