Thick smoke from the exhaust pipe in the cold: is the car “dying” or is it just steam?
The morning white cloud behind the car scares many drivers. When you need to rush to the service, and when you can safely go on.
With the onset of cold weather, cars often begin to soar. Drivers see a thick white cloud from the exhaust, and water drips under the bumper. What's going on at this moment?
When fuel is burned, water is inevitably produced. While the car is in the cold, this moisture condenses in the muffler. When launched, it evaporates, creating a thick white vapor. The shorter the trip, the more water accumulates in the system. The exhaust simply does not have time to dry.
If the dense white cloud does not dissipate after a long trip, and the level of antifreeze in the tank treacherously drops, this means that the coolant goes into the cylinders. This is a sure sign of a pierced gasket or a crack in the block.
Bluish or gray exhaust with a sharp smell of burning indicates the burning of oil. Smokes only after night parking? Most likely, the oil seeps through worn-out valve mechanisms. Does smoke appear when you press the gas? Problems with the piston group or turbine. The main indicator here is the regular share of oil between substitutions.
A black cloud is unburned soot. Gasoline cars are to blame nozzles, sensors or problems with the air supply. Diesels have a clogged particulate filter, an EGR valve or a dying turbine.
Never diagnose a car immediately after a morning start. First, you need to drive so that not only antifreeze warms up, but also oil with an exhaust system. And only after full warming up, evaluate the color of the exhaust, writes “RG”.
