White smoke coming from your car exhaust? - Jackson Motors

Most people react pretty fast when they notice that something is wrong with their car, but most people don’t even bother with the colour of smoke that’s brimming from their car’s exhaust pipe. The severity of this is usually underestimated by many road users. There are many factors that affect the colour of exhaust smoke and the combination of these factors may lead to different outcomes.

Determine the timing and density of the white smoke

If this problem happens only when the engine starts and only for a short period of time, it’s not an actual problem. Most of the time, the change in the colour of exhaust smoke is the consequence of condensation – this will have hardly any impact on your car’s performance.

Cars with diesel engines

Diesel cars emit white smoke (and lots of it) when the timing of the fuel pump injection is off. This may be the cause for concern and it is always recommended to take your car to a trusted mechanic. However, if you are certain that this is the cause (for example, if you know that your fuel pump is faulty or old) you could potentially fix the problem yourself if you have the required know-how.

If the white smoke comes out even when your car is up and running, there are two possibilities:

• The coolant may be leaking and is being burned – this is not a serious problem, but you should fix it as soon as possible.
• The other possibility is that you’re out of coolant. Your car will start overheating if this is the case, so you’re recommended to stop it immediately.

In both situations, you are recommended to switch off your car and address the issue as soon as you can.

Dense, white smoke for long periods

If the white smoke is dense (and there’s lots of it) for a long period of time, you might be facing a major issue.

These problems mainly revolve around your car’s fuel filter, the cylinder gasket, the cylinder head or your car’s engine block. Some of these damages can often be irreparable, so always remember to take your car to a trusted mechanic.

Need help with you car exhaust? Please don’t hesitate to get in touch, we’re always happy to help.