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White Smoke Coming Out of Pipes on Cold Start

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cbrooke02
  • Start date Start date May 1, 2018
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Cbrooke02

New Member
May 1, 2018
1
0
1
Oldsmar Florida
May 1, 2018
#1
  • May 1, 2018
  • #1
Recently, I've noticed that there has been a little white smoke coming from my exhaust pipe on a cold start, and I use cold start relatively bc the car was in direct sunlight in the south of Florida for about 9 hours and it still did it. I think it's coolant, but it's not enough smoke to really get a conclusive smell, which may mean it's just steam. Somebody on a different thread stated that if it's coolant, it could be making its way into the spark plugs and getting them to skip, which my car was skipping on the way from an Aussie after a pretty hard pull to overtake someone on a two lane road. The engine is pretty well used, with 189,237 on the odometer, but has been running fine except for that skipping a week ago. It's only got a new intake, but not a new intake manifold, so all intake seals are still factory. Anyone know what it may be?
Specs:
4.6L Automatic
4.10 differential gearing
BBK Headers, Catted X, and Pypes Pype Bomb axle backs
K&N intake and filter.
 

lenko

Member
Feb 28, 2006
64
1
9
Southern Alberta
Jun 27, 2018
#2
  • Jun 27, 2018
  • #2
At that mileage there is probable more than a little blow by. Put an oil separator on the driver's side tube coming from the valve cover into the intake as oil is making it's way into the chambers and burning off when its cold. Intake sucks up misted oil. Clean the throttle body and intake of the oil.
 

Dino Dino Bambino

15 Year Member
Jun 13, 2007
1,672
89
79
Cyprus
Jun 28, 2018
#3
  • Jun 28, 2018
  • #3
If the coolant level in the overflow reservoir isn't dropping, it's probably just normal steam coming out of the tailpipes. It's common when the engine's cold and the atmosphere is damp.
At almost 190k miles the engine could be burning some oil due to worn valve stem oil seals. Blue exhaust smoke on start up and a trailing throttle are typical symptoms. There could also be ring/bore wear so agree with the idea of adding a driver's side oil catch can.
Pull the plugs for inspection and if the COPs are over 100k miles old, replace them.
 
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