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Old 12-07-2012, 12:52 AM   #1
BrendanTheGreat408
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Default Whit Smoke Coming Out of Exhaust?

Here is a video of what is happening!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8fLp...ature=youtu.be

So i noticed when I did a cold start on my car (~50 deg outside) that it shot out a lot of white smoke for a few seconds. It started me so I turned it off, wait a few moments and turned it back on. Only a little bit of white smoke came out and I drove off (2 miles to my buddies). I stopped and let it idle for about a minute. When I got back to the car it was smoking a tiny bit out of one exhaust pipe. The smoke im talking about looks just like a cold car does in cold weather when you start it up! Doesn't look alarming just normal, but I could tell this was smoke because it stayed in the air.

Currently I am running these performance mods:

Perrin TMIC
Cobb SF Intake
Cobb AP
Forged BPV
Invidia Catless DP
Perrin Exhaust
Torqued Performance Stage 2 tune

Eric "okayed" the tune to keep it but thats when I noticed the smoke after I did two WOT pulls to send the logs to him. after the car sat for a few hours i started it up and thats when all the smoke happened.

I have been noticing that it smokes a tiny tiny bit when I turn off the car (exhaust pipes) ever since I put this TMIC in...

I also changed the oil 200 miles ago to castrol gtx 5w-30 synthetic oil.

Edit: SOLUTION

Biggest noob mistake ever, but we learn from our mistakes and move on. This is to educate future noobs who do the same dumb ass thing I did...

The solution was draining the oil and starting fresh. After some investigation I realized the oil was in fact over filled, so I drained it and started again only adding 4.4 quarts and then checking the fill level and adding a little more until it was on the full level. After about ~100 miles of driving the smoke completely stopped as as of now 2/10/13 the car is fine.
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Last edited by BrendanTheGreat408; 02-10-2013 at 03:42 PM.
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Old 12-07-2012, 01:11 AM   #2
mod maniac
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Condensation no big deal.
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Old 12-07-2012, 01:31 AM   #3
BrendanTheGreat408
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mod maniac View Post
Condensation no big deal.
Im not an idiot. its not condensation but thank you for your stupid comment.
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Old 12-07-2012, 01:32 AM   #4
rob1n1
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What does the smoke smell like?
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Old 12-07-2012, 01:39 AM   #5
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Ok I have the same problem. When I start the car I get a LOT of white smoke and sometimes I think it's bluish due to my car paint. It's just condensation. Your car gets hot, water gets into the exhaust pipe, engine cools...smoke
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Old 12-07-2012, 01:40 AM   #6
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Long story short, what color is the smoke

Black is oil
Blue is turbo
White is good (if it doesn't smell) or it could be coolant
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Old 12-07-2012, 02:19 AM   #7
drewvdw
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^^^You don't know what you're talking about.

Bluish is oil, yes, but that can come from the turbo as well.
White is not good, and it is coolant.
Black is excess fuel.

I've seen this issue pop up a few times, but I don't remember ever reading what it ended up being. Your ringlands may be fried...Start the car and open up the oil filler cap, if it's smoking out of there...Well...You're ****ed.
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Old 12-07-2012, 03:11 AM   #8
VinceCarter
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrendanTheGreat408 View Post
Im not an idiot. its not condensation but thank you for your stupid comment.
That was uncalled for.
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Old 12-07-2012, 03:48 AM   #9
i_c_the_light
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrendanTheGreat408

Im not an idiot. its not condensation but thank you for your stupid comment.
Way to be. No seriously I hope your front differential internals magically weld together and a unicorn falcon punches your mother.
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Old 12-07-2012, 05:35 AM   #10
Loyale93
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Hate to say it, OP, but this all sounds like condensation to me. Although, you are in CA...

Let us know what it smells like. hold your hand in front of the pipes. If it's a fluid (other than water) burning off, should also start to leave residue on your hand as well. Or use a paper towel to absorb it and then do a taste test.
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Old 12-07-2012, 07:36 AM   #11
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White smoke can also be from overfilled oil in engine. I had this problem also. brought car to dealer with 6 qts of oil (2qt left over and 4 qt new). They used up all 6 qts. I noticed on start up it smoked for a couple of seconds and then stopped. I drained about 1qt out and have not seen the smoke since.

