White Smoke while idling

Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 2008 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF
  • 2.0L
  • 4 CYL
  • TURBO
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 117 MILES
Can you explain me the problem of this car please? It does smoke when you idle it.
Sunday, August 26th, 2018 AT 6:17 AM

43 Replies

Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Here you go a video.
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Sunday, August 26th, 2018 AT 6:18 AM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello, I am Danny.

Just a quick question. Does it do this all the time or does the smoke go away? I have attached a tutorial for you to view. Hope this helps and hope to hear back soon. Thanks for using 2CarPros.
Danny-

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/white-smoke-or-steam-coming-from-the-exhaust-pipe
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Sunday, August 26th, 2018 AT 5:57 PM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
It does that every time sometimes it stops for a few minutes and then starts again.
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Sunday, August 26th, 2018 AT 11:38 PM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello again.
How many miles are on the vehicle?
Danny-
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Monday, August 27th, 2018 AT 7:49 PM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
118,000.
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Monday, August 27th, 2018 AT 11:10 PM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
But the thing is when you start the car in the morning it does not smoke for a few minutes and then the smoke starts.
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Monday, August 27th, 2018 AT 11:26 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 52,350 POSTS
This can be normal, after the car is warmed up and you have been driving for a while do you see what smoke/steam? Thanks for the video it helps. Also, has the coolant level been low at all?

This guide can help as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Please run down this guide and report back.

Cheers, Ken
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Thursday, August 30th, 2018 AT 11:14 AM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Thanks for answering back. The car does not lose any coolant or does not burn oil at all. When you are revving the car the smoke goes away as long as you idle it back the car starts smoking as shown on the video.
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Thursday, August 30th, 2018 AT 11:44 AM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
It is like a blue smoke not white.
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Thursday, August 30th, 2018 AT 2:43 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 52,350 POSTS
If the smoke is blue (hard to tell from the video it looks white to me) these cars had problems with the oil drain back holes in the cylinder heads getting clogged causing the engine oil to fill the cylinders heads and leak down the valve stems seals and into the combustion chamber. Can you remove the oil cap and use flashlight to see how much build up there is? Send a video if you can so we can see. Can I ask if the smoke ever goes away?
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Thursday, August 30th, 2018 AT 5:07 PM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Yes, the smoke goes away.
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Thursday, August 30th, 2018 AT 11:30 PM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Here you go.
Video (Click to make bigger)
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Friday, August 31st, 2018 AT 1:05 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
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Yep, you can see the build up inside the cylinder head. Lets remove the valve cover and take another video to confirm the issue. Here is a guide to help us get started:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-valve-cover-gasket

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers, Ken
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Friday, August 31st, 2018 AT 12:21 PM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
I cleaned the EGR Valve and the car smokes less and the smoke goes away.
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Wednesday, September 5th, 2018 AT 12:47 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Were you able to get the valve cover off?
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Thursday, September 6th, 2018 AT 10:12 AM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Yes, I took it off and I cleaned that and now the car smokes less. The car when it is smoking it feels like it is shaking. It did this and before and I cleaned throttle body. I think something might be choking the car I need to clean the intake manifold as well but that requires a lot of work and I do not have enough tools to do that.
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Thursday, September 6th, 2018 AT 3:37 PM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
But the car feels like it is choking only when it is idling and the smoke starts.
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Thursday, September 6th, 2018 AT 3:39 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 52,350 POSTS
I am wondering if you have contaminated fuel? Has the car done this for along time or did it just start? Also, lets run the codes to see if anything comes up.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Please run down this guide and report back.

Cheers, Ken
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Friday, September 7th, 2018 AT 10:07 AM
Tiny
BUJAR
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
I do not know for how long the car has smoking because I bought it few months ago so I have no idea about it. I am thinking to buy an OBD eleven is that a good code reader? Thanks
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Friday, September 7th, 2018 AT 1:26 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
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Any reader that can pull codes is good. Lets start there and see what comes up.
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Saturday, September 8th, 2018 AT 11:31 AM

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