Slight white smoke coming from the engine

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.

ANSWER : If there is underhood smoke, that can signify that something is leaking. Typically, that will be engine coolant or engine oil. Some leaks can be relatively easy to fix. If that is your circumstance, it will be advantageous to get the source of the leak identified and repaired as soon as possible. If you do have oil leaks, as many leaks as possible should be repaired because leaking oil can damage external engine components such as rubber motor mounts. Also, if oil is leaking onto a hot exhaust manifold that can create unhealthy fumes (as the oil burns off) and is also a fire hazard. If you want the sources of the leaks identified and the repair estimated, simply request a leak diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic.

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.

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.

ANSWER : From what you’ve described, it sounds like you have a head gasket leaking into the engine cylinder and then out of the exhaust. I recommend having a compression test done to confirm this and see where exactly the leak is. A coolant pressure test may also be necessary to pinpoint what exactly is leaking.

If you need assistance with these checks, feel free to contact a certified technician who can perform the necessary tests to diagnose the source of the smoke. An accurate repair can then be made once the problem has been pinpointed. Good luck.

ANSWER : If your engine temperature overheated, then you have problems in the cooling system. Running it low on oil does not help an engine. If you are getting smoking and noise from the engine, then you need to have the engine checked for damage from the overheating. The water pump may have failed or your thermostat may have stuck closed. I recommend having a certified mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, come to you to diagnose the overheating issue to see what has happened.

ANSWER : Hello there, thank you for asking about your 1992 Isuzu Pickup. A professional will have the correct equipment to read OBD1 codes. Retrieving the diagnostic trouble code(s) is the first place to start when diagnosing your vehicle. Increasing RPMs changes engine load, which can in turn affect many different sensors and components, causing the Check Engine Light to illuminate. The only way to narrow down the options and find the culprit is through in person diagnosis with an OEM compatible scan tool. A certified technician from YourMechanic can retrieve the OBD codes at your home or office.

ANSWER : Hello and thank you for contacting YourMechanic. If the clutch was not working very well, then the clutch could have burned up the disks. This will cause white smoke from the engine compartment and smell like plastic burning. If you suspect that the clutch was fine, then open the hood and look all over the engine compartment for any burnt wires, any burnt plastic molds from the engine (for instance, intake and plastic parts), and for any melted plastic bags that could have gotten stuck to the exhaust.

If you need further assistance with your vehicle, then seek out a professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who can come to your location to determine why there is smoke and what needs to be repaired.