If you have knocking from the engine and smoke from the exhaust then you have far more problems than the car just not starting. Sick professional help immediately.
Doesn't have to be anything wrong. Some condensation is a natural result of the combustion process.
You may have a blown head gasket.
I get knocking & ping noise coming from the fuel injectors
That wig stuff could be fiberglass used for absorbing sound but it shouldn't be coming out.
the reason you here noise from your muffler are because less pressure from your engine is going fast.
The smoke from your muffler has a smell because what is coming out of the muffler is the products of the incomplete combustion of your fuel. Some of those products are gases and vapors that have color and some are dark but small particles - that is what you call smoke. But some of what comes out are various chemicals that your nose detects as odors.
Replace If it has a hole or leak in it, replace it. A leaking muffler is a very dangerous thing. I know, I had a very serious accident from a leaking muffler. Carbon Monxide is a odorless, tasteless, killer. It put me to sleep and I never saw it coming. I did however wake up just in time to see the tree coming, and was unable to miss it. Spent 2 weeks in the hospital over a $20 muffler. Get yourself a new muffler.
If there's a hole in the muffler, you will begin to hear a loud roaring noise when you drive. You also will notice toxic fumes coming out from the muffler. These fumes can cause headaches, dizziness, and other health problems when inhaled.
Maybe the muffler is bad.
Varies from car to car. Is it just the muffler or are the pipes a problem? Find out where the noise is coming from, check for holes, black soot or just air coming out. Be careful, it might be hot, expecially the converter & front pipe sections.
if it sounds like the knocking is coming from the bottom of the engine i would bet it was the rods or rod bearings may be worn. if the knocking is on the top ,then i would have the lifters and or the rocker arms checked.
a mechanic heard a rattling under my 95 and said it was a small hole in my muffler pipe and it will get bigger if i dont weld it but someone else said the pipe was loose and knocking on the clamp 50k ago, I had to remove the heat shields from the catalytic converters. Took care of it!