Smoke from engine bay

[CNHSS1]

Oh and power steerings for girls

[SST_Ti]

It did seem to smell like oil smoke rather than steam from the coolant, but from what I could see with the heatshield in place the solid metal pipes to the turbo looked very corroded.

I'll check out that pipe on the header tank, I had the same problem with my Quantum kit car. There is a small water leak from somewhere up front and the heater doesn't work, plus the gauge is showing that the engine seems to be running very cool (about quater way). I suspect the thermostat has been removed or is jammed open.

[alundra]

Color of smoke? Smell? Fluids level?
If i was you, i'll put something under the motor, start the engine, open the hood, drink a can and localise the area of smoke and area of fluid.

[CNHSS1]

the temp thing could be the guage mismatched to the sendor. The nissan senders make the guage read very cool, normal is just below halfway generally, although they all vary somewhat, Good ol Reliant... Think you need a metro sendor to suit the dash.
If its oil smoke check that the turbo castings arent caked in oil cos even if you cure the leak, itll still smoke but you wont know it. Remove the two heat shields (main one and smaller one underneath/near chassis rail) and have a good look from underneath. A good steam cleam may well make the daignosis a hell of a lot easier.
Its a Ford header tank, so probably very similar to those used on your Quantum.
Difficult to tell if the heaters are working anyway! they are poor. If cars used infrequently as most scims are, then the heater matrix will be full of shit. Put some of that rad clean in the secondary filler cap (nearest thermostat) and use for a few days, then flush the whole system throughly with the garden hose and then fluch the heater matrix again separately with the garden hose connected first to the inlet stub ( pokes thru the bulkhead next to heater blower under bonnet), then repeat on the exit stub and reverse flush it. Makes a big difference. Stops hotspots too. Refill with good antifreeze (50/50 water a/freeze) suitable for an alloy head.
thermostats rarely stick (its the nissan bits that are reliable!) but they are only a few quid anyway.

[SST_Ti]

Cheers for the advice, I'll check it all out over the weekend.

Tha car has only done 8000 miles in the last 7 years and then only in the summer so the matrix is probably sludged up.