White smoke from exhaust?

[GSTjordan831]

About once or twice a day white smoke comes out of the exhaust. It mostly happens when I start up the car, it can be any time during the day and any weather. Sometimes it happens when I'm stopped like at a drive through or stoplight. Except it doesn't do it all day just about 1 or 2 times randomly through out the day. One of my trusted colleagues said it doesn't smell like gas so I really don't know what it can be, can anybody help?

 

[Mech Addict]

I had an audi biturbo, and it lost a turbo oil seal, and it was like the James Bond smoke screen. Perhaps yours is just starting to go. Might check for oily residue in the intake and exhaust. Might possibly be valve stem seals, which do leak more under vacuum, but not boost. Either way, sounds like oil getting where it shouldn’t.

 

[ThunderChild]

White smoke would be coolant. It usually smells sweet when burned, like syrup.

Might want to check the throttle body for any green, sticky residue, could be the FIAV seal leaking. Are you losing any coolant?

 

[Widgmaster]

I'm in total agreement with ThunderChild . White smoke is a sign of coolant leaking past the head gasket . You can do a pressure test.on your rad to see which cylinder is leaking.The only fix for that is a new head gasket. Don`t trust any of that stop leak crap..That would cause you more problems down the road . Trust me.. I speak for experience . been there , done that and had to have the engine rebuilt from the heads up.

 

[spyderdrifter]

If it was a turbo oil seal, you'd be getting a blueish smoke, not white. As the last 2 guys said, it's coolant related. Your trusted friend may not be the greatest at diagnostics. Check your oil for a possible mix with coolant, and check your coolant for possible oil. It can go both ways. Also check the water pump o-ring, and the coolant lines running to the oil cooler part of the OFH.

 

[Lou98GSX]

do a leak down test and with the radiator cap off see which cylinder is causing the antifreeze to rise .if the antifreeze starts to rise then you know you have a head gasket leaking .

 

[jimsgsx]

My car was EXACTLY same. Was the valve seals. Changed em, my issues all went away.
I had white smoke too.