A quick question about White Smoke

[-DSM2NR-]

Is the only possible cause of white smoke a blown headgasket or the weather or might a car be blowing white smoke just because it needs a good tune?

 

[Quasimondo]

Does it blow white smoke only when it's warmed up?

 

[TheRealist]

If its white smoke "Like my car was blowing out" it could be a blown head gasket or cracked head, in my case i blew gasket, and also could be a cracked block but i highly dought that.

by the way right on on your eclipse bro 97 are the best

 

[-DSM2NR-]

I'm not the one having problem with white smoke. My friend is. I just wanted to find out more about this and try to help him out.
Thanks for the responses so far, anybody else have some info for me?

 

[dedlewamp]

Yup, most likey a headgasket. Check for oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil. A bad tune will usually blow black sooty smoke. You can also do a compression test, to check.

 

[jking29]

White smoke is almost always coolant leaking internally. First step is a compression test. It will tell you where to look. My guess is you will find 1 or 2 cylinders low. If you find any low cylinders, its time to pull the head.

 

[MrBoxx]

Before all that, check your turbo for shaft play and pull off your lower intercooler pipe/hose and check for oil. Pull off the intake and try to wiggle the compressor wheel: up and down, side to side, and in and out. A very small amount of wiggle is okay, a lot of wiggle is not.

A blown seal in the turbo can cause oil to be released into the intake tract and gets burned by the engine, usually forming a grayish or white smoke. I know, everyone knows oil burns bluish, but in this case, it's more gray. It's easy to check and be sure, though.

 

[Booster-Shot]

If your car is smoking due to a bad tune does that mean you are running too rich or can that be the case if you are running too lean as well?

 

[MrBoxx]

Running rich will cause black smoke in most cases. Unburned fuel burns black/dark gray.

 

[dsmpokolm]

I agree with jking29. white smoke means that you are burning coolant and black smoke means you are burning oil. Follow through with the compression test and that should let you know whether or not you need to pull the head off. Good luck that will be a big job.

 

[-DSM2NR-]

the car doesn't smoke alot. It lets out white smoke just a little. I don't know if that makes any difference.......

 

[MrBoxx]

Didst thou check thy turbo for shaft play yet?

Under what conditions does it smoke? Constantly, after shifts, WOT, only at idle?

 

[majik2k5]

I agree with jking29. white smoke means that you are burning coolant and black smoke means you are burning oil. Follow through with the compression test and that should let you know whether or not you need to pull the head off. Good luck that will be a big job.

Black smoke means you are running too rich, not burning oil. Blue smoke indicates burning oil. A bad turbo can cause white smoke, as can a head gasket. Do the usual checks for the car. Compression, shaft play, and coolant in the oil or vice versa. Then let us know what you find out.