Smoke in the morning ....

[cnnonyx]

Hi all,

Wondering if I can have some advice from you lot of wise people.

While I know it is normal for a car to be blowing that white smoke in the morning, does someone know what this smoke is, and why it occurs? I am guessing its more steam due to some sort of evaporation due to cold morning temps ....

Why I am asking, though, is because my new SSV Ute seems to blow a BUCKET LOAD of smoke.

Even when I get the oil temp on the gauge up to its operating 100 degress or something, it still seems to fog it up big time at the lights.

Last night, it was 13 degrees outside, started the car, oil temp was at 60 or so ..... and it was BILLOWING smoke.

After driving a while normally it goes away, but its just SO MUCH SMOKE its alarming. When I am at the lights all I can see is clouds fogging out the car behind me :rofl:

Therefore, can someone explain what causes this to happen (just out of scientific curiosity), and why on earth does my SSV do it SO prolifically in the morning - I should get number plates SMOKEY or something!!

Look forward to some science talk, cheers

Dave

[swingtan]

You need to get your terminology right to start with....

If you are seeing a white cloud the dissipates quickly, especially when the exhaust system is cold, then you are most probably seeing "steam", not smoke. You can also check by placing a cold surface in the "cloud" and if it condenses to water droplets, then it's most likely just steam.

Smoke, on the other hand, will not dissipate as quick and will not condense. It is also not quite "white" but may be "blueish" from oil or "grey / brown / black" from a rich mixture. Smoke and steam are not the same thing and should not be referred to as being the same.

You are mast likely seeing plain old steam, as you have already guessed. When the exhaust system is cold, it cools the gasses coming from the motor. The cooling gas can not hold as much "water vapour" or moisture as when it was hotter, so the moisture condenses out and becomes steam. As the exhaust system heats up, the gases stay warmer and less steam is produced, though the total water content stays the same. Once fully up to temp. The exhaust system helps keep the gasses hot and you get no steam at all, ( unless it's very cold and then the steam condenses after the gases leave the exhaust.

You should only get the plates if you are a fire fighting bear...

[White Rider]

You may also get a puff of white smoke in the morning if your valve seals and/or guides are worn and oil drips down into the cylinder chamber overnight. Thats not what your describing but I thought id put it out there.

[TUFFIE]

Hi all,

Wondering if I can have some advice from you lot of wise people.

While I know it is normal for a car to be blowing that white smoke in the morning, does someone know what this smoke is, and why it occurs? I am guessing its more steam due to some sort of evaporation due to cold morning temps ....

Why I am asking, though, is because my new SSV Ute seems to blow a BUCKET LOAD of smoke.

Even when I get the oil temp on the gauge up to its operating 100 degress or something, it still seems to fog it up big time at the lights.

Last night, it was 13 degrees outside, started the car, oil temp was at 60 or so ..... and it was BILLOWING smoke.

After driving a while normally it goes away, but its just SO MUCH SMOKE its alarming. When I am at the lights all I can see is clouds fogging out the car behind me :rofl:

Therefore, can someone explain what causes this to happen (just out of scientific curiosity), and why on earth does my SSV do it SO prolifically in the morning - I should get number plates SMOKEY or something!!

Look forward to some science talk, cheers

Dave


:confused: sounds like its stuffed.....I will buy it off you for half of what you paid.:)


















P.S....:jester: Just kidding mate...I believe Swingy summed it all up for you...its a very normal operating function.

[cnnonyx]

Makes sense all ... thanks.

Its just that its very, very dramatic, thats why I am asking. All cars do it - its just that this thing is billowing so much it fogs out everything behind me - thought that something just might not be right.

Guess not

Onwards we go!

Cheers

[fatbob]

Wow - thanks swingtan - science at LS1 that makes sense. I just learned something.

[mike85]

i had the same problem with my vs ss, shit loads of white smoke comin out when i started up, took it to the mechanics n they cleaned the injectors and also my o2 sensor was stuffed so they reckoned that the exhaust manifold couldn regulate temp and burned too much or not enough oil.