White smoke

[gerudas11]

So whenever I start my car I get a nice white smoke that comes out of the exhaust Just curious why it does that.
does not smell like coolant is coming out more like gas is it just because its running rich or something else?

[Max777]

Umm, is it hard to start? Mine does that... but for quite a while, like 10min or so untill it warms up. My smoke is pretty damn heavy, and since I have a coolant leak, I'm pretty shure it's a seal since there is never any puddles under the car or anything.

The way it was explained to me is that the leaking coolant seal leaks coolant into your combustion chamber, and on start-up there is white smoke. Then, as the engine warms up, the seal expands and the leak stops... this supposedly gets worse and worse as time goes by.


NOTE: My engine has 144,000 miles on it, was poorly maintenanced by the PO, has a gas smell in the oil (with like 300miles on an oil change) coolant leak, oil in coolant, does not start when engine is hot, has a terrible idle, and the clutch is slipping. I also think that the fuel filter is WAY overdue for a change.

[gerudas11]

wow see there is not coolant smell in my exhaust so I don't think its that now it could be failing but i really dont know

[RETed]

Coolant is going to smell sweet.

Gas / oil is going to smell totally different.

Check the spark plugs to see how everything is burning if you can't tell the difference between burning oil or too much fuel...


-Ted

[My5ABaby]

Is it just a bit at startup or does it continually smoke?

[BLKTOPTRVL]

Another thing to check...


After the engine is warmed up and the white smoke has stopped, find a long downhill slope
put the car in a gear lower than normal so that the engine will brake the car slightly as you come down the hill
at the bottom of the hill, press the gas pedal while looking out the rear mirror (if you have any trouble with looking out the windsheild at the same time you are looking in the rear-view, then get someone else in the car to look for you)


Try this a few times, and if on acceleration from the coasting you see a cloud of white smoke, this probably means you are due soon for an engine rebuild. I always saw this condition within a few thousand miles of my engine popping.

[Phoenix7]

I'm with max777 right now.

take a pic or video.

DO you have an NA or turbo?

[gerudas11]

Sorry it took so long to get a video here it is
its an N/A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CEC3I_XBTk

[Phoenix7]

video freezes.

[My5ABaby]

video freezes.
Video works fine for me, there's just nothing to see.

OP, try some better lighting. Your exhaust is in the shadows.

[Max777]

Dude, thats NOTHING! Yuo should have seen how MY exhaust belched out!

IT was like a dome pipe for 10 min, with solid smoke pouring out for the first 2 min, and then lessening up a bit, but still smoking untill the car got fully warm.

[gerudas11]

well tomorrow morning I'll try to do another vid. I mean it doesn't smoke forever but that video is after it's been drivin throughout the day. it has a coolant smell at first for like a second when it starts up then its just a real rich smell

[Phoenix7]

do a vid when the car is cold for more shock value.

[MidnightOwl]

Gah, you should have seen when my turbo was bad. It was about 613x worse.

[gerudas11]

Yeah but its an na. My buddy blew a head gasket in his supra and it just blew smoke everywhere it was wild. so here is a new video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUx-9k1mnQw

[Phoenix7]

doesn't look too bad. Damaged, yes, but not as bad as I've experienced. I d on't see what the head gasket/supra comment is about though. Start saving for a rebuild. Keep your eye on the coolant and retire the car when it continuously spews white smoke after it's warmed up.

[gerudas11]

okay cool the guy posted about his turbo and his motor pouring out 613x more thats what the whole supra thing is about

[TehMonkay]

Coolant smell COULD be a slightly leaky heater core, unless you eactually smell it coming out from the exhaust.

[gerudas11]

when i first start it it smells from the exhaust then smells like its burning rich I also have moisture in the oil cap.

[Phoenix7]

is it burning rich? How old is your O2 sensor?

how much moisture in the oil cap?

[gerudas11]

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk98/gerudas11/0520081204.jpg
http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk98/gerudas11/0520081204a.jpg

[rotoriousrx7]

my turbo does the same thing but just within the first 10 seconds of it running but its no where near as bad as yours. mines do to fuel map on start up.