what is the white smoke coming out off my truck?

Question

When i start my truck it gives off white smoke for about 5 - 10 min.Now it seems to last long.

Answer 1

It often means that you are burning antifreeze. You asked if it needs antifreeze, have you noticed any leaking out of the reservoir tank while you are running it? Sometimes when the head gasket goes it will produce a passage for the antifreeze to pass from the capillaries into the combustion chamber. It is easy to check if you have an air compressor. Remove one of the rear sparkplugs and the radiator cap. Fill the radiator and then push some air into the sparkplug hole (get a good seal in case a valve is open). Repeat with all the cylinders and watch for air bubbles coming up into the radiator. If bubbles come up or fluid is pumped out, the head gasket is blown and must be replaced. It is more likely to happen at the back of the engine because it is farthest away from the fan and therefore gets less cooling.

Also check your oil for discoloration. If it is a brownish color it could mean your oil and antifreeze are mixing and has the potential to damage your bearings.

blue smoke is almost always caused by the engine burning oil. An engine can burn antifreeze and is white in appearance. It can mix with the oil or burn. Keep an eye on your level. If it is "billowing" white smoke it will probably require more coolant every few hundred miles. Find the source. as far as oil burning ,there are many things that could cause oil burning. Bad rings, head gaskets, valve seals, bearings, cracked block. Major repairs are usually the answer.

White smoke or semi white can be produced in several ways. One way is oil this is normally a whitish blue to blue smoke and has the apparent smell of oil being burned. Next could be antifreeze when it is being burned it has a sweet type of smell and tends to dissipate in the air rather quickly. Next is automatic transmission fluid which is normally found on automatic transmissions and its normally drawn into an engine thru a vacuum line via a defective transmission modulator valve or some other defective part. Transmission fluid is very apparent and billows out so bad that you can't see anything behind you. Last but not least another type of smoke that is not white but black is the presents of to much gas/fuel being burned in the engine. Hope This Helps, EzForJesus

PS the one good thing about transmission fluid being burned is it is an excellent way to clean the carbon out of an engine.

Also--the timing. Yes, when forming a good question, you need to give GOOD DETAILS. Does it ALWAYS burn white? Just at startup? Only when hot? Etc. DESCRIBE, DESCRIBE, DESCRIBE!!!

A head gasket problem is ALWAYS there and it only gets worse under pressure/acceleration/load. It will go from a little cloud to it's own weather system when you stomp on the gas.

OVERFILLING THE OIL will produce this white burned smoke too. Yes, it will SMELL different. IT will also usually go away after some driving. CHECK THE DIPSTICK, it's obvious, but do it--do it right. Flat surface; cold engine. Pull--Wipe it off--put it in--now you are getting the real level.

Oil burning will be at startup from worn valve rings/seals and during driving from overfilling at first a lot, then only at heavy acceleration/g forces when demand is high. Again--smell, check all your fluid levels (OIL, WATER, TRANS) of course, whatever is low is what you are BURINING (or for the one gent that gets particular, boiling).

ALWAYS Start w the simplest thing or the cheapest. Did you just change the oil and it started--overfilling, etc. Yes, it won't hurt to check the PCV valve and tubing. Really, check all you can check.

Answer 2

Have you checked the oil level on a fairly regular basis? If you're motor is burning oil you'll notice the level going down over time..if it's burning oil it's using it right...you could have a compression test done on it for a pretty resonable price...it could be condensation, catilytic convertor...how old is the truck & how many miles, make & model...is it under warranty? Make sure you don't take the word of the first mechanic you see...shop around for opinions & check labor rates...some dealers & shops private & chain are just looking for suckers who don't know a pcv valve from a camshaft.

Answer 3

If you are sure it is not just condensation I would check real close to see if there is a blueish tinge to it. That would indicate valve seals. The oil is leaking into the combustion chambers after shut off. Very common problem. Keep a mean eye on the coolant level as it is also possible you have an internal coolant leak.

Answer 4

typically when white smoke comes out of the exhaust it means the engine is running lean (meaning not enough fuel is being burned for the amount of oxygen that is burned in the combustion chamber) if the smoke is black it is the opposite (referred to as running "rich") so it could just be the fuel mixture in your engine is inadequate when the engine is cold and that causes it to smoke then once the engine is warmed up it runs a better mixture. Just make sure your engine is warm when you go to get emissions tested.

Answer 5

White smoke? water vapor generally either from condensation or a blown head gasket if its doing it a lot (loosing water from yer radiator? or have oil in it?)

Oil Burning is a blueish grey smoke...

Answer 6

i own a shop,and if its getting worse on it its probably oil your burning ,it should have a blueish tint to it though if its all oil,it maybe a mixture of oil and anti freeze,this will indicate a blown head gasket on it,either way it sounds like it might be getting ready to go down,and stop running,id have a local mechanic look at it,and see what they say about it,,good luck i hope this help,s.

Answer 7

Either your burning oilo or burning antifreeze. Check your oil and coolant levels. If it is the oil you have bad valve seals. If it is the coolant it is a bad headgasket.

Answer 8

Is the smoke coming out of your cab lol. you're burning oil somewhere

Answer 9

white smoke could just be steam. if its black and smells horribly then its oil. get it checked out and there might be something to replace. my friend had the same problem

Answer 10

you have bad oil rings, and it's allowing oil to get in with the gas. when you turn your car off.it's not a blown head.because you said it's stop after 5-10 min