mikejk Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 A little history..91 Loyalle 150Kmiles PushButton 4wd.. just changed T-Belts, Oil Pump, H2O Pump(thanx again to the USMB for all the help in that project). Anyway now when I start the car I notice white smoke for about the first 15 min of driving. I think its either Head or gasket..wish I would have known this before all the other work(could have done it while I had it all apart) anyway anybody have any ideas on this. Also I never had/have any problems with overheating. I did read some post about pvc problems on early loyalle's causing white smoke but the link was bad so I couldnt follow up on it. Are my symptoms the same as the PVC problem? I did check for antifreeze smell from the exhaust when it is smokes but I dont notice any..but it my be to faint for me to notice it. Also if it might be a cracked head..would it cause more problems to keep driving it..at least till we get some warmer weather in the NorthEast I dont want to cause me anymore work than I have to when I do repair it. thanx..mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meeky Moose Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 well all cars will appear to have white smoke billowing out of the tailpipe for 10-15 min or so when they are cold.. especially in the winter.. its only condensation inside the pipe from it heating up in this nasty cold weather.. i would say if its not using any coolant, and not overheating.. drive her and not worry about it.. all of my soobs blow white (steam) out the tailpipe in the winter when the temp is way down there... its normal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejk Posted January 7, 2004 Author Share Posted January 7, 2004 I should have been more clearer..there is more smoke than usual..I owned the car for about 5 years and lately when first started and driving there is a nice size white cloud following me(alot more noticeable then the usual condensation burn up) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Most likely it's just water vapor as Meeky pointed out. Take a whif of the exhaust - if it smells sweet, then it could be coolant, but if it's stoping after reaching temp, and you don't have an overheating problem, then I would say it's just normal water vapor. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meeky Moose Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 hmm when was the last time ya replaced the exhaust pipes? could be just worn (thin pipes) thin metal will draw more condensation than a nice thick piece.. but yea if its not overheating and not loosing coolant.. i wouldn't worry about it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Only two things that cause white smoke - burning coolant, and condensation. There might be a slow leak in the headgasket that isn't noticeable after it warms up, or there could be a small crack in one of the heads. Like I said tho - smell the exhaust to see if it's coolant..... GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soobadooba Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 IIIIIIIIIIII'm kinda leanin' towards the headgasket idea. If you've had the thing for 5 years, you should have a pretty good handle on what is normal and what isn't. I've had a vehicle that would stop billowing after the first mile or so, but if you let it sit a few days without running, you would find all the coolant in the oil pan. If you drove it everyday, though, there was no evidence of a problem other than the early morning fogging and a subtle disappearance of coolant every couple of weeks. I agree with sniffing the exhaust and watching for coolant loss/overheating. You might even try pulling the plugs and having someone do a short engine spin (after it has sat overnight or longer) while you watch and see if any coolant shoots from a plug hole (using proper eye protection, of course). Not seeing any coolant doesn't guarantee you don't have a gasket leak, but if you do see some... Good Luck! -Louis- '91 Loyale 4wd 5spd Wagon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abue Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Oh the pain... I feel ya. 2 days ago, my 94 loyale decided to start with the white smoke. It goes away after a bit, but the sweet smell of antifreeze lingers. I took the car over to Larry's in Mt. View, Ca. and they said the head gaskets look good, and that the engine most likely has a small crack in it. Gaaa. Anyone in the Bay area have a good source for cheap rebuilt engines? And anyone want to take on a side project. heh. Else I will be forced to have the garage do the fix, and probably spend a few bucks on the repair. (I am still waiting for an estimate, and it has been 2 days. They are looking for an engine) Oh well. The old engine did have 142K on it, and it got me to Tahoe several times this season. What can ya do? -Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejk Posted January 8, 2004 Author Share Posted January 8, 2004 I cant smell anything out of the ordinary when it is puffin' Im going to go with the general concesus and not worry about it...at least till the weather warms up. thanx for the follow-ups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beauregaardhooligan Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Be sure to keep an eye on the coolant level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.