Every car owner may experience one very interesting, incomprehensible headache in the form of smoke from the exhaust pipe, and especially owners of cars with a diesel unit. It seems that the car will drive and work, but the fact that it smokes will not leave its owner any peace.
The situation is interesting because the smoke can be of different colors: black, white, gray or smoke blue smoke, blue smoke is the most common. And for a certain reason, there will be smoke of a certain color.
The cause of black smoke may be fuel that has not burned completely. Smoke of this color occurs when there is an excessive supply of fuel or the fuel is of poor quality. A lack of oxygen will have the same effect. The same reasons are involved in the appearance of gray smoke. The smoke is gray in color only because the defects are not as serious as those that cause a black trail behind the car.
A diesel engine emits bluish smoke and there may be different reasons for this. If blue smoke is emitted while the car is running on a cold engine or an already warm one, then you should think about problems in the diesel unit. This effect can be caused by two problems:
- The fuel does not burn out.
- Engine oil enters the engine.
To understand why a diesel engine smokes, you need to diagnose it without resorting to the help of special devices. You can identify the problem by the degree of smokiness and the smell it carries.
Kamaz smokes white smoke - Causes and consequences
The products of the Kama Automobile Plant, located in Naberezhnye Chelny, entered everyday life, became popular and distributed in forty countries.
Mass popularity is the reason that the incorrect behavior of technology arouses consumer interest. During operation of the power plant, a frequent occurrence is the abundant release of exhaust gases and the KamAZ smokes. For a working engine, this behavior is typical when starting, but it goes away after a short period of time. If not, the symptom indicates problems in the condition of the unit. The sooner the reason why the KamAZ smokes is identified and eliminated, the longer the engine will last.
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What does the KamAZ exhaust indicate?
Car exhaust, an indicator of the condition of the power plant. As already mentioned, the KamAZ diesel engine does not smoke under normal conditions. Otherwise, analysis of emissions (smoke color) will answer the question about the condition of the motor. The indicator will indicate the exact cause of the breakdown, the degree of wear and condition of the components. Damage to injectors and fuel pressure pump.
Exhaust is the remains of unburned fuel coming out in the form of gas. Visually, the emission products are visible at sub-zero temperatures, then the smog is presented in the form of steam.
When KamAZ operates, there is exhaust of the following colors:
- White issue, with an admixture of black and gray tones;
- Blue edition, with an admixture of gray tone;
- Black exhaust, with soot emissions.
KamAZ smokes white smoke reasons
The white tone of the power plant exhaust is caused by both harmless reasons and reasons that require urgent solutions. In order not to doubt the technical condition of the vehicle and avoid an unpleasant situation, it is necessary to determine as soon as possible why the KamAZ is smoking white smoke.
Causes of white exhaust:
- Formation of condensation in the exhaust system.
This is a harmless phenomenon. The moisture accumulated during parking evaporates as the power plant heats up, steam particles mix with oxidation waste and color the exhaust, making it white. When the remaining condensation evaporates, the phenomenon will disappear.
KamAZ smokes white smoke:
- Partial oxidation of the working mixture
Consequence of supply disruption and failure of combustion of the fuel mixture in the chamber. This behavior is characteristic of a corrected engine in the cold season, when the engine has not warmed up and is idling. After the engine has warmed up, the exhaust is not noticeable, this is considered normal behavior. Otherwise, the problems are as follows:
- Mechanical abrasion of the pump, plungers;
- A drop in the compression ratio in the cylinder liner;
- Increased pumping force of the working mixture.
Malfunctions lead to a delay in fuel ignition due to an incorrect mixture injection angle. Failure to correct the malfunction in a timely manner leads to the fact that the diesel engine does not start, troits, and jerks. Characteristic signs: decreased acceleration dynamics, decreased power, increased fuel consumption.
- Coolant entering the positive displacement chamber.
A dangerous scenario. Getting into the KamAZ cylinder liner, the coolant forms a compound containing sulfur, which negatively affects the service life of the engine. Liquid in the cylinders will lead to hydraulic shock, which will destroy the piston group, resulting in complete failure of the power plant.
Consequences of water hammer KamAZ:
A cooler in the piston space indicates a problem:
- Block seal failure;
- Microscopic rupture in the block or in the motor head;
- Damage to the intake manifold seal.
