Why does my car give off white smoke?

Why does my car give off white smoke?

Many times, this thick smoke is due to the likes of a blown head gasket, damaged cylinder, or a cracked engine block, which is causing coolant to burn. Thick white exhaust smoke usually indicates a coolant leak, which could cause overheating and put your engine at a serious risk of damage.

What does it mean when your car has white smoke coming from the exhaust?

White smoke. Some white exhaust smoke is normal, especially when you first start the car. Condensation can turn to vapor, providing what looks like white exhaust. But excessive white smoke likely means coolant is leaking into the engine combustion chambers.

Why does my car have a sweet smoke smell?

As this continues, the white smoke will begin to have a sweet odor smell that won’t go away. Another area that can leak coolant is the coolant reservoir tank. This is generally less common to leak, but it can happen if the reservoir tank were to get damaged or cracked.

Why do I have white smoke coming from my radiator?

Make sure you are monitoring the coolant level in the radiator/reservoir. If the white smoke is exclusively from the exhaust pipe, a leaking cylinder head gasket would be a suspect. In this case the coolant would end up being heated in the combustion chambers and blown out the exhaust as the engine starts.

What causes white smoke from the fuel injector?

The fuel injector is responsible for injecting fuel into the internal combustion chamber at the exact right time. If you were to have a bad fuel injector, then it would cause white smoke to form because the proper amount of fuel did not enter the chamber at the right time.

Why does my car have a white smoke smell?

If the white smoke is coolant, your car is definitely having a crack in the cylinder head or a leaky head gasket, along with a sweet smell. In this situation, you can pressure test the cooling system if the coolant is low or the engine has been overheating. If it does not, your vehicle is mostly having a leaking gasket.

What causes white smoke from exhaust when idle?

What Causes White Smoke From Exhaust When Idle? If you have white smoke from exhaust when stopping or idling, your combustion chambers engine might get oil inside, which cause them to burn off the exhaust. This will cause white smoke, along with the idle issue.

What happens if your car has a sweet smell?

The worst potential outcome is catastrophic engine failure due to overheating. If you detect an unexplained sweet smell coming from your car, it’s of extreme importance that you treat the underlying problem as soon as possible. Within even a short period of time an engine that is running without adequate coolant can overheat and seize.

What should I do if I have white smoke coming from my engine?

The cooling system flows from the radiator to the engine block. Start by checking the coolant level in the radiator. Do not attempt to open the radiator cap while the engine is still hot. When the engine has cooled, check the coolant tank and radiator hose lines for signs of leaks.