Intermmitently steam pours out the exhaust pipe

Tiny
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Every now and again one of them steam pours out the exhaust pipe does not matter the weather conditions or temperature and absolutely nothing is leaking, and everything is at optimal running levels. So, I don't know why it does that. The heater works fine, everything works, nothing leaks. Anything leaks and it doesn't burn up everything. So, why does steam just appear and then the back right after about 10 minutes of idling and or driving? But it's so thick I'll guarantee the people behind me have to stop or turn around.
Saturday, February 5th, 2022 AT 7:39 PM

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Tiny
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Hello,

How long have you been noticing this steam?

Generally speaking, water or steam coming out of the tailpipe is normal.
It is created due to temperature difference between the engine/exhaust and the outside atmosphere.
This happens to just about every vehicle.

It is more noticeable in cold weather due to larger temperature difference.

Does the steam have any foul odor to it?

The only reason I ask, when the head gasket is blown in an engine it will have white smoke coming out of the tailpipe.
That many times associated with overheating of the engine. This can also make the oil a milky white color.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/white-smoke-or-steam-coming-from-the-exhaust-pipe

Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank oyu.
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Saturday, February 5th, 2022 AT 8:58 PM
Tiny
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How about the vehicle, no probably about a year-and-a-half it's never overheated?
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Saturday, February 5th, 2022 AT 10:29 PM
Tiny
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I got the vehicle a little over a year and it has never overheated on me. There is no sign that it ever has. There is no discoloration, in the oil light, does not burn oil, does not lose any of its coolant. Nothing's leaking anywhere, but just it's not a constant stream of steam, it's just every now and then it'll just start steaming out the rear tail pipe. There and it's seriously sick like a fog machine smells kind of sweet but it evaporates fast, but it's like a cloud. I'm sorry I can't see through it cannot drive behind me with it, but it doesn't happen all the time maybe two or three times a month or looks fine there's no discoloration anywhere nothing on the dipstick. Everything clean heater works runs like a champ 3.1 L V6 that acts like it's overheating but I just keep driving and give it a little more gas when it clears right up. But it does roll the white smoke and it's only every now and then and goes away real fast doesn't last long at all.
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Saturday, February 5th, 2022 AT 10:31 PM
Tiny
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As I mentioned, having steam out of the tailpipe is not something you should be worried about. Unless there are other issues, like leaks or oil and coolant mixing (blown head gasket) or overheating.
Some vehicles will have more of the steam produced than the others due to the overall design of the exhaust and engine temperature.

You mentioned that the steam has a sweet smell to it, that smell typically indicates coolant. But if you are not using coolant so you can probably rule that out.
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Saturday, February 5th, 2022 AT 10:32 PM
Tiny
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Yeah, it's not it's not drinking coolant or burning oil or we can anything clean car runs fantastic. It's just every now and then doesn't matter day or night could be the middle of snow storm can be rain storm could be the sunshine 90 or 10 below it'll just occasionally just start steaming out of nowhere for no reason I can think of. And it's a lot man, it's as big as a cloud, pure white no darkness could just all solid bright white scheme billows out of there like it's rolling white cloud. Like I said only lasted tops 5 minutes then things out if I keep going when does it happen again rest of the day. It's never overheated, never had a week or so fresh and clean nothing on the dipstick it indicates a blown head gasket or anything. I'm thinking can a thermostat be bad thermostat cause this.
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 12:43 AM
Tiny
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It is interesting to say the least. I have seen vehicles that will produce more steam than others, just due to the design and operations. But they are typically consistent with the amount of steam that will come out.
Not like what you are experiencing with burst of steam and then goes away.
Maybe the condensation pools somewhere in the system and gets out all at once.
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 10:13 AM
Tiny
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That seems to make more sense than anything else I can figure because there's nothing leaking it doesn't go through coolant I check it every day it's the same level as circulating no oils leaking never a drop out of this car Queen runs strong is just from that happens if it acts like an sounds like it looks like it's overheating but it isn't temperature gauge stays halfway between the bottom cool and halfway point it's just I don't know it's mystery but it clears up fast I guess I don't know I don't know what you be doing this I'll talk to several people I know that our mechanics I have no idea down here you would think it'd be a head gasket issue but if not it's the dipstick is clean levels never change are always right on spot or where they should be normal operating parameters really a mystery but thanks for the input that's the that's interesting also I was wondering could it possibly be a broken or leaking vacuum line that might sometimes suck too much air or moisture is getting in through there and it's cooling like you said somewhere to vacuum line I don't know, definitely a mystery for the Scooby-Doo gang thank you.
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 11:22 AM
Tiny
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It might be a good idea to do a blown head gasket test (unless you have already done it).
The best option would be to use those chemical testers that check for combustion gases in the coolant.

Check out this video, it covers the basic tests:

https://youtu.be/5zpNjYmmiYY
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 2:49 PM
Tiny
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And I sure will. It looks easy enough about you know there's a blown head gasket or intake gasket wouldn't it be steaming really bad all the time and evidence of weeks or something is just visit. But I'll do that for sure sir thank you very much I'll let you know on the outcome.
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 7:26 PM
Tiny
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Right, usually with blown head gasket you will have coolant loss. If the head gasket leak is minor it might not show up immediately, but it will slowly lose coolant.
With a very minor leak it might have moderate to low amount of white smoke due to the amount of coolant in the oil. If it is a trace amount it might not show up on the dipstick.

I will look out for your message about the outcome of the test.
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 7:31 PM
Tiny
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Yeah, it's not a trace amount or moderate amount it is a rolling, can't see through can't drive for you better not be behind me at all because you won't be able to see them. Highway in front of you no matter what it is that much pure white and it lasts I don't know remodeling sitting still in park 5 minutes maybe down the road I'll be going with the defroster on in the heat setting on low but the fan on high it clears it up in about 15 minutes or so, and then it doesn't happen again maybe for a month doesn't matter the temperature or what's going on with the weather nothing on the dipstick but play nothing leaks. Nothing history is nothing sounds like it's sucking no misses or vibrations nothing man it's a total mystery. I was thinking thermostat or a broken vacuum line somewhere, but I don't hear no noises and I'm in the water circulating in the radiator water pump seems to be fine. I don't know what's going on. I squeeze the top hose that's definitely cycling. I will let you know the results of what I found out with the head test. Anyway, thanks. Reason it says I'm a Ford guy with a Buick it was because the week before Christmas I got armed carjacking in the hotel parking lot at 6:00 am. In front of free cameras that did not operate 2 days after they stole my 1990 Ford Bronco 4 x 4 x LT at gunpoint. How can I give a description two days later the hotel put in front of cameras haven't heard a word yet from the police, so I bought this Buick for a thousand bucks.
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 11:04 PM
Tiny
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This surely is an interesting issue. It's terrible that you lost the Bronco.
I am very interested to know the test outcome.
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Monday, February 7th, 2022 AT 6:49 AM

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