White smoke coming from tail pipe, what is that?

NONDA224

MEMBER
GMC

After I noticed that my car was making funny nosies (crunning, shaking, little wind up car sounds) and not really going anywhere when I pressed on the gas. I eliminated the fact that the transmission was shot (had it checked) but now I see white smoke from the tail pipe. What is that?

[u:0ca61cf010]Thanks for the help with my other post, much apperciated![/U:0ca61cf010]

4 Replies

BOB77

MEMBER
26 POSTS

How does your oil look? If it's milky looking at all you are getting coolant in it from somewhere, and likely burning it as well, which will cause the exhaust smoke to be white. Check coolant level as well.

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Wednesday, January 18th, 2006 AT 12:00 PM

HOTWHEELSGMC

MEMBER
31 POSTS

Sounds like you have a blown head gasket. Water from your cooling system is getting into your engine and blowing white out your exhaust pipe. Check your water and your oil. You probably have no water, and your oil is probably milky and watered down. If that's the case. Blown head gasket. At least a $1,000 job.

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Wednesday, January 18th, 2006 AT 7:00 PM

ECSLEGEND

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1 POST

Oil fine water fine temp perfect still white smoke

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Monday, October 17th, 2011 AT 7:23 PM

DRCRANKNWRENCH

MECHANIC
3,380 POSTS

If the smoke smells like anti-freeze, kind of sweet smell, it is a leak in the cooling sytem somewhere. It does nto take mush of a leak to cause problems. The leak does nto have to be in the head gasket, it could be a crack in the head or water jacket around the cylinders.

If the exhaust smells like burnt oil, it is a leak in the oil system. Again it does not take much to cause a problem. The valve stem seals could be bad, the head gasket, oil could be getting by the piston rings, there are a few areas where oil can lip into cylinder, but those are most likely ones.

It might be small enough that you don't see a great loss of oil or milky stuff in oil. You might not see the drop in anti-freeze level or have overheating problem.
Sooner or later it will probably get worse.

You can test the cooling system by getting a cooling sytem pressure test. It will detrmine if the system is capable of holding specified pressure and for a certain amount of time.

As far as the oil goes, eventually it will start to burn it up quickly. The ways that oil slips into the combustion chanber are by rings or seals and they are wear items.

I hope this information helps.

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Friday, October 28th, 2011 AT 9:45 PM