If the engine is in good working order, virtually nothing is released into the environment from the tailpipe. At least there is no visible exhaust in the form of smoke and there cannot be. Except in cold weather, the exhaust gases can be confusing for the first few minutes of operation with white smoke from the exhaust system. Don’t panic – it’s spotless and harmless water vapor!
Is white smoke always steam? Yes and no. What you see on an idling diesel engine on a winter morning is normal and harmless vapor. If a white cloud of smoke appears under load, it is already an engine fault. There are several possibilities:
- increased humidity in the exhaust system, which occurs as the “chimney” heats up;
- diesel fuel in the engine cylinders that has not burned completely;
- engine coolant leaking into the diesel engine cylinders.
But what if water has got into the exhaust?
Moisture can only enter the exhaust system in one way – as condensation. If the engine is in good condition and the “healthy” vapor builds up on a cool morning at idle, it is probably accumulating in one of the so-called tailpipe drums.
Some of it escapes when you start driving, but just as much can accumulate in the exhaust system. Logically, as the exhaust heats up, the water starts to evaporate and white exhaust smoke can be seen at the rear of the engine. This is not a worst-case scenario, apart from the fact that the exhaust will soon be rusted from the inside and you will have to buy a new one.
What to consider if diesel does not burn?
Given that most people drive diesel engines, white smoke can mean that the fuel is not completely burnt. In this case, the smoke is slightly greyish and is trying to tell you one thing: the gases in the fuel that were supposed to push the piston with the ion have thrown a curve and entered the exhaust system. This exhaust smoke likely means that the combustion chamber is not at a high enough temperature and combustion is delayed. Glow plugs, cylinder compression, and injectors may need to be checked.
What to consider if antifreeze is trapped in the cylinder?
If this has happened, the tone of the white smoke may be variable. This depends on the additives in the coolant. Water is to blame in any case. This time, it’s the one added to the coolant. It comes into contact with the hot engine assemblies and a veritable puff of smoke grows from the tailpipe end.
A white cloud of smoke is not crazy in itself, except for the chemical reaction that causes the coolant to enter the combustion chamber, which is particularly dangerous for diesel engines. A diesel engine contains much more sulfur than petrol. When sulfur mixes with water.
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