Trace amounts of white smoke out the exhaust

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fnaramore

fnaramore

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Hey guys! Happy Easter! Anyways, so at idle, I am getting slight amounts of white smoke coming out the exhaust and if you go WOT it flows out a small cloud at around 3500-4000 rpm. I know my car runs a little rich and that black smoke is running way to rich. It is even amounts out of each pipe so I would be very skeptical if the heads were cracked and leaking the exact same amount of coolant into the cylinders. I wanna say its because I am running a little rich since it doesn't do this really back home and right now I am at a higher altitude. Am I right or am I missing something?
 
White usually indicates water burning, don't know what would make both sides do it offhand. Certainly check for water in the oil, a sweet antifreeze smell if you have coolant in there!! Also check for some white foam under the oil filler cap, another indication of water seepage into the crankcase! Just throwing things out there! Geof
 
Yeah I hear you. Oil was literally just changed and as clean as can be. PCV valve is working as it should. I have a set of flowmaster 40's and I am really curious if they are just holding in a lot of moister. My coolant level hasn't changed at all from what I can tell.
 
You do realize that moisture is normal right? Really depends on atmospheric conditions.

Ever watch your car warm up and all that water come out? Don't get worried about it, watch your coolant tank if you really think this is an issue.
 
No it hasn't been in storage, its my daily driver. And yeah I realize that. The reason I wanted others opinions that it isn't just at start up, its mostly throughout the day. Yes, it was like 65*, but didn't think that was cold enough for an around the clock effect.
 
I saw in another thread a suggestion to pull the plugs and check them!! Maybe you can isolate the cylinder/cylinders that may be suspect! Just thinking out loud here! Geof
 
Also, if it makes a difference to anyone, this has actually been going on since December with really no noticeable change. Till now I had been attributing it to the cold weather and moister levels.
 
That's why I haven't been freaking out and hitting my head against the wall. Just more of a start her up "oh, you're still doing that" kinda thing lol. There has been absolutely zero issues in performance and running. Just was curious if anyone had an idea about what it could be. Especially since it is so even between the two pipes and they are not connected what so ever
 
You have no idea.... Tried a pair of hookers, would only slam right into the bottom of the torsion bar.... on the PASSENGER SIDE... so summit did a full exchange value for a set of hedman tight tubes. Worst part was my boss has been running the exhaust shop for 40+ years now was telling me the whole time they wouldn't work. Of course I decided to neglect the biggest lesson cars ever taught me. A difference of an inch can make an easy job a massive b*tch. Had to learn my lesson the hard way, putting those manifolds back on.
 
Since every thing else seems fine Rick, I think you're on the right track with it being a little rich with altitude. From my experience, a slightly rich condition will look light grey under power, especially from the rear view mirror. I think you'd know if it was steam, and a heavy rich condition would be darker, especially under wide open throttle. If a plug check looks decent, I wouldn't be overly concerned. How long before you're going back to the DC suburbs?
 
I had one in a pick up doing the same thing it ended up being a loose exhaust stud in the corner letting coolant into the exhaust manifold /only a few drops at a time .the la head has the end studs in water jackets
 
When mine kicked out white smoke identically as you have described, the rings weren't in too good of shape in my motor. Everything else in the engine was in order. Not saying that's what's happening with yours, but that happened with mine. Maybe a leak down test should be on your to do list.
 
My dart, edge and every other car around here has some white smoke. But this is just water vapour that condensed in the exhaust. It will go away once it all burns off. This usually happens in the morning when the air is full of water vapour.
 
What altitude are you at presently? I would not expect any significant changes unless you were in the high rockies.

The fact that it does it at WOT at moderately higher PRM's would make me think it could a bit of oil past the rings as an alternative to other possiblities. See how it does at the lower altitudes.

I am not sure if crankcase pressures should be any different at higher altitudes. Any traces of oil in the air filter housing? If you don't have the air filter housing anymore, that will remove a source of pulling pressure out of the crankcase at WOT.
 
Since the problem seems to be pretty consistent, your engine seems to be in good shape, and the weather has been cold, I'm wondering if you are having a problem with water in the fuel. If so, there are two possible sources; condensation in the fuel tank and/or condensation in the fuel at the station where you are buying fuel for the car. Remember that ethanol is hydrophilic (attracts moisture). Try a treatment of "dry gas" additive in the car and see if that doesn't reduce the problem.
 
I use pure gas cause I feel it runs a bit smoother. Not only does it attract moister but it also contains a natural water content, thats why bacteria can start to grow in it when it sits for a while. chemistry minor coming to use! haha I haven't seen any oil on my air cleaner but I know for a fact my crankcase isn't air tight. Still have the original (now rock hard) rubber seals in the valve covers for the Pcv and breather.
 
Meant to post this earlier, but in case you guys were interested it did turn out to just be running rich from the altitude change
 
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