Remember that it is advisable not to use the engine until the problems are resolved. Otherwise, the situation will worsen and the consequences will be irreparable. You can also read about Kamaz Heating - Causes and Consequences.
Why does a diesel engine smoke?
When all systems are working properly, the exhaust has no color and there is very little of it. If a diesel engine smokes thick smoke, colored white, black or other colors, this indicates low quality fuel or malfunctions of various vehicle systems.
Common causes of smoke
As you know, the fuel-air mixture burns in the engine cylinders. The fuel enters here through the injector nozzles and “meets” the air, which is supplied through the intake manifold. The cylinder pistons create the pressure necessary to mix air with fuel. When the entire system works like a clock, the mixture burns almost completely, and the emission of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere is minimal. The smoke that comes out of the exhaust pipe when the engine starts is the result of incomplete combustion of the fuel mixture for various reasons:
- The injection advance angle is off.
- Uneven fuel spray.
- Insufficient air supply to the cylinder block.
- Fuel is of low quality, with a high concentration of sulfur.
Let us immediately note that it is impossible to find out the exact cause of the breakdown only by the type of exhaust. The color of the smoke will tell you where to look for a problem (cooling system, compressor, etc.), which will save time. But an accurate “diagnosis” will only be made by a complete diagnosis of all systems, which is best not to delay.
Black color of smoke: causes and consequences
The black color of the exhaust is due to its high soot content. Most often, diesel smokes black due to the low cetane number of diesel fuel, or, more simply, due to poor fuel quality. Switching to higher quality diesel fuel will help confirm or refute this guess. If after several starting cycles the smoke color remains the same, then the problem is not in the fuel.
Air filter clogged
The purpose of the filter is to clean the air entering the cylinders from solid particles that can damage the engine. When it becomes clogged, the air supply is reduced, which affects engine power and fuel consumption. If the filter is clogged, fuel burns in vain. If you notice increased fuel consumption along with black smoke, check the filter first. In vehicles equipped with an on-board diagnostic system, the computer will display P0171 or P0172.
The solution to the problem is obvious - the air filter needs to be changed. Car manufacturers advise replacing filter elements every 12 months or every 10-20 thousand km. The “life” of the filter largely depends on the operating conditions of the car. On dusty dirt roads it will clog faster than when driving on smooth, clean asphalt.
The injectors are clogged
If a diesel engine smokes black smoke when cold, does not start on the first try, and stalls when you press the gas pedal, most likely the reason is in the injectors. When using low-quality fuel, tar and sludge accumulate in the spray holes. Cleaning them will help restore the functionality of the injectors. There are two ways to flush injectors:
- Chemical. A special cleaning compound (solvent) is poured into the fuel system and the engine is started several times.
- Physical. The injectors are removed from the engine and placed in a special ultrasonic bath. This method is more effective, although more expensive.
Turbocharger faulty
Black smoke from the exhaust pipe with low engine power and increased oil consumption indicates problems with turbocharging. There may be two reasons:
- air duct blockage;
- Intake/exhaust manifold leaking.
You can even diagnose an air leak by ear - when the engine is turned on, the turbocharging system emits a loud, characteristic whistle. If the turbocharger is silent, you need to turn off the engine and check the air path for blockages.
Fuel injection pump malfunctions
A diesel engine may smoke black due to an incorrectly set injection angle on the high-pressure fuel pump (HPF). The fuel-air mixture ignites with a delay. The pressure in the cylinders increases, which leads to the formation of large amounts of soot. It is better to check and, if necessary, change the injection angle in a car repair shop, since the procedure is complex and requires special equipment. There is no point in delaying this, since long-term operation of a car with an incorrectly set injection angle leads to rapid wear of the parts of the cylinder-piston group.
Another reason for diesel smoke can be wear of the injection pump plunger pairs. This malfunction is indicated by “floating” idle speed when the engine warms up.
White color of smoke: causes and consequences
In winter, white exhaust from the pipe when the engine warms up is quite normal. This comes out as water, which is a natural product of fuel combustion. Due to the temperature difference, it condenses and turns into steam, which quickly dissipates.
KamAZ smokes black smoke reasons
Black smog from a car exhaust indicates incomplete combustion of the mixture.
