I have white smoke coming out of exhaust and engine running rough.
I have white smoke coming out of exhaut and engine running rough. Suspect transmission fluid in engine oil in a 2006 tribute. Check engine light is on.
My car has 185000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi There,
It sounds like you may have a failing cylinder head gasket allowing coolant to leak from the water passages into the cylinders resulting in the coolant being burnt in the combustion chamber with the fuel. If this is the case, you may also notice a bit of white smoke coming from your exhaust which is a product of the coolant being turned into a steam like vapor. Lots of white exhaust smoke on start up is usually a sign of a head gasket problem. If the leak is very small, or leaking into adjacent cylinders, there may not be much smoke upon starting up, and yet still enough coolant may be pulled into the combustion chamber(s) to produce a strong sweetish exhaust smell. Generally, over the long run, this particular problem will continue to produce more engine problems. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to inspect your car’s running condition to determine what may be causing the smoke coming from your exhaust.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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White smoke from your exhaust means coolant is exposed to your engine`s combustion process. In most cases, this is the result of a blown head gasket, but a cracked engine block or cylinder head could also be the cause.
White Smoke
The most common cause of this is a blown head gasket, which can quickly lead to an overheating engine. But it could also be due to a cracked cylinder or engine block, making it necessary to replace the engine entirely.
If the burned oil smell is coming from the tailpipe (bluish white smoke), it is a symptom of oil leaking into the combustion chamber, which means it is getting into your exhaust system. The oil is burned in the combustion process with the air and fuel mixture, and pushed out through the exhaust system.
One possible reason for white smoke coming from your car`s exhaust is that the engine is burning oil. This can happen if the oil level in the engine is low or if the oil seal is leaking. If you notice that your car is burning oil, you should take it to a mechanic to have it checked out.
Faulty fuel injector: Another possible cause of excessive white smoke from the exhaust pipe is a bad fuel injector. The injector can leak or become stuck open and deliver too much liquid fuel into the combustion chamber. The excess fuel causes thick white smoke to be produced and released from the exhaust pipe.
White Exhaust Smoke
White smoke billowing out of your exhaust means that coolant is likely leaking into the cylinders. This usually happens when there has been a breach in the head gasket, which makes the coolant create this white steam.
White smoke from the exhaust: This could be steam caused by condensation in the exhaust pipe or a more serious issue caused by an engine coolant leak. Excessive amounts of white smoke could indicate head gasket failure.
White or light gray smoke is usually associated with paper, straw, leaves, or wood.
Thick white exhaust smoke usually indicates a coolant leak, which could cause overheating and put your engine at a serious risk of damage. If this is the case, call our auto repair shop for an inspection immediately.
Light or thin white exhaust smoke is typically water vapor. You`ll notice it the first time you start your car, especially if it`s a cold day. This happens because condensation naturally collects in the exhaust system. Light or thin white exhaust smoke is common in vehicles.
ECU Error. Your Engine Control Unit (ECU) is responsible for the correct timing of the fuel injectors. As with having a faulty fuel injector, incomplete combustion due to incorrect timing results in a white smoke coming out your exhaust.
Black exhaust smoke
“When your exhaust pipe gives off black smoke, one of the things to get worried about are bad or worn out spark plugs. It means fuel burning in the combustion chamber is not being done 100 percent or burnt fully. It also means that air is not being well mixed with fuel to burn effectively.
What you`re describing appears to be caused by a blown head gasket. In most instances, white smoke coming from the exhaust is caused by coolant inside the oil galleys, which typically occurs after an overheating issue or major cooling system failure. This could also be the source of your sluggish performance as well.
What you`re describing appears to be caused by a blown head gasket. In most instances, white smoke coming from the exhaust is caused by coolant inside the oil galleys, which typically occurs after an overheating issue or major cooling system failure. This could also be the source of your sluggish performance as well.
What Should I Do If I See White Smoke Coming From My Exhaust? Most importantly, you should not continue to run the car. If your engine has a gasket failure or a crack, it could lead to further contamination or overheating, which essentially means, “Goodbye, engine.”
The symptoms of too much car oil
If it is overfilled, the following may occur: Dense white smoke – If you drive your car and see plenty of thick, white exhaust smoke, excess oil may be burning within the engine block, although fluids such as antifreeze may also be the culprit.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
I have white smoke coming out of exhaust and engine running rough.
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may have a failing cylinder head gasket allowing coolant to leak from the water passages into the cylinders resulting in the coolant being burnt in the combustion chamber with the fuel. If this is the case, you may also notice a bit of white smoke coming from your exhaust which is a product of the coolant being turned into a steam like vapor. Lots of white exhaust smoke on start up is usually a sign of a head gasket problem. If the leak is very small, or leaking into adjacent cylinders, there may not be much smoke upon starting up, and yet still enough coolant may be pulled into the combustion chamber(s) to produce a strong sweetish exhaust smell. Generally, over the long run, this particular problem will continue to produce more engine problems. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to inspect your car’s running condition to determine what may be causing the smoke coming from your exhaust.
