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280 N Hubbards Ln, Louisville, KY 40207
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Follow Us on:
280 N Hubbards Ln, Louisville, KY 40207
Call Us (502) 896-0305
If you notice white smoke coming from your BMW’s tailpipe, you should investigate the possible causes to prevent engine damage. Most of the time, especially during winter, seeing white smoke leave your exhaust is totally normal and nothing to be bothered about. Other conditions could be a reason for concern.
If white smoke is pouring out of your BMW’s exhaust after allowing the car to warm up for some minutes, then you may have some internal issues. It is imperative that you solve the problem as soon as possible so that your exhaust system and the engine do not get damaged. Here are some reasons for the emission of white smoke from a BMW’s exhaust pipe.
Don’t assume the worst if you observe white vapors rising from your exhaust. You may not need to be concerned because it could simply be caused by condensation accumulation. On cooler days, you will frequently see this white condensation coming out in these instances. When you start your engine, there should only be a small quantity of vapors. The white vapors usually clear up after around 30 seconds to a few minutes. If that is the case, then there is no cause for alarm.
Coolant may begin to seep out of your cylinder head if it is broken or damaged. This does not have to be a large crack. All it takes is a small amount of coolant to escape and mix with the engine oil, after which, the oil would become polluted.
White exhaust smoke rising from the exhaust is the first indicator of contaminated oil. As time goes on, the white smoke will produce a sweet smell that will not go away easily.
The intake manifold gasket is another spot that also leaks coolant. A leaking intake manifold gasket may cause symptoms similar to a head gasket leak, a broken block, or a cracked cylinder head. A broken intake manifold gasket is usually less expensive and easier to replace than a blown head gasket. If you observe white smoke, let your mechanic perform some tests and troubleshooting to determine which part is leaking.
If oil were to seep from your pistons or valve seals, it would enter the internal combustion chamber with the fuel. When the oil and the fuel mix, your exhaust will most likely emit a blue-ish smoke, but it usually appears white to most people. You’d obviously want to address this leak as soon as possible since if the engine components aren’t properly lubricated by the oil, they’ll begin to wear out and be damaged quickly. This will result in a lot of costly issues that you don’t want to deal with.
The fuel injector is in charge of delivering gasoline to the internal combustion chamber at the appropriate time. If you have a faulty fuel injector, white smoke will form because the required amount of fuel would not enter the combustion chamber when it should.
If you have a malfunctioning engine control unit or one that is merely glitchy, the fuel injector timing may be thrown off balance. This does not imply that the fuel injector is defective in any way. It simply means that you must repair or reprogram the engine control unit in order for it to correct the fuel pump injector timing.
Sometimes, merely unplugging your car battery for a few minutes could reset the computer and the problem will resolve. However, if this is not the case, you will need to visit a mechanic to have this done because reprogramming the engine control unit requires specialists who are knowledgeable about your car and its electronics and features.
The worst thing that could happen is when your entire engine block is cracked. This kind of problem is very expensive to repair. You won’t know which of these issues is causing the white smoke that was produced unless you have a professional inspect your car.
St. Matthews Imports in Louisville, Kentucky specializes in German import car repair. We have been serving car owners in Louisville and its surrounding areas for nearly 50 years with our unrivaled service excellence. Visit our Hubbard’s Lane shop for auto service and repair. Visit us or give us a call now!