The reason why KamAZ smokes black smoke is:
- Excessive supply of diesel to the positive displacement chamber
.The high-pressure pump (HHP) is responsible for supplying diesel fuel to the engine cylinder. Therefore, problems are associated with the operation of this unit, these include:
Excessive wear of pump nozzles.
- For this reason, fuel does not enter the cylinder evenly, with reduced pressure.
- Failure of diesel supply settings in the fuel pump.
- Diesel fuel is supplied to the chamber either delayed or advanced.
- Worn speed control device.
The first symptoms are that the engine does not maintain constant speed and does not operate reliably.
KamAZ smokes black smoke:
- Supplying the engine with inappropriate diesel fuel.
Diesel that does not meet the required quality interferes with normal combustion. An increased sulfur content and a diesel engine that does not meet the detonation resistance rating lead to increased engine wear.
- Lack of air during fuel combustion.
The reason is that the air filter element has become unusable, or the exhaust gas bypass valve is broken.
- Discrepancy between the diesel flow rate supplied to the chamber and the air flow rate pumped by the compressor. To troubleshoot problems, adjust the smoke corrector on KamAZ.
In engine acceleration modes, the amount of diesel supplied increases faster than the amount of air. As a result, a lean mixture is formed that does not burn completely. The automatic anti-smoke corrector adjusts the air-fuel ratio, and the presence of black smoke indicates a settings failure.
Unburned fuel
This guess will be confirmed by the presence of a pungent and pungent odor from the exhaust system. This will mean that the unburned fuel comes out along with the smoke in a vapor state.
Fuel may not burn out for various reasons. It is possible that the fuel is supplied too late or that some cylinder does not cope with its task and cannot burn diesel fuel.
As a rule, every effect has causes. The consequence, in this case, is unburned fuel and, as a result, the diesel smokes blue. So what are the reasons and malfunctions in diesel components that can lead to this?
Injection pump faulty
If the cause of blue smoke is a delayed injection, then you should pay attention to the wear of the high pressure fuel pump (HPF). It is easy to guess that the fuel will not have time to burn out if it is supplied late.
So, we have decided on one of the possible culprits. But why does this happen? The design and operation of the injection pump is quite complicated. To explain in simple words, the operation of this unit is based on the movement of special mechanisms for supplying fuel, which constantly rub and contact each other.
The fuel itself serves as a lubricant for the parts. Quite a tricky solution, because diesel fuel has a greasy structure. But with the arrival of winter, a transition to winter fuel is made.
It is called winter because its viscosity is reduced, namely, those same lubricating fractions are missing or their quantity is not enough to lubricate the “hardware” in the pump. This is what causes the fuel injection pump to wear out. And the wear of this part of the unit, in turn, along with the profile of the wave washer, causes a delay in fuel injection.
The mechanism is as follows: the fuel does not have time to heat up because it is supplied late, and the cylinder begins to work poorly with surges. As a result, the fuel that does not have time to burn is released outside in the form of blue smoke.
If you warm up the engine after driving a few kilometers, the bluish trail behind the car will disappear or decrease so much that it cannot be traced. But pump problems will not be corrected by this. When the engine is warm, even fuel supplied late has time to burn almost completely due to the high temperature background.
Poor engine compression
There are times when strong blue smoke comes out when starting the engine. And then after proper warming up the smoke disappears. This picture is quite common in the courtyards of our country, when there are columns of smoke, and the driver is running, clutching his head, and cannot understand what is happening.
The reason for this is low engine compression. Due to this defect, the temperature during compression does not reach the required value, so the fuel does not burn out completely. Even if the engine has one cylinder with low compression, the operation of such an engine is possible. But it will smoke until the overall temperature rises and the faulty cylinder begins to cope with the incoming fuel and ignite it.
Blue smoke can be caused by untimely injection or low compression. By the way, most modern diesel engines are equipped with a device on the fuel pump that performs early injection when the engine is still cold.
With this function, the engine runs harder, but the fuel has time to burn completely. The engine heats up, and the device returns fuel injection to its initial state, the engine begins to “purr” and becomes pleasant and soft to the ear.
KamAZ smokes blue smoke reasons
When analyzing exhaust gases, attention is paid to the smell accompanying the exhaust. The indicator is especially important if the exhaust is blue.
