White Smoke From Exhaust

[lows_13]

I was sitting in my car while it was idling and the car was parked, 2 mins later i put it into reverse

and notice in the mirror that when i gave it a rev to reverse there was white smoke from behind the car.

So i reversed out of the park and got onto the main road, there was still white smoke coming out the exhaust. I gave it a good boost in 2nd, a lot more white smoke came out, but then it stopped after that. I got home and let it idle for about 5mins and the gave it a few revs, but no smoke came out. This it the first time this has happened and it seems like its a once off. What caused this?

Edited September 11, 2006 by lows_13

[Bo0oSt]

hmm isnt white smoke usualy because water or moisture is leaking into the motor ?

[Mid_Nite_R33]

I had the same thing happen to me one morning, when I was starting the engine it was struggling to start and then the white smoke came when it did start for about 5 minutes.

Not sure if thats relevant but a day before i had my rear muffler changed for a new stock muffler....

this never occured again.

[AlexCim]

Hot exhaust gasses and cold exhausts causes the condensation of water and production of some steam.

Its perfectly normal. The only time you worry is if you get that white smoke ALL the time. Then its your head.

When you change muffers/exhausts they are coated in manufacturing chemicals which neeed to be burnt off. This can cause smoke/smelling for a few days until its all melt/burnt off.

[lows_13]

It happened at about 10.30am this morning, i had already driven the car for about 15mins, so it was all warmed up. I stopped to pick some stuff up, re-started the car and let it idle for a little bit this is when the problem occured.

[Mid_Nite_R33]

well my muffler smelt funny when it was just put on, thats normal, but the smoke came the next day or so.......

[lows_13]

How much smoke came out of your car Mid_Nite_R33?

Just a little or heaps?

[lows_13]

I've also found that every month or so when i check my oil catch can

its got about a cup of water in it, no oil just water (light brown colour).

But the coolant level is always full, so where is it coming from?

[Dobz]

sound like your valve stem seals are a bit shagged

iv seen the same problem but on a turbo CA18, it would sit there idling for about 4-5min then i could say hi to mr smokey McSmoke and then once you start driving again it will go away.

the reason is because when you sit idling for so long with the manifold under max. vacuum the worn stem seals slowly allow oil past them creating white smoke when the engine burns it

it goes away because when your driving there isnt enough vacuum to keep sucking oil past the stem seals but having said that you'll know if there completely shagged when the white smoke doesn't go away and the EPA are sending you fines.

one good excuse is that your james bond's love child and you had to use the smoke screen to avoid capture by the KGB

as for the water in the catch can..... its normal to have water condensation and a little bit of oil in it

[lows_13]

This is the first time the smoke problem has occured, i ever let the car sit idle for 10 mins afterwards, but the problem didn't occur again.

[Guest 40th-edition]

Water in catch can is ushally condensation in your oil... and when heated up it goes up and into catch can.

quite alright

[japwpn]

i had similar prob only my car did it randomly mostly wen i was pulled up and idleing thinking it was the turbo i upgraded mine to a r33 ser 2 only to find it still did it i worked it out it was the oil catch can filter it got clogged and was causing it if u got a catch can with filter have alook at that sounds silly but yea

[lows_13]

I replaced my O2 sensor, that fixed my idle problem.

But i'm having to re-fill the coolant level all the time.

Is this a sign of a blown head gasket?

[Sydneykid]

I replaced my O2 sensor, that fixed my idle problem.

But i'm having to re-fill the coolant level all the time.

Is this a sign of a blown head gasket?

When the engine is cold, leave the radiator cap off, start it and watch for bubbles in the radiator.

Bubbles = blown head gasket.

Give it a liitle rev, lots of bubbles = big blown head gasket

cheers

[FORZA-MOTORSPORT]

Check you dipstick colour and under your oil cap, if they are milky then you have a headgasket leak, is the car running on 6 cylinders or is it idling like it has a slight cam? Also check the bubbles in the top of tha radiator wen u rev her like sydney said, is she getting hot?

[lows_13]

Car has been running at normal temp.

Oil in normal colour.

[The Mafia]

When the engine is cold, leave the radiator cap off, start it and watch for bubbles in the radiator.

Bubbles = blown head gasket.

Give it a liitle rev, lots of bubbles = big blown head gasket

cheers

SK is right on the money. You are a fool if you choose not to listen to him.

[685]

i have the same problem as 'low'. i noticed today,..after driving for about 30mins...i gave it a boot from the lights, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and when i hit 5th.. heard a huge backfire..and out poured the 'white' smoke..to me it looked like transparent white smoke..almost like what STEAM looks like. im runnin 10psi, turbo back zorst and fmic.

the smoke doesnt stop until i switch the car off..but after i start it again, its alright..no smoke..and i can comfortably hit boost without any 'white' smoke.

this isnt the 1st time it has happened. i have noticed this happens when i hold the boost on 4th and 5th.

i have done compression test both times of the 1st two times. both came with similar results.

any ideas?

thank you!

[jazza08]

My car blows alittle bit of white smoke but this is due to a small leak in the oil seal on the turbo! Never did it before the turbo and i cbf takin it off to replace the seal just for a small bit of white smoke after you hammer it hard!

Might not be that big of a problem, as has been said SK knows his stuff and blown head gasket is fairly simple to to detect

[lows_13]

I tried the radiator test, but no bubbles.

I've still got this problem