Diesel car white smoke on startup

What could make a diesel engine produce white smoke? Can bad diesel cause white smoke? Why does diesel engine produce black smoke on start-up? What makes a diesel blow blue or white smoke?

The white smoke is due to unburnt fuel caused by improper heating. When it’s cold outside and you notice white smoke at startup , then you probably have nothing to worry about. When the warm or hot exhaust gases meet cold outside air , condensation and steam is a result. After a short amount of driving , the white smoke should lessen. This is nothing but steam caused due to condensation.

As the engine warms up after a few minutes, this white smoke will not be reduced because condensation is dissipated. The indication is apparent when white smoke appears while the car is running, but not when you start it. The reason for this type of white smoke is due to burning coolant that somehow got mixed up.

If your car has a diesel engine , then the white smoke might be indicating that there is a problem with the fuel pump injection. When the fuel pump injection timing is off, it is difficult to determine the root cause. Use of our Flushing Oil Concentrate and FTC Decarbonizer address these respective problems.

Water entering combustion spaces will also create white smoke. Has the engine got a fuel pre-heat system for starting in cold weather? If the pre-heat ceases to function it can be like electing a pope for several minutes until the engine warms up. On cold winter days, it is common to see white smoke from exhaust pipe as soon as you start the car. If you see white smoke during startup only, then this is probably because oil leaks pass the valves and mixes with any moisture present in the car ’s exhaust.

When you park your car under extremely cold conditions, the car becomes too cool, its air shrinks and starts producing moisture. Identifying the smoky colours, often black or white smoke , can help you diagnose the cause of the problem. That in turn can help you cure and stop a smoking diesel engine. Do you see white smoke from a diesel engine when accelerating or startup ? Basically, smoke from a diesel engine indicates that something is not right. If the smoke is thin, and goes away relatively quickly, than it is merely condensation.

Diesel Smoke tells YOU a Story. However, thicker, longer lasting smoke is a much larger headache. Your engine is more than likely burning coolant. Products designed to flush carbon away from the pistons often cures this problem.

If the white smoke is due to the engine being too cool, adding an automatic pre-heater may eliminate white diesel smoke. If you see blue smoke coming out of exhaust after you have parked your car for a while and the engine is not a diesel , the probable culprit is Bad Valve Seals. Each engine has valves that open and close. Condensation that accumulates inside the exhaust pipes, converter and mufflers can produce a puff of white smoke upon diesel engine start-up. In very cold temperatures, the heated exhaust can freeze into minute fuel droplets when exiting the exhaust and produce a more prolonged emission of white smoke for a very short period of driving time.

The car had been sitting for hours. The smoke goes away after a minute or two and does not come back when the engine is warm, and it does not get worse if revved when warm. An engine burning coolant can be easily determined. First question, do you have to regularly add coolant?

There is a strong smell of diesel from the white smoke. But it is always a good idea to keep an eye on your oil and coolant levels on any car , smoke or no smoke. White smoke on start up in the morning for a few seconds is normal and harmless.

Even in a hot and humid climate, there will be some condensation in the exhaust system overnight.