The causes of blue smoke are:
- Uneven distribution of the fuel mixture by volume. With this phenomenon, blue exhaust is accompanied by a strong odor. The fact is that the diesel in the cylinder burns partially. The unused mixture is simply thrown into the pipe. Burnt fuel ignites on the surface of the piston and head, overheating the parts. Such a process, sooner or later, leads to damage to the pistons and melting of cylinder parts.
The reason for the phenomenon lies in faulty fuel equipment of the KamAZ diesel unit. Usually there is a problem with the fuel pump or injectors. Blue exhaust also appears at the initial stage of warming up the installation, here we are talking about the failure of the electric heating element, or a decrease in the seal in the chambers.
Carrying out complete and comprehensive diagnostics
Thanks to YaMZ engine diagnostics, it is possible to identify possible malfunctions and breakdowns. The procedure is carried out during maintenance or repair work to determine the current condition. If the engine stops working, specialists perform an assessment of the parameters and an external inspection of the power unit.
They study the following parameters:
- engine completeness;
- tightness of the oil pan, connections and pipelines;
- presence of deformation (this could be dents, cracks, breakages, or other damage);
- condition and integrity of external fastenings;
- condition of components and additional engine components.
If the engine is in working condition, it is started at idle. While driving, you can determine the nature of the launch, throttle response, and operation at low speeds. Additionally, economic indicators and work dynamics are checked. In case of deviations, timely repairs and replacement of parts that have failed are required.
During diagnostics, knocking and extraneous noise may be detected. If the temperature of water and oil inside the engine deviates, it cannot be operated
Particular attention is paid to the technical condition of parts of the cylinder-piston group
Results
The first thing that is done when smoke is detected from a KamAZ engine, regardless of what color the exhaust is, is: filters are changed, injectors are cleaned, and the fuel supply is adjusted. Sometimes these actions are enough to restore normal operation. In serious cases, intervention is performed on the power plant.
KamAZ, air filter:
Remember, the sudden appearance of black smoke from the engine exhaust pipe is often caused by KamAZ fuel of inappropriate quality. Replacing the fuel will solve the problem; further use of the engine on this diesel engine is prohibited.
Monitoring the condition of the belt driving the gas distribution mechanism. Adjustment of thermal clearances of valves, phases, marks, diagnostics of glow plugs. These actions will help optimize engine life and minimize operating costs.
When you shouldn't worry about white smoke
First of all, you need to know that white smoke is normal and has no negative effects. If the white smoke from the chimney is a small amount, there is no need to worry when the smoke disappears after driving the car for a few minutes.
This situation is similar for both diesel and gasoline engines. In the first case, this is because when diesel is cold, it may have difficulty burning fuel. On the other hand, gasoline cars emit white smoke when starting up in winter because the remaining water that is in the exhaust pipe evaporates.
If this is not the case, you need to look into it, because most likely the car has some mechanical problems.
It would be better if he was silent or why Kuznetsov is smoking
The captain of Admiral Kuznetsov explained why his ship was smoking heavily: This is not a sign of any malfunction. In fact, ships of NATO countries also blow smoke. Maybe their smoke doesn't go as high into the sky as ours does. But that’s why “Admiral Kuznetsov” has the highest chimney in our entire fleet! When the world and Russian blogosphere discussed the passage of a flotilla led by the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov across the English Channel, the most heated debate on the Internet was caused by the thick smoke - both dark and light in color - that the aircraft carrier emitted. The Russian press reacted instantly and this particular picture went viral on blogs and Rostv (NTV): USS Freedom (LCS-1) There were also smoking Mistrals and some kind of Spanish aircraft carrier from World War II
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When to worry about white smoke
In diesel and petrol engines, white smoke may be normal, as discussed earlier, as long as it is not in small quantities and disappears quickly. To know the exact cause of this white smoke, you need to know what situations can cause white smoke:
The smoke is white and thick when starting a diesel engine
After filling up a diesel car, once you start it, it emits a lot of white smoke and it takes time to disappear, the car has a problem with the diesel injection or any heater.
This problem is caused by the fuel pump injecting fuel too quickly and the engine only burning a small portion, causing the rest to evaporate through the exhaust pipe. If a diesel car does not have an injection pump, the problem is that the combustion chamber is very cold and has some problems with the heaters.
White smoke when starting and driving
If the smoke persists for a long time after starting the car, it is more likely that it has a cooling problem that is affecting the cylinder head gasket. Antifreeze enters the cylinder, mixes with the fuel, and this causes white smoke that can be seen in the exhaust pipe.
