White smoke from exhaust on startup,....normal?

[uno]

Ok in the mornings when i start my car, i have white smoke that comes out of my exhaust...is this due to my gutted cat or what...and it's not steam it has a smell to it kind of

[F1GT]

you're burning oil...
[img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

[uno]

but my oil level didn't change...but my coolant level did
so how do i fix it?
edit:
i thought white smoke was coolant and blue smoke was oil

[ May 02, 2002: Message edited by: uno ]</p>

[Patrick Javert]

yes, it can be expected. older rings take longer to seal up because the older they get, the more heat needs to be used to prevent blow-by. don't worry unless it's a lot of smoke for a long time afetr it's warmed up. My dad's 1970 porsche 911T spews out a good amount of smoke at start up until it's warmed up for about 5 minutes.

[uno]

cool
i thought i read somewhere that it was normal
but yeah it's only for like 30 seconds if that long

[Shadly]

Burning oil is usually blue. Burning antifreeze is usually white. Sounds like coolant leaking into the combustion chamber. Might be a head gasket. Any oil in the water/water in the oil/ unusually high temperatures?

[Gandhibrokemyskates]

i'm burning oil in my lil civic.
happens everytime i punch it. and i can smell it pretty heavily.the smoke from the exhaust appeared gray'ish.

changed the oil once..2 weeks later..there was less than a quart left.

[uno]

i'm not burning oil and my car runs cool unless i am sitting then it gets up about 3/4s on the temp thing but then it cools back off...i guess this is normal cause of the fans right? or do i need head gasket changes with 100.000 miles

[F1GT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by uno:

Ok in the mornings when i start my car, i have white smoke that comes out of my exhaust...is this due to my gutted cat or what...and it's not steam it has a smell to it kind of
<hr></blockquote>

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by uno:
cool
i thought i read somewhere that it was normal
but yeah it's only for like 30 seconds if that long<hr></blockquote>

If this is the case, you are burning oil, not coolant.

If this is what you've noticed first thing in the morning and it goes away after the engine warmed up, the problem COULD be clogged oil passages in the cylinder head, which prevents oil in the upper part of the engine from returning to the oil pan overnight. The oil can pool around the valves and work into the combustion chamber when the engine is started again.

How often do you change your oil?? Cuz this is often caused by dirty oil.

But more often the smoke is caused by worn valve seals, valve guides or piston rings, which are common conditions as the engine accumulates high mileage. But yours is just at start up.

If you are burning coolant, check your oil to see if it's milky looking because it "COULD" leak into the lubrication system. If you have this white billowy smoke if could be because coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber. The coolant could be leaking thru the cylinder head gasket or a crack in the cylinder head or block.

[img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

[ May 03, 2002: Message edited by: F1GT ]</p>

[F1GT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by uno:
but my oil level didn't change...but my coolant level did
so how do i fix it?
edit:
i thought white smoke was coolant and blue smoke was oil

[ May 02, 2002: Message edited by: uno ]<hr></blockquote>

White billowy smoke is coolant. Bluish OR grayish smoke is oil.
[img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

[knowledgefreak]

white smoke = water or condensation that is not oil

that is black or blue smoke with rink probs...

no worries it is normal

[F1GT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by knowledgefreak:
white smoke = water or condensation that is not oil

that is black or blue smoke with rink probs...

no worries it is normal<hr></blockquote>

White SMOKE = Coolant
White VAPOR = H20
Black SMOKE = Overly rich air/fuel mixture
[img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]