White Smoke When Starting & Runnin Lean

[URAS_33]

I did a search and couldn't really find what I am after.

When I start my car, there is a little puff of white smoke, and that's it. None when i'm driving or boosting, just on start up.

What would be causings this?

Also after that my exhaust has quiet a strong smell, it's had to tell what the smell is of - similar to burnt fuel, but this is constant.

I also had the car dynoed (not a tune or check, was just an open day dyno runs) and they said the car is runnin a bit lean.

What would this be from and how can it be fixed.

My Car is a 32 with a 26 conversion and remapped ecu.

[WogsRus]

white white smoke, oil, damaged turbo seal.

White steam smoke, blown head gasket due to running lean.

Possibly your injecotors are cloges, pump or fuel filter is on the way out

To test for head gasket, take it to a mechanic and do a gas analizer, this will tell you if there are any hudrocarbons in the radiator water.

[URAS_33]

To test for head gasket, take it to a mechanic and do a gas analizer, this will tell you if there are any hudrocarbons in the radiator water.

With the radiator, I am getting a new thermostat put in and the radiator fulshed, cleaned and new coolant put in.

Is there another way to check if the head gasket is or on its way to being screwed?

If the head gasket is screwed, what's a rough estimate to get it fixed?

Edited June 8, 2007 by URAS_33

[LatinR33]

when u start ur car is it early in the morning when its cold?? probs just the hot air hitting the cold air and creating the normal mist which all cars get when its freezing. Its funny how many people i know who got all scared that theyre car is puffing out white smoke when this is all that it is. just a lil food for thought. It may not be all bad. with the running lean probs ur fuel pump.

[Adriano]

Watch the smoke when it comes out in the morning, if it dissapates into nothing in 5m or so, its moisture, if it continues to come out and doesn't seem to "disappear", then its either valve stem seals(probably exhaust) or turbo.

[BAMR33]

I did a search and couldn't really find what I am after.

When I start my car, there is a little puff of white smoke, and that's it. None when i'm driving or boosting, just on start up.

What would be causings this?

Also after that my exhaust has quiet a strong smell, it's had to tell what the smell is of - similar to burnt fuel, but this is constant.

I also had the car dynoed (not a tune or check, was just an open day dyno runs) and they said the car is runnin a bit lean.

What would this be from and how can it be fixed.

My Car is a 32 with a 26 conversion and remapped ecu.

A small amount of white smoke usually means the oil you're using is too light on start up.

Fuel smells nothing to worry about, probably just the seal to the fuel tank/pump, as it's known to perish on the r32 over time.

As for running lean that's bad... if you have a pfc or other ecu what knock reading are getting?

[URAS_33]

As for running lean that's bad... if you have a pfc or other ecu what knock reading are getting?

It just has the standard computer which has been remaped.

PFC is definatly the first on the cards and a good tune.

Yeah white smoke / steam is really faint and does disapate straigh away. I guess coz I'm new to the RB26 (only had a 25 before hand), I'm sketchin about every little thing thats goin on.

[LTHLRB]

if u get white smoke on sart up its ur valve steam seals and/or oil seals

[Rekin]

I also get white smoke on cold morning starts but i hope its due to LatinR33's explanation

Will have a proper look tomorrow morning if it lingers around or just disappears

Read from a site.

could be antifreeze when it is being burned it has a sweet type of smell and tends to dissipate in the air rather quickly

Sometimes when the head gasket goes it will produce a passage for the antifreeze to pass from the capillaries into the combustion chamber.

Answer 2

If the exhaust billows white smoke for a few seconds when first starting the engine after it has been sitting for a while, such as overnight, and then runs normally, it could mean that the rubber valve stem seals have perished - especially if the vehicle is a few years old and has done over 60/70,000 miles.

Another clue is: does the exhaust smoke smell like fresh, rather than burnt oil.

On cold engine starts, especially, the ECU will momentarily run a rich mixture to get ignition going, then thin it back to normal once the O2 sensor can get an accurate reading. The puff of 'smoke' probably has a sweet smell and would contain a small amount of poorly combusted fuel, some uncatalyzed exhaust, and likely a bit of condensation.

Remember it this way--if the white smoke doesn't go away, THEN you have a problem. If it disappears after a few minutes, it's just water vapor. Part of the chemical equation for the combustion of gasoline includes H20.