The cylinder head gasket will have to be replaced, which is not a cheap repair. If the smoke is bluish in color, this may also mean that oil is entering the combustion chamber.
Very thick white smoke while driving
This is the most serious problem due to the fact that the engine coolant is burned. This failure implies a serious problem with the head gasket or even a crack in the engine block itself, two repairs that are very expensive (especially the latter).
If the described situations occur, you need to repair the car immediately. The longer this happens, the worse the problem will be and the more expensive it will be to fix. In fact, the damage to the engine may be so severe that it becomes unusable.
While repairing a cylinder head can be expensive, it is much more expensive to fix a crack in the cylinder block or replace it entirely. The sooner this problem is solved, the less you will have to spend to stop the car from pouring out white smoke when starting.
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Causes of black smoke depending on engine type
In itself, black smoke from the exhaust pipe is not dangerous for the engine, but you should not ignore this symptom if it constantly appears. Over time, if there is a blockage or failure of any module, the engine may suffer. We must remember the moment the black smoke appears. Its appearance during startup at idle speed, during cold startup and during over-throttle has different reasons.
Check out the table, which clearly shows the causes of black smoke depending on the engine operating mode. If the table is not completely visible, move it to the right.
| The nature of the internal combustion engine | Causes |
| When starting from cold |
|
| At high speeds when revving |
|
| At idle |
|
Carburetor
In the case of a carburetor engine, everything is quite simple. If the smoke from the exhaust pipe turns dark and blue smoke appears, it is worth reviewing the operation of the module itself - perhaps it is malfunctioning. This is often associated with overflow in the float chamber, which occurs for two reasons:
- Needle valve malfunction. It may stick or leak too much fuel.
- Coked or clogged jets - small nozzles with precise dimensions.
- Candles.
- Incorrect ignition timing.
- Wear of piston rings and valves.
How to clean a carburetor
The first thing you need to do is disassemble the carburetor and clean it. If these steps do not help, you need to purchase a repair kit (the “needle” itself and the jets) and restore the level of gasoline in the chambers.
Injector
An injector, compared to a carburetor, is a completely different device that works simpler. The fuel-air mixture is supplied electronically (it keeps the fuel-to-air ratio at 1 to 14.7), and injection into the cylinders is provided by a device called an injector. That is why the main causes of violations will be completely different:
- Often the breakdown should be looked for in the injector itself; it becomes clogged and cannot supply fuel in the required quantity. Due to the accumulation of pressure, there is a strong injection advance, with excess. The engine will be unstable and its speed may fluctuate from low to high.
- The automated operation of the system must be monitored using sensors. If they malfunction, the car may not start at all or too much fuel will be injected, which will not have time to burn out. This is where the clouds of dark smoke will appear.
- Fuel pump. For many injection engines it is located inside the tank. If it malfunctions, it is possible to supply an excess amount of fuel under high pressure, which will cause overflow in the injection chambers.
- The air filter is dirty. It needs to be replaced.
- Dirty throttle valve. It cleans itself using the popular Carb Cleaner.
- Ignition system malfunction.
- Injector needle valve clogged. This happens due to refueling the car with low-quality fuel.
If the problem is the incorrect operation of the injector itself, it must be removed and cleaned. It is recommended to carry out this procedure once every 60,000-70,000 km. If the regulations are followed, the issue of black smoke will not bother the owner.
Diesel engine
It is when driving a diesel engine that car owners often encounter dense clouds of black smoke from the exhaust pipe. This is due to the fact that the fuel ignition system works differently. The diesel fuel itself, even with the normal functioning of the entire system, is the “dirtiest” and black-blue smoke is considered the norm, especially during degassing.
The main causes of black smoke:
- Failure of the particulate filter, the need to replace it, the smoke intensity will be low.
- The high-pressure pump breaks down, intense overflow occurs, the element must be replaced.
- Incorrect ignition timing - adjustment required.
White smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine
In order to diagnose the normal operation of a diesel car engine, it is enough to pay attention to the color of the exhaust gases of the power unit. Based on the color of the smoke from the exhaust pipe, it is possible to accurately diagnose the condition of the power unit. This will make it possible to replace worn parts in a timely manner and prevent more serious malfunctions:
- piston group;
- gas distribution mechanism;
- failure of the power unit injectors;
- Injection pump.
