Idle, at a stop, a lot of thick white smoke billowing out of my exhaust. Smells like something burning...

Any ideas?

Head gasket, cylinder walls, valves...?

 

No loss of power, but don't really want to test it and blow something

 

Any mods? Have you done anything to your car lately?

 

Fully modded bolt-ons, tune 94oct and Rad Lite.

Smoke is bluish white

 

http://autorepair.about.com/od/troub..._exhaust_2.htm

Possibility?

 

Blue'ish smoke is usually engine oil. White smoke is usually coolant. Each of them have distinct odors associated with them, and you'd be able to easily determine the difference.


**Edit:
If you're going to have the cylinders bored out (which is what I assume you intend to do based on your crank shaft thread), then it shouldn't be too big if a deal, because you'll have to replace all of the likely culprits that would allow coolant or engine oil into the cylinders to make up for the difference in bored size. Well, except the turbo. I suppose there's a possibility that the turbo could be letting oil or coolant into the exhaust... So, I guess you ought to have that checked out "While You're At It" (tm)

 

Haha thanks. I've ordered a full valvetrain upgrade and will have the head/gaskets completely re-done.

I will have the turbo completely checked out first though before I start ripping things apart.

 

Check your oil. If it is a milky white color most likely a head gasket. The blueish sounds like oil burning though.

 

Pretty sure the head gasket is leaking. Going to pick up all my parts this week. I'm going to try a head gasket leak stopper for the moment until I can get it changed and drive with little or no boost.

 

Just a warning I had some bad luck with a head gasket on a bmw and also tried the head gasket leak stopper...after breaking the whole motor down i found globs of it stuck in the radiator. I would advise against that stuff. If you plan on driving which I don't recommend watch your temps and change your oil like every 500 miles. Best bet to park it and rent a car or something. You can cause major damage to the bottom end of the motor and everything else. Coolant in oil pretty much breaks down the properties of oil and could cause a seize in worst cases. Good luck though

 

Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately right now, I'm smoking out everyone behind me really badly at a stop.

I'm planning on doing a full build anyways with a new rad and hoses come spring (including the bottom end).

This is really temporary and I'm going to stay out of boost at all costs for the next few months.

 

seals on the turbo could be gone. If the HG is done i don't think your gonna be able to nurse it.

 

I'm going to be changing everything. It's also coolant but in through the exhaust which is most likely the HG, or valve seal/guide.

 

Pretty surprised my Rad Lite pushed everything to the limit.

 

The turbo uses coolant also...newb on this part but could coolant leak through the turbo into the exhaust?