White smoke on cold starts

[Mr.s13r]

Just finished the sr swap like a month ago and now on cold start about 32- 40F outside i see a lot of white smoke. Coolant level seem fine though. Is this my headgasket going bad? I have my water temp connect to the upper rad hose and it read 0 and the stock gauge will read half. This is when i try to rev it to like 2rpms and see a lot of white smoke coming out of my exhaust. After driving a little and everything really warm, my stri temp read 180-190, i let it idle again and don't seem to see anymore white smoke. Is this a problem i need to be worried about? Also this have the stock t25 if that makes any diff.

[Kalashnikov]

White smoke only means one thing. Coolant is in combustion chamber.
BLack smoke is due to most of the time oil and piston rings wear down.


It's coolant leaking into the combustion chamber and when you rev, the coolant circulates faster and there is more pressure pushing coolant into the chamber.

DOn't know if it snows or get really cold in GA but metal shrinks when it is cold so there could be a gap and as metal is heated up, it expands and the leak passage is decreased. It likely that the headgasket is ripped in one or many areas just due to common wear.

I just replaced a headgasket and no more white smoke and no more overheating.

A little coolant drops can cause the smoke, so your coolant level may not see much change. LIke a few drops of burnt oil can cause a lot of smoke.

[cotbu]

if you are using coolant and not just water and the headgasket is leaking coolant into the combustion chamber, then there will be white smoke accompanied by a sweet smell. If you don't have the tools to do the proper testing, or smell coolant burning. Then remove the exhaust from the turbo dump(elbow) back. At operating temperature if coolant is mixing anywhere in the combustion chamber it will show then at the turbo outlet. This is to eliminate the moisture in the exhaust system, some confuse as coolant burning!

[driftrkp]

check your oil if its grey and milky looking, its a blown headgasket or cracked head but with it being cold (32-40f) i think your in the clear all my cars smoke white when i first start them at those temps but if your not loosing coolant and the car isnt over heating i dont think its a headgasket

[Mr.s13r]

thanks guys, i just notice that my rad. cap is leaking just a tiny bit on the cap's logo. I guess it gone bad, it is the apexi cap. Could this be a problem? I'll try to do a compression test in a 2 weeks are so to see if it's my hg.

[wh0aitznic0]

It's just condensation. Most if not all cars smoke white during first startup in the winter temperatures. Shit, my father's '09 Civic he JUST bought smokes white at cold startup more than my '89 S13 lol.

[Mr.s13r]

iono ill try to post a "clear" video of the smoke once i can get one so you guys can tell me wat's wrong.

[idahotuner]

all my cars blow white out the exhuast when it is cold. just cause the fumes coming out are warmer then the air so it shows as steam.

[Mr.s13r]

Ok i guess it is like wh0aitznic0 said it just condensation, because i went outside today and crank up the car to get the video but i can't find any smoke. It is 44F outside and it also kinda sprinkle so you guys tell me. Will the car smoke even if outside is in the condition described (44f and sprinkling a lil) when it has coolant mixed or oil?

[cotbu]

If coolant was getting into the combustion chamber? Yes! Unless.... all your coolant is gone!

http://funandfunction.com/images/3193ToddlerFeedingSpoon.jpg
This design is missing the logo but... would make a nice keychain

[VROOOM]

my 08 Mazdaspeed3 smokes a bit at start up on cold days.

[sleepy_s13]

you might want to check the oil return hose from the turbo if its pinched the car will throw out white smoke.

[Mr.s13r]

ok well disregard my post about can't see the white smoke. I just went out with no sprinkle outside and let it idle for like 5-10 min in about 44-46F and i see a lot of white smoke when both water temp gauges are warm up.

http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=52mgao&s=4

http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=2a606qh&s=4

For the first link i checked it and it would say no video found if you can't see the video but only hear sound, all you have to do is drag the time slider on the video and you will see the video.

[Mr.s13r]

Let me know what you guys think?

[fliprayzin240sx]

Turbo is bad, that would be my first bet. Sounds like the seals on the turbo are going bad. When it gets heated up, the metal seals expands and seals better when they were cold.

[Ceepo]

just looks like a normal cold start up to me, no need to worry, hold your hand in the "smoke" coming out and see what it smells like, if it smells sweet(like CANDY!!!) then you have a coolant leak somewhere...

[Mr.s13r]

i think it just smell like gas smell or exhaust smell. Gotta double check on that though

[Kalashnikov]

Like one member said, "If it smells like Candy, it's coolant."

Come on people, White smoke, not black smoke.


In addition, a faulty Radiator cap will not release the excess coolant into the Resevoir and thus building a lot of pressure and that pressure may equate to force itself into the headgasket area where it is thinning out.

Perfect sense. Wouldn't hurt to get a new Radiator cap. If it is not that, at least you have a new cap for only a few bucks. =)

[Mr.s13r]

Well can i get any cap for the sr koyo radiator? Will ka radiator cap works?

Also, smoke doesn't smell like "candy". Just smell like regular exhaust smoke

[singlecamslam]

Dude, thats not smoke that regular steam coming from your exhaust. every car does that on cold start up and will keep steaming if its really cold outside even if the car is warmed up. its normal. Dont worry about it. Mine does, my friends does it, my mom honda does it. It should smell like water and gas mixed together.

[Mr.s13r]

oh ok lol, it got me worry cause it is a lot. A lot more than like my friend 06 camry. I push on it's like a cloud

[murda-c]

My car doesn't do that because i have no cats.

[VQMaxFan]

Its just condensation, just like when you exhale on a cold night. lol you dont assume you are exhaling smoke do you? :)

[Mr.s13r]

My car doesn't do that because i have no cats.

i have no cat either, got a testpipe...

[flip3d]

+1 for condensation

[Mr.s13r]

Well if you guys said condensation then it is condensation. Thanks all.

[zaquanh]

its condensation and if ur still scared runa leak down test

[murda-c]

i have no cat either, got a testpipe...

Well mine has done it alot less since i got rid of the cats.

[Ceepo]

Condensation, THREAD FAIL!!!

[Mr.s13r]

condensation, /thread

[singlecamslam]

It should still do that even with no cat.

[Bigsyke]

the larger the exhaust, the more smoke. My 3" smokes ALOT when cold because there is more surface area for condensation to form.