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It’s normal to see a small puff of white smoke coming from your tailpipe when starting your car after it sits overnight — it’s only water vapor. You may also see steam rising from under the hood on a rainy day as water burns off the radiator or exhaust.
Why does my car smoke when I first start it up?
Usually it’s due to worn piston rings or wear on the cylinders themselves. The valves sit right on top of the cylinders and when the seals are worn out, oil leaks into the combustion chambers and burns together with the fuel. Sometimes after a car has been parked for a while, blue smoke is noticeable on start up.
Why does white smoke come out of my exhaust when I start it?
When your car sits outside, especially overnight, condensation can build up inside of the exhaust system. Starting your car will warm that condensation, turning it into steam. As the exhaust system warms up, the condensation will disappear, and the white steam along with it.
Why does my car smoke when I turn it on?
Many times, this thick smoke is due to the likes of a blown head gasket, damaged cylinder, or a cracked engine block, which is causing coolant to burn. Thick white exhaust smoke usually indicates a coolant leak, which could cause overheating and put your engine at a serious risk of damage.
Is white smoke on cold start normal?
1 Answer. @thedean , Dean, 5w20 oil is fine, Some white smoke at start up from cold engine is fairly normal and will dissipate (stop) for the most part after engine and exhaust has warmed up to operating temperature. If you notice you are low on coolant or having to add coolant then there could be an issue.
Why is my car smoking but not overheating?
The most common answer to, “Why is my car smoking but not overheating?” is that there’s a type of fluid that’s landed on the engine. This can be motor oil, fuel, transmission fluid, coolant, or even condensation. It can cause your engine to smoke because it’s burning off that fluid from the engine.
Can low coolant cause white smoke?
One of the main causes of white exhaust smoke and coolant loss is a cracked or warped cylinder head, a cracked engine block, or head gasket failure caused by overheating. Checking for a low coolant level in the reservoir is the first step in determining if coolant loss is causing the white exhaust smoke.
How do I fix white smoke from exhaust?
This generally happens because of a cracked or leaking head gasket, which allows coolant to seep into your cylinders. In extreme cases, you will need to replace your head gasket. At the first sign of white smoke you can try head gasket repair treatment to seal the leak before you do serious damage to your engine.
Does low oil cause white smoke?
Low engine oil is indicated by low level on your DIPSTICK! low engine oil does not cause white smoke… quite the opposite! White smoke is caused by oil burning in your combustion chamber, probably due to persistently running your engine at very low level causing premature excessive wear on the rings.
What does GREY smoke mean?
White smoke can often mean material is off-gassing moisture and water vapor, meaning the fire is just starting to consume material. Grey smoke can indicate that the fire is slowing down and running out of materials to burn.
Can transmission cause smoke?
Automatic transmission failure can be another source of smoke in your tailpipe. If your automatic transmission system is leaking fluid into your engine, the fluid will start to burn and create light gray smoke. A professional auto repair appointment will be necessary to remedy your transmission fluid problem.
Is it safe to drive a smoking car?
It depends on the source of the smoke. If the smoke is from engine oil dripping onto a hot exhaust manifold, you could end up with an engine fire. Smoke is serious so the bottom line is unless you know exactly why it’s smoking there is no other prudent course but to just not drive the vehicle until it’s repaired.
Can dirty oil cause car to smoke?
However, if you notice that you have blueish smoke coming from your exhaust, it’s a sign that there’s something wrong. Generally, blue smoke is caused by oil seeping into the engine and being burned along with the fuel. Your engine will be low on oil, as well.
What are the signs of a blown head gasket?
Bad head gasket symptoms White smoke coming from the tailpipe. BUBBLING IN THE RADIATOR AND COOLANT RESERVOIR. unexplained coolant loss with no leaks. Milky white coloration in the oil. Engine overheating.
Does white smoke always mean blown head gasket?
If you check your dipstick and discover a pasty white substance, you definitely have head gasket damage. White smoke billowing out of your exhaust means that coolant is likely leaking into the cylinders.
Can you drive a car with white smoke?
White Smoke It could be overheating, and if it is, you need to stop driving as soon as you can. You could end up seriously damaging your vehicle if you choose to just ignore it. If the smoke smells sweet, then there is an issue with your coolant.
