[weems]

For some reason my car smokes a little on startup. Only for about 20-30 seconds or so. Not bad smoke just a little thin. Is anything wrong? Could it be in the tune?

 

[SWEET2KSTANG]

color? could be anything from guides or something as simple as fuel or condensation.

 

[weems]

white

 

[Mike Johnson]

I would say your valve guides or valve seals the are always leaking on those modular motors, thats why I stick with push rod engines.

 

[Doc8224]

I would say your valve guides or valve seals the are always leaking on those modular motors, thats why I stick with push rod engines.

Yea cuz valve seals and valve guides never go bad on push rod motors.

 

[weems]

so is this anything i should be concerned about?

 

[TheUNZippee!]

White smoke typically means coolant. If it were valve seals/guides, the smoke would be blue.

Are you sure it's not just because it's been cooler out than normal in your area? Some white smoke when it's cold out is normal.

If not, pressure test your cooling system. It could be a head gasket.

How many miles on the car, weems?

 

[weems]

65k. and yeah its been cool out. keep in mind cool, not cold. mid 50s..

 

[TheUNZippee!]

Just pay attention to it. If it goes away once it gets a little warmer, then it was just the temperature. 50 is around where it while smoke a little until it warms up a touch. It's still worth pressure testing the cooling system just to be sure. Not an expensive procedure, or you can buy the tool yourself to check it.

You simply pressure the system up with the tool, and if the pressure drops (I can't remember what an acceptable drop is in what amount of time, it'll be in the manual with the tool), then there is a problem.

You can also have someone fire up your car for you, and smell the exhaust. If it smells sweet, that's coolant burning.

Don't inhale too deeply though, or you'll get high and random passerby will be able to take advantage of you. lol

Keep an eye on your coolant level as well.

 

[SWEET2KSTANG]

if it were me i would guess more toward moisture or fuel more than anything else. i wouldnt be concerned about it right now, i would pull a plug and see what it looks like.

 

[SWEET2KSTANG]

I would say your valve guides or valve seals the are always leaking on those modular motors, thats why I stick with push rod engines.

:bs hardly any issues ar all with seals or guides. if so i would of had to replace mine several times by now.

 

[Mike Johnson]

:bs hardly any issues ar all with seals or guides. if so i would of had to replace mine several times by now.

I've had to tear several 4.6s apart because of bad valve guides. One was on a lincoln and it only had 78,000 miles. On my old ford f150 with a 5.4L in it with less then 50,000 miles on it and the valve guides were going bad. I have heard from several other people that them valve guides are leaking.

 

[99cobradroptop]

yeah, its probably moisture burning off in the exhaust, if its just thin white smoke, its more than likely moisture. mine does the same thing when its cold out.