White Smoke on Startup

[SYNFULL]

I get a blast of this everytime the car has been sitting at least overnight. I am hoping it is just the water/**** that is spraying some moisture in the intake on statup. Anyone have this with the w/m setup or should I be more concerned?

Thanks
Gary

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Add more water and don't pack so tight....

 

[SYNFULL]

Damn dude you made that up in about 2 min.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Could be a slow head gasket leak when the motor cools and contracts pulling the water in. Would probably have it looked at before there is a bigger issue.

 

[alpine7822]

There we go getting all serious again.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

What should I have said maybe it's just left over Bon* water?

There we go getting all serious again.

 

[alpine7822]

Good one...but we do appreciate the insight you give us when it comes to our snakes! Just giving you a hard time.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Ya I know

 

[99 R/T 10]

If it is a slow leak, can it be stopped by re-torquing all the head bolts to the maximum?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

NO!!!!!!

Sorry

If it is a slow leak, can it be stopped by re-torquing all the head bolts to the maximum?

 

[dave6666]

A couple of checks...

Is it one pipe or both? A head gasket leak or valve seal leak would show up on just the problem side. Unless you have 2 problem sides. The water/**** issue would be common to both sides unless you inject into each manifold runner separately.

Start the car with a piece of cardboard right near the exhaust outlet. Burned oil is smoke and will not spot the cardboard. Water/coolant/**** is a vaporized liquid and should spot the cardboard.

 

[SYNFULL]

Dave- I will check that out and see if it is both pipes also.
Thanks

 

[Mccarlin]

generally it's the valve seals leaking when you see white smoke on startup and then goes away after the engine warms. It's the head gasket if its the opposite, white smoke after the engine warms up, not on startup.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Wouldn't valve seals leak oil? (blue) and not coolant (white)

generally it's the valve seals leaking when you see white smoke on startup and then goes away after the engine warms. It's the head gasket if its the opposite, white smoke after the engine warms up, not on startup.

 

[dave6666]

Wouldn't valve seals leak oil? (blue) and not coolant (white)

That might be breaking the color spectrum down a little too much for a guy sitting in his car having a *** moment!

Really though, I've alway considered oil smoke to be white. Can't say I've ever seen coolant smoke. At least knowing it was coolant.

 

[johnk]

It's the head gasket if its the opposite, white smoke after the engine warms up, not on startup.

However, when the car sits and cools, coolant can be drawn into a cylinder or cylinders. If the leak is bad enough, not only will it blow white smoke/steam on startup, but it can hydrostatic lock the motor. As me how I know....

 

[SYNFULL]

I just had all the seals replaced with viton seals. I hope it isn't that. Also new gaskets. It only lasts for like 2 seconds and then it's gone. Is it possible that it's the water/****? I think I read that it does prime when you turn the key on. I guess that's a question for Sean Roe.
Thanks

 

[Simms]

I just had all the seals replaced with viton seals. I hope it isn't that. Also new gaskets. It only lasts for like 2 seconds and then it's gone. Is it possible that it's the water/****? I think I read that it does prime when you turn the key on. I guess that's a question for Sean Roe.
Thanks

It's just a quick little prime. I wouldn't think it would be enough to make the car smoke, but I could be wrong.

Any type of smell to the smoke?

 

[Steve-Indy]

I believe that one will find that Mobil 1 gives a whitish smoke vs. the blueish smoke of non-synthetics.

 

[TAXIMAN1]

head gasket.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Have you lost any radiator fluid?

 

[SYNFULL]

No, I just checked both spots. I put a white t-shirt over the pipes when I started it this morning. There was nothing on the shirt when I took removed it. Don't know exactly what that means?

 

[SoCal Rebell]

Is it an early 2000?

 

[dave6666]

No, I just checked both spots. I put a white t-shirt over the pipes when I started it this morning. There was nothing on the shirt when I took removed it. Don't know exactly what that means?

Well, the white t-shirt wasn't entirely the right tool, but if it was black it would have told you you're running rich.

Don't think you're investigating black smoke right now.

The t-shirt is too porous/wrong color to catch anything else. That's why I suggested cardboard. Like maybe the brown corrugated kind. You might have to have someone hold it for you while the car is started, or tape it to something to hold it.

And if the white smoke only lasts a few seconds, you'll need to be moving quick to see if anything splattered on it like water vapor etc. The hot exhaust gas will dry it if it gets wet very quickly.

Might best be a 2 man job.

The mention of smell was also a good one. Burning oil and water vapors ain't the same when it comes to a sniff test.

Once again, might need someone standing back there when the car is started to catch a quickie whiff.