I have white milk coming out of my exhaust pipe but I don’t see it mixing in my oil pan when I check my oil
ANSWER : In most cases, the white smoke is an indicator of coolant finding a way into the combustion chamber. This could happen through a damaged head gasket or a crack in the cylinder head or engine block. Most of the time, this would also be followed by milky oil or overheating problems. However, it could also be a problem with the EGR system, or an extremely rich fuel trim. The best thing to do is have a professional mobile mechanic complete a smoke coming from exhaust inspection, so they can pinpoint the source of your issues and recommend a repair.
Vehicle started running rough while driving. Now running/idling rough running rich.
ANSWER : Hello. From the symptoms you describe, it would appear that your vehicle is having issues with the oxygen sensors. P0172 is the code for bank 1 being too rich. This can be caused by a wide variety of issues. The other two codes are for the sensors on bank 2, having excessively high voltage.
This may be due to the rich condition, faulty oxygen sensors, or faulty wiring. The black smoke and soot is a result of excessive fuel that is not being properly burned, and exiting the tailpipe as smoke. A few common causes for these symptoms are a bad fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, or engine management sensor. As engine management systems can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, I would recommend having the rough idling issue inspected by a professional technician.
I have white smoke coming out of my exhaust pipe. Could it be a bad ccv?
ANSWER : White smoke makes me worry about the head gasket. If there is coolant getting into the combustion chambers, it makes a nasty smelling white smoke Burning coolant can have a very strong smell, from a sweet kind of odor to a harsh acrid smell that burns your eyes and is usually accompanied by overheating. If that’s what you have you need to check for head gasket or manifold gasket problems. Oil smoke can appear whitish-blue and has an oily smell to it. If you have oil smoke, you could have problems in your crankcase ventilation, valve stem seals, or piston rings. Burning oil will foul the plugs and lead to a misfire. You need to get the source of this smoke checked out. It will probably also be the source of your performance problem. If you contact Your Mechanic, you can have a technician come to your home or office to check out your BMW and advise you as to the next step.
White smoke from the engine and smells of rubber with the knocking sound
ANSWER : My guess is that you have a leak somewhere, most likely a coolant leak. Coolant leaking onto a hot engine will immediately result in white smoke. Since you stopped the vehicle before all of the coolant was lost, the vehicle did not overheat. As for the noise, I’m not sure. It could be that the engine fan was running to cool the engine down. Whatever is going on with your vehicle, it sounds quite serious. I suggest you don’t drive it until the knocking sound is inspected by a professional firsthand. YourMechanic is an excellent option since we come to you.
Thick white smoke from exhaust, change thermostat, fan doesn’t come on, top hose stays cold,
ANSWER : Hello, thanks for writing in about your Geo Storm. If you are getting white smoke from the exhaust then you have a blown head gasket or cracked head. I suggest having a certified mechanic, like one from YourMechanic, diagnose the smoke firsthand by pressure testing the cooling system to see if the head gasket is blown.
Car exhaust is giving white smoke when I start the car everyday.
ANSWER : Hi there:
Typically white smoke is an indicator of coolant or liquid other than oil or fuel inside the combustion chambers. This can be caused by a blown head gasket (if you had an overheating issue recently) or simple air to fuel ratio issues caused by a mass air flow sensor or exhaust system sensors not working correctly. The best way to know for certain what’s causing these issues is to have a professional mechanic complete a smoke from engine or exhaust inspection.
Skipping engine, rough idle, shuts off during slow down & idle, overheating, white smoke from exhaust
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may have a couple of separate issues going on here. Overheating can be caused by a number of things such as low coolant levels, a faulty thermostat, a clogged radiator or a failing coolant fan switch. As you may know the coolant fan switch helps to maintain the proper coolant temperature by turning on and off at specific temperature thresholds. When this switch is not working properly, this can cause the fans to come on intermittently, all the time or sometimes not at all. When this happens you will notice a temperature spike and drop occasionally as the fan comes on and off. When your thermostat is not working properly or is stuck closed, this will not allow the coolant to properly circulate through the engine, which may cause the engine temperature to fluctuate erratically or in some cases just remain hot. You may also have a water pump that is beginning to fail. Water pumps often times will begin to produce a bit of a whining sound when they are starting to fail. A common problem also associated with this is the water pump may begin to leak around the water pump shaft due to the seal being damaged. In addition to leaking around the pump, you may have a leak elsewhere in the cooling system coming from one of the hoses going to or from the radiator.
The rough idle and shutting off at slow speeds may be caused by a dirty or faulty idle air control valve. The idle air control valve monitors the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the engine at low speeds and at idle. This valve is controlled by the vehicle’s computer and will adjust idle speed based upon other measurements such as engine temperature, intake air temperature and electrical system load or voltage. This is also an important function when starting the motor as it allows the motor to run and idle on it’s own once the motor fires. When you accelerate, the engine RPM increases, and as you let off the gas, the RPM slowly returns to the normal idling speed with the help of the idle air control valve making the transition from a higher RPM back down to idle speed while adjusting the air/fuel ratio constantly to allow this to happen smoothly. When the engine RPM drops below the normal range of about ~800 RPM, this often times will cause the engine to stall indicating a dirty or faulty idle air control valve. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.
