white smoke!

[jdubs12]

hey guys, so my pathfinder has been sitting in my driveway for 3 months (i live in kelowna and it hasnt got much colder then -10 degrees Celsius) as I put new in tie rods, ball joints, etc. I just started it up today and noticed its blowing thick white smoke and the exhaust is dripping, is this bad?! ive let it run for 15 minutes and it seems to be less thick but it is still coming out white. I had/ still have full antifreeze, my neighbour thought it is because my headgasket cracked - is this possible to happen while it just sat in a driveway?

[Precise1]

This is usually the symptom of burning antifreeze, from a blown head gasket or a cracked head. Normally, I'd say no, this won't happen if the car has been sitting, but since you mention it's been below freezing, maybe that could have something to do with it. When you say it ran for 15 minutes, did the temp gauge get up to it's normal running position? Any oil sheen in the antifreeze? How does the engine oil look on the dip stick? On the bottom of the filler cap? Is the antifreeze mix sufficient to protect to the temperature you have experienced?

 

B

[adamzan]

I'd say its normal for the cold weather. When mine is cold there is a crap load of white coming from the tailpipe. Once it gets warmed up there is still some but not as much. All 3 of my pathfinders have done this.

[jdubs12]

yeah its relatively gone after running for 30ish minutes, only has the occasional white puff when i rev it hard...i think i may have preemptively panicked

[Precise1]

Well, that's the best possible scenario, isn't it?

 

B

[Slartibartfast]

Sounds like normal exhaust condensation. You know how water condenses on a cold glass? I imagine the water in the exhaust condenses on the cold exhaust system in much the same way until the tubing heats up properly. Whatever water vapor doesn't condense on the pipes comes out with the rest of the exhaust and freezes in the air (like your breath on a cold day), making the white smoke (fog). If it does this in July, you might have a problem. Given that the truck was sitting for three months, and was freezing cold when you started it, this seems entirely normal.

 

It is possible to bugger an engine by not having enough antifreeze in the coolant (the water freezes and expands and something has to give), but I can't imagine it would start up and idle and hold water if this was the case.

[bushnut]

when in trouble or in doubt

run in circles

scream and shout.

[Slartibartfast]

Sounds like a good way to get tazed.