Uh-oh.

[liquidtiger720]

Hmm. I just started noticing something...should I be worried?

For the past couple of days, I've been seeing smoke come out the exhuast even when the weather is moderate and the car is at full temp.I have to have somebody drive the car to confirm...but I am pretty sure the smoke is white. To top it off, my check coolant message has started coming back. Now is not a good time to do the head gasket =x. I know its been beat to death...but could you guys explain again where to look for a leak, symtoms, etc etc.


Car has 141300 miles on the m50tu engine. I just switched to synthetic on my last oil change.

[BigKriss]

Hmm. I just started noticing something...should I be worried?

For the past couple of days, I've been seeing smoke come out the exhuast even when the weather is moderate and the car is at full temp.I have to have somebody drive the car to confirm...but I am pretty sure the smoke is white. To top it off, my check coolant message has started coming back. Now is not a good time to do the head gasket =x. I know its been beat to death...but could you guys explain again where to look for a leak, symtoms, etc etc.


Car has 141300 miles on the m50tu engine. I just switched to synthetic on my last oil change.

if the smoke is white, it could just be condensation in the exhaust. Like when there is dew abundant overnight. just a thought. give it 10 mins and see if the smoke it still there.

[liquidtiger720]

Dunno man. Happened after I drove to school (25 miles of 80+mph driving) on my way back home.

[632 Regal]

sounds like a possibility, especially with you losing coolant. Make sure that is where the coolant is going and if true than yes perhaps the gasket is done.

[liquidtiger720]

how can I make sure? Just change the oil and look for coolant? Although, I have no clue what coolant in oil look like.

[Kalevera]

Hey Josh -- first off, don't freak out...it'll be OK, we got your back, man

MY biggest question is...how long has the car been drinking coolant? If it JUST started, do a cooling system pressure test and inspect for visible leaks. Stick a light in the expansion tank and look for oil slicks floating around on top of the coolant (a few minor little flecks are normal). Pull the dipstick with the engine cold and look for chocolate milk colored residue; same on the oil fill cap.

If the cooling system doesn't hold pressure yet there are no visible leaks (be sure to check the hose that runs under the intake -- we had one of those go last week and it can evade detection), do a compression test on each cylinder.

Also -- next time it smokes and is hot, take a whiff of the exhaust and see what it smells like. Burning cool blue has a saccharine sweet smell, but a water vaporing exhaust should be somewhat sweet smelling, anyway.

EDIT: also, if there is indeed coolant burning out of the exhaust, there's a high likelihood that exhaust gasses are getting into the cooling system. Next time the thing smokes, get over to the side of the road, shut off the engine and feel the hoses. They should be pliable and hot, not rock hard and hot. Excessive exhaust in the hoses should cause overheating as more gasses get pumped into the system than it can self-bleed out, which doesn't seem to be the case for the car as of yet, so this test might not tell you much.

best, whit

[Gene in NC]

After engine hot hold a kleenex tight across, but not touching, the tail pipe. If smoke is water the kleenex will get wet and tear.

[bimmerd00d]

If you do need a head gasket kit. I'll sell mine for $75. I bought it for my '93 525i and never used it. Let me know if you want it.

[liquidtiger720]

Ok. So I really havent seen smoke coming out of the pipe for the last week or so...but now, I can hear my engine knocking/pinging (well, actually...it just sounds like a diesel, when you can hear each piston fire and it sounds like somebody knocking a door...I've never actually had somebody point out what knocking is too me). *Sigh*. I need a day off to work on Turtle.