White smoke
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Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2019
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From: Paris
White smoke
Hello all
I have white smoke very often when idling and sometimes even after the engine is hot. No coolant leak, no oil leak. Coolant level hasn’t change or diminish in the last 4 months after fluid flush and replacement. Any idea ?
I have white smoke very often when idling and sometimes even after the engine is hot. No coolant leak, no oil leak. Coolant level hasn’t change or diminish in the last 4 months after fluid flush and replacement. Any idea ?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Wisconsin
White smoke when hot is usually seeping coolant. How do your exhaust tips look? Does it have an odor?
Last edited by JR-01; Nov 25, 2019 at 10:29 AM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
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From: Paris
I have done 3500 miles in the last 6 months and the exhaust tips are dirty but I presume it is normal. I have to clean them. No odor. Coolant is at max level for the last 6 months.....no leak apparently. Yesterday I bough a product for coolant leak and one for oil leak for preventive measure. Only drove 15 miles since. I will check next WE if it is still smoking white.....
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2018
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From: Kansas
Once the engine is warm - put your hand at the exhaust. If it collects moisture, with a sweet smell - it's coolant. If it's dry - it's probably oil. Oil will be what collects on your exhaust tips.
Last edited by RXTbone; Nov 25, 2019 at 11:10 AM.
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From: Paris
thanks will do the test. I always read that oil don’t cause white smoke but rather blue smoke 🙄
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From: Cape Coral, Florida
White smoke can be also be raw unburned fuel !!...any drivability issues ??..may be stuck open injector !!...watch at 2:10 of video !!
Last edited by C5 Diag; Nov 25, 2019 at 08:10 PM.
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From: Brighton MI
How well does the engine run? If it runs more or less "normally" then the issue is unlikely to be fuel related. An A/F mixture that is far enough off to create smoke (rich usually = black smoke, not white) would typically create a poor running condition.
White smoke that is created by coolant will have a distinct smell...as will blue smoke created by oil burning. I have seen instances where, by sight, the two (white vs blue) are hard to tell apart. But the odor is the giveaway - they don't smell anything alike.
This time of year, where temps are cooler, the white "smoke" that is actually just the normal water vapor byproduct of combustion and moisture in the exhaust system takes a lot longer to go away (more engine run time).
White smoke that is created by coolant will have a distinct smell...as will blue smoke created by oil burning. I have seen instances where, by sight, the two (white vs blue) are hard to tell apart. But the odor is the giveaway - they don't smell anything alike.
This time of year, where temps are cooler, the white "smoke" that is actually just the normal water vapor byproduct of combustion and moisture in the exhaust system takes a lot longer to go away (more engine run time).
Last edited by 4XLR8N; Nov 26, 2019 at 08:56 AM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2019
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From: Paris
How well does the engine run? If it runs more or less "normally" then the issue is unlikely to be fuel related. An A/F mixture that is far enough off to create smoke (rich usually = black smoke, not white) would typically create a poor running condition.
White smoke that is created by coolant will have a distinct smell...as will blue smoke created by oil burning. I have seen instances where, by sight, the two (white vs blue) are hard to tell apart. But the odor is the giveaway - they don't smell anything alike.
This time of year, where temps are cooler, the white "smoke" that is actually just the normal water vapor byproduct of combustion and moisture in the exhaust system takes a lot longer to go away (more engine run time).
White smoke that is created by coolant will have a distinct smell...as will blue smoke created by oil burning. I have seen instances where, by sight, the two (white vs blue) are hard to tell apart. But the odor is the giveaway - they don't smell anything alike.
This time of year, where temps are cooler, the white "smoke" that is actually just the normal water vapor byproduct of combustion and moisture in the exhaust system takes a lot longer to go away (more engine run time).
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From: Cape Coral, Florida
"An A/F mixture that is far enough off to create smoke (rich usually = black smoke, not white)"...4XLR8N... "RAW" unburned fuel will exhibit WHITE smoke...WATCH THE VIDEO !!
Le Mans Master
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From: Brighton MI
"An A/F mixture that is far enough off to create smoke (rich usually = black smoke, not white)"...4XLR8N... "RAW" unburned fuel will exhibit WHITE smoke...WATCH THE VIDEO !!
Wasn't trying to say you were wrong...sorry if you took it that way.
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From: Wisconsin
Moderator, Tech Contributor
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From: Cape Coral, Florida
No worries my friend !!...that is why I had asked if there were any driveability issues...and BTW with a scan tool you might actually see a lean condition...this raw fuel would NOT be seen by the O2 sensor as a rich condition !!...the raw fuel is just taking up space in the combustion chamber !!
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From: DFW TX
bingo - I'll betcha something is screwy there - is that when the issue started?? put pcv system back to stock and see if the issue goes away 
occasional random puffs of white smoke is often something odd in the oiling system letting occasional bursts of oil into the intake...
do not use snake oil products 
best case they do nothing, worst case they cause long term harm...
occasional random puffs of white smoke is often something odd in the oiling system letting occasional bursts of oil into the intake...
best case they do nothing, worst case they cause long term harm...
