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

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Bulk Beef

Diamond Member
Aug 14, 2001
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Originally posted by: 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
Actually, black is fuel (too rich). Oil is bluish white, water will be steam and probably not real thick, and if your head gasket is blown bad enough, coolant will be a thick cloud of white.