Even if your import is a diesel, you should not see a ton of exhaust smoke flowing out of the tailpipe. If you do, Uptown Imports warns that this is a sign that there is something seriously wrong with the engine. In fact, in some cases, the excess exhaust is a precursor to total engine failure. Consequently, if you wish to keep your import, you may need to have a new engine dropped into it. Let’s talk about the different colors of engine exhaust below and what they mean.
Black Exhaust
All exhaust means that your engine is burning something. In the case of black exhaust, the engine is burning fuel. While it is normal for an engine to burn fuel in order to run, you should never see excess black exhaust flowing out of the tailpipe. If you do, your engine is burning excess fuel that is leaking from somewhere. This leak could be from the fuel injectors, which can be fixed by replacing them, or from a more serious fuel system leak or engine breach. Regardless of where the leak is coming from, leaking fuel in an automobile engine is dangerous.
Blue Exhaust
Blue exhaust can render your engine useless within hours. Blue exhaust means that your engine is burning away the motor oil that’s in it. An automobile engine that doesn’t have any motor oil in it will die in less than 30 minutes. An automobile engine with very little motor oil will not run much longer than that. One of the most common causes of blue exhaust is a cracked engine gasket. When the engine gasket cracks, the motor oil leaks into the cylinders and is burned away. This burning away is what causes the blue exhaust. It’s important that you stop driving your import to avoid further engine damage.
White Exhaust
White exhaust is a sign that your engine is burning the coolant. You will also likely have an overheating engine that simply cannot be resolved. A lot of times, what is causing the white exhaust is a cracked head gasket. When the head gasket is compromised, the engine coolant sprays out from underneath it because it is pressurized. As it sprays all over the hot engine, you will end up with white exhaust as well as white smoke coming out from underneath the hood. It’s important that you don’t drive your automobile with the coolant leak, either.
Uptown Imports in Minneapolis, MN, can help if your vehicle is releasing too much exhaust. Call us today for an appointment.