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blodhi74

Diamond Member
I have a 97 camary with 98000 miles. 6/10 times when I start it cold, I get white smoke from the exhaust. Is it the valves or the piston rings. Any cheap remedies for this??

thanks in advance
 
White smoke is usually coolant, but that would be continuous.

If it's grey-ish, then it's probably just slightly leaky valve seals. Rings would smoke all the time.

If it really is white, it might just be condensation in the exhaust. My 951, like most 944s, spits out condensation smoke on cool mornings. There's a faint white smoke from the exhaust for a mile or two until the piping heats up.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
White smoke is usually coolant, but that would be continuous.

If it's grey-ish, then it's probably just slightly leaky valve seals. Rings would smoke all the time.

If it really is white, it might just be condensation in the exhaust. My 951, like most 944s, spits out condensation smoke on cool mornings. There's a faint white smoke from the exhaust for a mile or two until the piping heats up.

ZV
Click to expand...

That's not 100% accurate ZV.
 
My friends 98 Camry did the same thing, but no discernable loss of oil. May be slighly leaky vavle guides, or just condensation.
 
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
White smoke is usually coolant, but that would be continuous.

If it's grey-ish, then it's probably just slightly leaky valve seals. Rings would smoke all the time.

If it really is white, it might just be condensation in the exhaust. My 951, like most 944s, spits out condensation smoke on cool mornings. There's a faint white smoke from the exhaust for a mile or two until the piping heats up.

ZV
Click to expand...
That's not 100% accurate ZV.
Click to expand...
They would not smoke exclusively on startup. They would smoke on any acceleration. The smoke would also be blueish-grey.

Smoke on start-up is almost always worn valve guides or seals if the smoke is from oil. Most of the time, it's just white condensation smoke.

Rings are not a likely culpret for what he described. Especially not at only 98K miles.

ZV
 
My 98 camry went through a spell of doing that. Turns out I was using the wrong motor oil. It wants 5W-30. I had been putting my usual 10W-40 in it, and that gummed it up!!
I went back to 5W-30 and it responded to that fine. Now it has 137K on it, and does not smoke noticeably on startup.
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
White smoke is usually coolant, but that would be continuous.

If it's grey-ish, then it's probably just slightly leaky valve seals. Rings would smoke all the time.

If it really is white, it might just be condensation in the exhaust. My 951, like most 944s, spits out condensation smoke on cool mornings. There's a faint white smoke from the exhaust for a mile or two until the piping heats up.

ZV
Click to expand...
That's not 100% accurate ZV.
Click to expand...
They would not smoke exclusively on startup. They would smoke on any acceleration. The smoke would also be blueish-grey.

Smoke on start-up is almost always worn valve guides or seals if the smoke is from oil. Most of the time, it's just white condensation smoke.

Rings are not a likely culpret for what he described. Especially not at only 98K miles.

ZV
Click to expand...

The wrong oil viscosity and worn rings can cause white smoke upon startup, that would go away when the engine reaches "normal" temp.
 
If it goes away, it's just condensation in the exhaust.

No worries here.

Burning oil is blue-grey.
 
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
White smoke is usually coolant, but that would be continuous.

If it's grey-ish, then it's probably just slightly leaky valve seals. Rings would smoke all the time.

If it really is white, it might just be condensation in the exhaust. My 951, like most 944s, spits out condensation smoke on cool mornings. There's a faint white smoke from the exhaust for a mile or two until the piping heats up.

ZV
Click to expand...
That's not 100% accurate ZV.
Click to expand...
They would not smoke exclusively on startup. They would smoke on any acceleration. The smoke would also be blueish-grey.

Smoke on start-up is almost always worn valve guides or seals if the smoke is from oil. Most of the time, it's just white condensation smoke.

Rings are not a likely culpret for what he described. Especially not at only 98K miles.

ZV
Click to expand...

The wrong oil viscosity and worn rings can cause white smoke upon startup, that would go away when the engine reaches "normal" temp.
Click to expand...
On what planet? 😛

Burning oil does NOT produce white smoke, and if the rings are worn the condition would NOT go away when the engine reaches operating temp.
 
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
The wrong oil viscosity and worn rings can cause white smoke upon startup, that would go away when the engine reaches "normal" temp.
Click to expand...
No, oil thins as it heats. Even though the viscosity number increases for multi-weight oil, it is still thinner once it's hot. If the rings are going, it will smoke more than just at start-up. And again, the smoke will not be white, it will be blue-grey.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
The wrong oil viscosity and worn rings can cause white smoke upon startup, that would go away when the engine reaches "normal" temp.
Click to expand...

No, oil thins as it heats. Even though the viscosity number increases for multi-weight oil, it is still thinner once it's hot. If the rings are going, it will smoke more than just at start-up. And again, the smoke will not be white, it will be blue-grey.

ZV
Click to expand...

Correct, but the worn rings expand under the heat.
 
Oil sludge problems are common on the V6 models of that camry body style.

Also check your valve seals for oil leaking. That is what the blue smoke is for.
 
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
The wrong oil viscosity and worn rings can cause white smoke upon startup, that would go away when the engine reaches "normal" temp.
Click to expand...

No, oil thins as it heats. Even though the viscosity number increases for multi-weight oil, it is still thinner once it's hot. If the rings are going, it will smoke more than just at start-up. And again, the smoke will not be white, it will be blue-grey.

ZV
Click to expand...
Correct, but the worn rings expand under the heat.
Click to expand...
Not enough to seal.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: ballmode
Oil sludge problems are common on the V6 models of that camry body style.

Also check your valve seals for oil leaking. That is what the blue smoke is for.
Click to expand...

Perhaps one of those off the shelf engine additives is all blodhi74 needs?
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
The wrong oil viscosity and worn rings can cause white smoke upon startup, that would go away when the engine reaches "normal" temp.
Click to expand...

No, oil thins as it heats. Even though the viscosity number increases for multi-weight oil, it is still thinner once it's hot. If the rings are going, it will smoke more than just at start-up. And again, the smoke will not be white, it will be blue-grey.

ZV
Click to expand...
Correct, but the worn rings expand under the heat.
Click to expand...

Not enough to seal.

ZV
Click to expand...

Depends on the wear IMO.
 
Originally posted by: blodhi74
I have a 97 camary with 98000 miles. 6/10 times when I start it cold, I get white smoke from the exhaust. Is it the valves or the piston rings. Any cheap remedies for this??

thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Does it have the 2.2L 4cyl? My girlfriend's 97 Celica has the same 2.2L I4 from that generation Camry and shows the same symptoms - some white/bluish smoke probably 50% of the time on cold startup. I've been told by a local Toyota dealership and an independent mechanic that hardened valve seals are a relatively common problem on the 2.2L as they age and can cause some oil to be burned on startup.
 
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
My 1st guess would be the rings.
Click to expand...

rings on a car with 98K??? Not likely. The smoke would be blue anyway.

It's most likely head gasket ... coolant is leaking inside the casing when the motor is cold. When the car heats up, the heads expand and seal up the gasket
 
Originally posted by: halik
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
My 1st guess would be the rings.
Click to expand...

rings on a car with 98K???

It's most likely head gasket ... coolant is leaking inside the casing when the motor is cold. When the car heats up, the heads expand and seal up the gasket
Click to expand...

Every one who posts about the mileage at 98K is assuming that the engine was properly cared for and the like.
 
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