Puff of white smoke coming from exhaust upon startup...should I worry???

[NFS4]

I've noticed recently (maybe last month or so), that when I start my car a visible cloud of white/greyish smoke comes out of my exhaust and dissipates within about 3 seconds when I first start my car after it's been sitting overnight. Then everything is fine as usual. It never used to happen

Should I be alarmed or is it just old age?

'95 Camry LE 4-banger, 126,350 miles.

 

[JustinSampson]

Just oil leaking because your valves are wearing a bit and letting oil drip onto the piston when it sits for a while. Normal for an old car.

 

[Doggiedog]

It's just condensation coming from the hamster.

 

[StageLeft]

Teach you to buy a Nissan, won't it?

 

[FrustratedUser]

It is not unusual that water condenses inside the exhaust and that creates white smoke upon start up.
But if it never happened before and now suddenly you see it then maybe. Check coolant level for a couple of days. If you don't loose any then your're good to go.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: JustinSampson
Just oil leaking because your valves are wearing a bit and letting oil drip onto the piston when it sits for a while. Normal for an old car.

Um, white smoke is not oil, it's water. And it's fine as water condenses overtime inside your engine and exhaust system.

Oil burning is gray/black smoke.

 

[JustinSampson]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: JustinSampson
Just oil leaking because your valves are wearing a bit and letting oil drip onto the piston when it sits for a while. Normal for an old car.

Um, white smoke is not oil, it's water. And it's fine.

Oil burning is gray/black smoke.

My bad. Read his post wrong.

 

[K1052]

Has it been very humid there lately?
It could just be some moisture in the exhaust system.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: JustinSampson
Just oil leaking because your valves are wearing a bit and letting oil drip onto the piston when it sits for a while. Normal for an old car.

Um, white smoke is not oil, it's water. And it's fine as water condenses overtime inside your engine and exhaust system.

Oil burning is gray/black smoke.

Should I get some that water remover stuff that I saw at AutoZone yesterday?? It's supposed to remove water from the fuel system.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: K1052
Has it been very humid there lately?
It could just be some moisture in the exhaust system.

Sheesh, it's been humid as heck for the past month and half here in NC

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: JustinSampson
Just oil leaking because your valves are wearing a bit and letting oil drip onto the piston when it sits for a while. Normal for an old car.

Um, white smoke is not oil, it's water. And it's fine as water condenses overtime inside your engine and exhaust system.

Oil burning is gray/black smoke.

Should I get some that water remover stuff that I saw at AutoZone yesterday?? It's supposed to remove water from the fuel system.

No because you have no water in the fuel, it's in the exhaust.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: K1052
Has it been very humid there lately?
It could just be some moisture in the exhaust system.

Sheesh, it's been humid as heck for the past month and half here in NC

Well, there you go. Nothing to worry about then.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: NFS4
I've noticed recently (maybe last month or so), that when I start my car a visible cloud of white/greyish smoke comes out of my exhaust and dissipates within about 3 seconds when I first start my car after it's been sitting overnight. Then everything is fine as usual. It never used to happen

Should I be alarmed or is it just old age?

'95 Camry LE 4-banger, 126,350 miles.

Sounds like a blown head gasket...didn't know that could happen to a import

Ausm

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: ausm

Originally posted by: NFS4
I've noticed recently (maybe last month or so), that when I start my car a visible cloud of white/greyish smoke comes out of my exhaust and dissipates within about 3 seconds when I first start my car after it's been sitting overnight. Then everything is fine as usual. It never used to happen

Should I be alarmed or is it just old age?

'95 Camry LE 4-banger, 126,350 miles.

Sounds like a blown head gasket...didn't know that could happen to a import

Ausm

Har Har Har, very funny

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: JustinSampson
Just oil leaking because your valves are wearing a bit and letting oil drip onto the piston when it sits for a while. Normal for an old car.

Um, white smoke is not oil, it's water. And it's fine as water condenses overtime inside your engine and exhaust system.

Oil burning is gray/black smoke.

Should I get some that water remover stuff that I saw at AutoZone yesterday?? It's supposed to remove water from the fuel system.

Nope. Water in your gas would cause other, more serious problems.