Smoke from a car chimney is a product of combustion of a mixture of fuel, which after processing turns into gas. If a properly tuned diesel engine is perfectly tuned, the exhaust may only be visible in the form of white water vapor in the winter. If negative changes occur in the internal combustion engine, then the color of the diesel engine exhaust lets you know about engine malfunctions. The color of the exhaust varies. It is he who gives us information about the nature of a possible engine problem. Depending on the malfunction, the color is:
- thick black, such smoke contains a lot of soot;
- white, with a gray tint;
- grayish-blue, similar to gray.
It's all about oil
With this diagnosis, the “cloud” from the exhaust pipe will smoke from light to dark shades. It will depend on the concentration of oil that flows into the combustion chambers, engine operating conditions and warm-up temperature. At the same time, you will feel the burnt smell characteristic of the oil.
The appearance of such gas will be indicated by increased oil consumption. To solve this problem, you need to decide on suppliers of “unnecessary” fluid.
Wear of the cylinder-piston group
Very often, a diesel engine produces bluish smoke due to wear of the cylinder-piston group and timing components (gas distribution mechanism). Oil can get into the cylinder for several reasons.
- The piston ring clearances have been increased.
- The gaps between the valve stems and guide bushings have been increased.
- There is damage on the cylinder liner.
- The rings are destroyed.
- There are violations of the piston grooves and many other reasons.
For example, severe gap defects in the area of the piston grooves allow the combustion chamber to “suck” oil. This is possible even if the oil scraper rings are in good condition. With a long period of operation, the cylinders can change their shape, for example, become elliptical. Due to changes in shape, compaction deteriorates.
Wear of this group of parts also causes a decrease in compression. When measuring compression, it is worth taking into account the ability of the oil to seal gaps. It turns out that if the cylinder is faulty, then the compression should be too high. To carry out diagnostics of the CPG (cylinder-piston group), take measurements and obtain an accurate assessment, certain requirements must be met.
If the mechanisms do not have a very large deterioration in quality, then the notorious smoke can be seen when the engine warms up. After warming up, the level of the symptom decreases or disappears completely. This is explained by the fact that at high temperatures the parts expand and the gaps become sealed.
Reasons why the engine emits white smoke
Fuel enters the diesel unit by injection into the cylinders through injectors. As diesel fuel moves, a fuel mixture is formed inside the injectors. As a result of this phenomenon, diesel fuel is evenly distributed in the space of the engine cylinder into small particles. Then, these microscopic particles of fuel in the cylinder heat up and begin to actively evaporate.
A four-stroke engine running on diesel fuel, in fully working order, should produce exhaust gases that are completely colorless. This should be so for one simple reason: the atomized portion of diesel fuel exactly corresponds to the norm for a cylinder of a given volume. Its injection through the injectors occurs at the moment of maximum compression, which contributes to the complete combustion of the fuel mixture. As a result of precise operation, the diesel power unit produces maximum power. If the engine starts to smoke white, it means that the following negative changes have occurred:
- the humidity in the diesel engine has increased significantly;
- not all of the fuel mixture burns;
- Coolant in the cylinders.
The reason is condensation
For a diesel engine that is warming up, white smoke is not a rare phenomenon and is quite acceptable. The whole problem is in the water that condenses in the exhaust pipe after the car is idle. When the car engine starts, some of the water is pushed out by the exhaust gases. Water drips from the pipe. It looks like water has been added to the diesel fuel. The remaining water evaporates when the pipe is heated. In warm weather this is not noticeable. It's a different matter in winter. At sub-zero temperatures, the engine warms up longer, therefore, the steam formation process is delayed. Therefore, when the engine warms up, white smoke is visible coming out of the exhaust pipe. It should be noted that this applies not only to diesel engines, but also to gasoline engines.
White smoke in cold weather
Let's start with the fact that the appearance of white smoke does not always indicate any breakdown. As we said just above, there is water vapor in the exhaust and there is no way to get rid of it, because it is in the air, which enters the engine along with the air when creating the fuel mixture. In cold weather, hot steam leaves the muffler along with exhaust gases, instantly cooling and turning the exhaust white.
That is why, at sub-zero temperatures, car exhaust gases strongly resemble white smoke. This happens due to the rapid cooling of hot steam coming out of the car muffler. Moreover, the lower the temperature, the thicker and whiter the exhaust pipe will smoke.
