Engine degreased, now smoking

[leeor_net]

Sprayed the back and side of the engine after pulling off the tensioner (bad bearing on pulley). Let it sit for a few minutes, then used a real light jet of water to rinse it all off. Did not spray the front end of engine, did not spray alternator, plug coils or air intake.

After putting the tensioner back on with the belt, started the engine to let it warm up and dry. Heard a 'puff', engine slowed down for a sec then went back to sounding normal.

Smoke started coming out the back of the engine near where the manifold bolts on. At first it was just a small amount and didn't smell like anything, then afterward more started to come out and it started smelling like really hot oil (exhaust gasses that haven't gone through cat?)

Going to pull off the manifold cover to make sure I didn't end up cracking the manifold.

I'm just wondering, now, if it's safe to run this engine as is and get it into a mechanic tomorrow morning. Is it possibly the exhaust manifold gasket? If it is that ought to be a simple fix.

[leeor_net]

Just wanted to post an update.

Turns out the smoke was from a little degreaser that was still wet underneath the exhaust manifold heat shield. I'm still not sure what the puff and the engine slowdown was but the engine is running normally and the smoke cleared up after the rest of the degreaser burned off (degreaser was made with petroleum based products which explains the burned oil smell also).

Any ideas on what that puff was? To me it sounded like a gasket blowing out but would that cause the engine to hesitate for a second?

[landphil]

The "puff" could have been a simple missfire, possibly from water . If it's running fine now, I woudn't worry.

[leeor_net]

Yeah, I was beginning to think misfire especially after I noticed a little water puddled around the fuel injectors (blew that out with compressed air after I saw it). But yeah, definitely running fine now. Still going to keep an ear out for any other abnormal noise but I doubt a simple degreasing on the rear side of the engine would have done any damage.