This is water in your exhaust, and it only occurs right after startup... if your description is correct. No action is needed.

If, on the other hand, it happened longer than you describe, you might have a blown gasket.

 

[sharkeeper]

You only need to worry when the [W] light glows. (W stands for Walk)

-DAK-

 

[Bulk Beef]

Water is a by-product of combustion - perfectly normal. That's one reason why ~220 is about the ideal oil temp (steams the water out of the oil).

 

[BadgerFan]

Originally posted by: NFS4
I've noticed recently (maybe last month or so), that when I start my car a visible cloud of white/greyish smoke comes out of my exhaust and dissipates within about 3 seconds when I first start my car after it's been sitting overnight. Then everything is fine as usual. It never used to happen

Should I be alarmed or is it just old age?

'95 Camry LE 4-banger, 126,350 miles.

Have no fear! My mom has a 97 Camry 4-Banger, and it does the EXACT same thing. Her car only has 75,000 on it though. My guess is that the guides might be a little leaky.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: JustinSampson
Just oil leaking because your valves are wearing a bit and letting oil drip onto the piston when it sits for a while. Normal for an old car.

Despite everyone saying it's water, I'm going to say that Justin is probably right. Burning oil is not black, it's white/light bluish. I've had several cars with leaky valve guides that smoked for a few seconds on startup after sitting.

Water does not make smoke, it makes steam.

EDIT: Even if steam looked like smoke, it takes a minute for the exhaust to heat up to the point that water would turn to steam on it. It will not steam instantly upon startup.

 

[MisterPresident]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: ausm

Originally posted by: NFS4
I've noticed recently (maybe last month or so), that when I start my car a visible cloud of white/greyish smoke comes out of my exhaust and dissipates within about 3 seconds when I first start my car after it's been sitting overnight. Then everything is fine as usual. It never used to happen

Should I be alarmed or is it just old age?

'95 Camry LE 4-banger, 126,350 miles.

Sounds like a blown head gasket...didn't know that could happen to a import

Ausm

Har Har Har, very funny

Actually I've got one on my old Supra

 

[BadgerFan]

Originally posted by: MisterPresident

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: ausm

Originally posted by: NFS4
I've noticed recently (maybe last month or so), that when I start my car a visible cloud of white/greyish smoke comes out of my exhaust and dissipates within about 3 seconds when I first start my car after it's been sitting overnight. Then everything is fine as usual. It never used to happen

Should I be alarmed or is it just old age?

'95 Camry LE 4-banger, 126,350 miles.

Sounds like a blown head gasket...didn't know that could happen to a import

Ausm

Har Har Har, very funny

Actually I've got one on my old Supra

The Probability of NFS4 blowing his headgasket on an underpowered four banger is low. Assuming he hasn't overheated the engine recently. Like I said, my moms camry with the same engine does the exact same thing. I would say it is normal for this vehicle.

 

[Bulk Beef]

Despite everyone saying it's water, I'm going to say that Justin is probably right. Burning oil is not black, it's white/light bluish. I've had several cars with leaky valve guides that smoked for a few seconds on startup after sitting.

Now that I think about it, I'm gonna have to agree. A little puff immediately on startup says a little oil in the combustion chamber - I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[DurocShark]

Have someone else start the car while you're back by the exhaust...

Smell it. Smell like buring oil?
Watch it dissipate. Water will dissipate almost instantly, oil will linger (won't work on a windy day...).

Compression check in either case just to make sure.

 

[DorkBoy]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: JustinSampson
Just oil leaking because your valves are wearing a bit and letting oil drip onto the piston when it sits for a while. Normal for an old car.

Um, white smoke is not oil, it's water. And it's fine as water condenses overtime inside your engine and exhaust system.

Oil burning is gray/black smoke.

Yes, glad to see someone else knows the basics

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: DurocShark
Have someone else start the car while you're back by the exhaust...

Smell it. Smell like buring oil?
Watch it dissipate. Water will dissipate almost instantly, oil will linger (won't work on a windy day...).

Compression check in either case just to make sure.

Well, I'll have to wait til tomorrow morning to check it again b/c I'm gonna be running my car all day today (leaving for the beach at 3 o'clock).