White smoke from exhaust cause
Most problems that cause white smoke from the exhaust pipe are caused by engine overheating or poor fuel supply. By paying attention to the shade of smog, its smell and the general behavior of the car, you can accurately determine the cause of the smoke. The most common are:
- Presence of moisture.
- Presence of water in fuel.
- Incorrect operation of the injection system.
- Incomplete combustion of fuel.
- Coolant entering the cylinders.
It is worth noting that some of the reasons why dangerous white smoke appears from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine and the exhaust pipe of a gasoline engine may have different origins, so let’s deal with everything in order, and separately.
Kamaz 43118 2 doors. onboard, 260 hp, 10 manual transmission, - engine smokes
The engine smokes
By the color of the exhaust, you can more accurately diagnose a breakdown, as well as identify the severity of the problem at various stages. In certain cases, the appearance of smoke is accompanied by: -difficulty starting a cold engine; -unstable operation of the engine at idle and under load; - the revolutions on the tachometer may fluctuate; -increased consumption of fuel and engine oil is observed; -the engine loses power, etc. There are also situations where smoking from a cold or hot engine is the only sign of a malfunction in the power unit.
Causes of engine smoking
The list of main malfunctions that cause increased smoke formation includes: - problems with the fuel supply system; - wear of the cylinder-piston group; - malfunctions of the gas distribution mechanism; - malfunctions of the engine cooling system; The appearance of smoke can be caused by incomplete combustion of the fuel-air mixture, failures in the combustion process, or the ingress of coolant from the cooling system or engine oil from the lubrication system into the combustion chamber.
White smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine
White exhaust during the warm-up mode of a working diesel engine is quite normal. But after the engine has reached operating temperature, such smoking may indicate:
- Condensation in solarium.
- Incomplete combustion of diesel fuel.
- Fuel overflow due to malfunction of injectors.
- Coolant leaking into the manifold.
- Low compression.
To diagnose a specific cause, you need to follow a few simple steps:
- First, check the color of the smoke , is it pure white or has some tint (bluish smoke will indicate burnt oil).
- Secondly, check the coolant level for the presence of exhaust gases and the presence of oil in the cooling system.
A whitish-gray exhaust when warming up may indicate untimely ignition of the mixture . This color of smoke indicates that the gases that were supposed to push the piston in the cylinder ended up in the exhaust pipe. Such smoke, as well as with the evaporation of moisture, disappears after warming up, if everything is in order with the ignition of the car.
Symptoms of a burnt cylinder head gasket
The presence of thick white smoke even after warming up indicates that coolant has entered the engine cylinder . The place where liquid penetrates can be either a burnt gasket or a crack . You can check the theory of coolant entering from the cooling system in this way:
- opening the cap of the expansion tank or radiator, you will see an oil film;
- you may smell exhaust gases from the tank;
- bubbles in the expansion tank;
- the fluid level will increase after starting the engine and decrease after stopping it;
- Pressure increases in the cooling system (can be checked by trying to compress the upper radiator hose when starting the engine).
If you notice signs of coolant getting into the cylinders, then further operation of the faulty engine is not recommended , since the situation can quickly worsen due to a decrease in the lubricating properties of the oil, which gradually mixes with the coolant.
Antifreeze in engine cylinders
Blue or gray color of smoke in diesel engine exhaust
A diesel engine can produce white, blue and black smoke from the tailpipe, as well as numerous shades of these colors that are clearly visible in the exhaust. If a diesel engine smokes blue or gray smoke “when cold” and/or “when hot,” then a malfunction of the power unit is quite obvious. The appearance of blue diesel exhaust often indicates two problems:
- violation of fuel atomization efficiency;
- engine oil gets into the diesel engine cylinders;
We also recommend reading the article about why a diesel engine smokes white exhaust during warm-up mode and after reaching operating temperature. From this article you will learn about possible malfunctions indicated by white diesel smoke.
Diagnosis and localization of the problem
In the first case, the exhaust is blue, pungent, and has a pungent odor. The reason is that only well-atomized diesel fuel burns in the cylinder. Drops of unburned diesel fuel fly out of the exhaust pipe in a vaporous state. The other part of the drops burns inside the cylinder, but on the piston itself. This causes severe overheating of the piston, which can lead to melting or burnout.