Why is it white since it is oil? leaking through seals from what i've read.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_can_c...om_the_exhaust
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Old 12-07-2012, 09:44 AM   #12
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White smoke is condensation/coolant leak.
Blue is oil.
Black is magical unicorns.

OP, smell the exhaust. Don't inhale it, woft it. I know you claim you're not an idiot, but your comments don't help you out. AKA, no need to be a jack ass for no reason, because everything you described is condensation. At no point do you give info saying otherwise, so if you're not dumb, you wouldn't need this thread.
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Old 12-07-2012, 09:52 AM   #13
J-hop
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Agreed with above. Burning oil and coolant both have very strong and distinct smells to them. With the data you've provided (or lack there of), condensation IS the best guess at this point.
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Old 12-07-2012, 09:54 AM   #14
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My Car smokes a bit too (white smoke)....Started after I went catless stage 2. I was worried about it being coolant. But it doesn't smell like coolant and is intermittent, plus coolant levels haven't changed. As of right now it just seams like the nature of the beast. If you're really that concerned keep an eye on your coolant level, run it with the radiator cap(generic term) off, and check for bubbles, or you can get a test kit that will tell you if you have exhaust gasses in your coolant.
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Old 12-07-2012, 10:13 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrendanTheGreat408 View Post
Im not an idiot. its not condensation but thank you for your stupid comment.
You look kinda like an idiot to me.
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Old 12-07-2012, 10:19 AM   #16
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In for more info.

I get white smoke on startup occasionally, but its pretty rare. I haven't noticed any strong smell from it though.
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Old 12-07-2012, 10:40 AM   #17
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You guys do know that condensation builds up in your exhaust at night right? Then it burns off when you start the car... aka steam? Coolant has a very distinct smell, can't miss it.
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Old 12-07-2012, 10:55 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by s2ktosti View Post
You guys do know that condensation builds up in your exhaust at night right? Then it burns off when you start the car... aka steam? Coolant has a very distinct smell, can't miss it.
We do know that. That's why we've been asking the OP what it smells like. Thank you for your stupid comment...
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Old 12-07-2012, 11:51 AM   #19
mod maniac
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrendanTheGreat408 View Post
Im not an idiot. its not condensation but thank you for your stupid comment.
Ok when you find out what it is please educate me wise sir.
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Old 12-07-2012, 12:05 PM   #20
BrendanTheGreat408
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I apologize for my rude and uncalled for response. At the point of typing this thread I was scarred *****less. Never the less uncalled for.

Back on topic, smoke smells like oil or possibly something else burning. ive never smelled coolant before so not sure what it smells like lol. It only does this at start up and idles longer than 20+ seconds.

I did recently change the oil and I recall filling it with about 5.4 quarts...i used the thing i bought from walmart and just dumped it all in.

I checked my coolant and it is right on the "low" line which is weird because I only have 33000 miles on my car.

I also took off the oil cap when the car was idling and warmed up and it was perfectly normal, there was no smoke coming from it or anything abnormal for that matter. I took a go pro video of what happened and will get it up tonight after work.
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Old 12-07-2012, 12:07 PM   #21
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Most LIKELY, we new subie owners are just paranoid and its just water. good luck
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Old 12-07-2012, 12:08 PM   #22
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Sounds like too much oil, I think you only need justover 4 quarts.
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Old 12-07-2012, 12:12 PM   #23
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The motor does not take 5.4 quarts. And I have no idea how you got that in there, considering the jugs are only 4 quarts. Have you checked your dipstick? That would have been the 2nd or 3rd item to check.

Smoke will be blue if it's oil, not white.

Coolant will smell very sweet if it's smoking.
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Old 12-07-2012, 12:18 PM   #24
ColeBerkenbile
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My guess is oil overfill. The only way to know will be to run a tube from the exhaust to the inside of your car, get in, start it, and wait.
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Old 12-07-2012, 12:21 PM   #25
mod maniac
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I accept your apology, i'm only here to help. I do do this for a living. Though I don't know everything I still think it is condensation. Though you did add to much oil, it holds 4.4qt with a filter change.
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