The culprit of the malfunction turns out to be the fuel equipment of the diesel engine. Often the problem lies in the injection pump and diesel injectors. Smoking from the bluish exhaust when the diesel engine is warming up indicates a malfunction of the glow plugs or a drop in compression in the cylinders.
In the second case, the exhaust takes on a color from whitish-blue to dark blue. The color of the exhaust directly depends on the amount of oil penetrating into the combustion chamber, the operating mode of the internal combustion engine and the degree of engine warming up. The smell of exhaust with a lot of oil is burnt, such smoke takes a long time to dissipate in the air.
The following method will help you distinguish blue-white smoke with impurities of burnt oil from water vapor in the exhaust. It is enough to attach a sheet of white paper to the exhaust pipe of a heated diesel engine. As a result, spots will appear on the paper. If the stains are from water, then they evaporate without leaving obvious marks on the sheet. Grease spots will indicate the presence of oil in the engine exhaust gases.
The appearance of oil smoke is accompanied by an increase in engine oil consumption. During operation of the internal combustion engine in transient modes, the smoke with impurities of burnt oil is thicker. The catalyst (catalytic converter) of gasoline engines cleans the exhaust of oil even at high consumption. On diesel internal combustion engines, oil exhaust is more noticeable.
Blue smoke: wear of the cylinder-piston group
The most common reason that a diesel engine produces blue smoke is wear of the cylinder-piston group and timing parts. Oil entering the combustion chamber may occur due to increased piston ring gaps, gaps between valve stems and guide bushings. Damage may occur on the cylinder liner; rings, piston grooves, etc. may be destroyed.
The presence of strong gaps in the area of the piston grooves causes oil to be “sucked” into the combustion chamber. This happens even taking into account the normal condition of the oil scraper rings. Additionally, the shape of the cylinder can change, which significantly reduces the sealing by means of rings. The cylinders may take on the shape of an ellipse, resulting in gaps appearing.
Wear of the CPG causes loss of compression, and crankcase gas pressure also increases. When measuring compression, it must be taken into account that the oil in the cylinders can seal the gaps. It turns out that the compression in the faulty cylinder will be too high. To obtain accurate results for assessing compression and the state of the CPG, a number of specific requirements must be met.
If the CPG is not worn out much, then blue smoke is clearly visible during the engine warm-up process. After reaching operating temperature, the smoke intensity decreases or the blue diesel smoke completely disappears. This is explained by the expansion of parts as a result of heating, which causes sealing of the gaps. An example is that diesel is bad, but a repeated hot start occurs without problems.
Severe wear of the CPG causes more active smoke formation “when hot.” The heated oil becomes less viscous and easily enters the internal combustion engine cylinders, and the thermal expansion of the parts of the cylinder-piston group is no longer able to compensate for too large gaps.
Oil consumption increases as a result of breakage of the bridges between the piston grooves. An increase in engine oil consumption results from broken rings as a result of wear or overheating of the diesel engine. Using low quality oil and not changing it on time leads to stuck piston rings. The rings “stick” in the piston grooves, and their mobility is completely lost.
White smoke from the exhaust pipe of a gasoline engine
As stated earlier, the release of white steam from the exhaust in cold and humid weather is a completely natural phenomenon; before warming up, you can even see it dripping from the muffler, but if the engine is at an optimal temperature, and steam continues to escape, then you can be sure that the engine there are problems.
The main reasons why white smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe of a gasoline engine are:
- Leaking coolant into the cylinder.
- Injector malfunction.
- Low-quality gasoline with foreign impurities.
- Burnout of oil due to the presence of rings (smoke with a tint).
The reasons why white smoke may appear from the exhaust of a gasoline car may only partially differ from those affecting a diesel engine, so we will pay more attention to how to check exactly why the smoke began to pour out.
Filters
You know, the last reason could be faulty (clogged) engine air filters. I also thought that this was not possible - but it is a fact! The thing is that there is less air (dirty filters do not allow it to pass), but there is more fuel, and the “smoke” increases. But here, not only white but also black exhaust can appear. But this is a topic for another article, be sure to follow our blog.
In the end, I want to say - if you have such a “whitish fog” effect in winter, the fluid level does not drop, then this is normal! You shouldn't even pay attention to this.
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