New car paranoia. Erm...I think.

New car paranoia. Erm...I think.

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Luke.

Original Poster:

11,428 posts

265 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
Morning all.

Picked up my 96k mile one owner 2005 Subaru Outback 3.0Rn. It's bloody great to be honest and had a good 150 mile drive getting it back to London last night. woohoo

The only slight fly in the ointment, and probably utter paranoia on my part, is there seems to be a fair amount of whispy white smoke coming out the back.

It's not heavy plooms and it kind of comes and goes, but its still definitely there well after the car has warmed up.

It's also fairly odourless.

Just wandering if this was just normal condensation given the slightly cold weather and a feature of the H6 engine.

Cheers

T84

6,941 posts

209 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
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Air Con on?

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,428 posts

265 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
Nope, off.

Also it was MOTd last week with no advisories and there's no gunk under the oil cap.

Gizmo!

18,150 posts

224 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
It's cold at the moment. The air coming out of the exhaust is hot ...

BDR529

3,560 posts

189 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
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My car has been doing this in the cold too. Probably nothing to worry about.

(Disclaimer : I can't be held responsible if your car explodes in a fireball)

STW2010

5,856 posts

177 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
I'm the same when I collect a new (to me) car. Every knock, bump etc leads to the thought 'ahh st, what's that?'. More often than not it's simply me actually looking for faults and noticing things that other people wouldn't or don't notice.

Take the car for a long spirited drive and see if it's doing it then. As you say, it's probably condensation. Have a look on the Subaru owners club; it may well be a known characteristic.

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

213 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
There's a chap in the Jap forum that has the same problem, perhaps you could ask him biggrin

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,428 posts

265 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
rhinochopig said:
There's a chap in the Jap forum that has the same problem, perhaps you could ask him biggrin
Yeah, noticed that too. Small world. wink

Thanks all. Think I'm just being overly cautious.

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

213 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
Luke. said:
Yeah, noticed that too. Small world. wink

Thanks all. Think I'm just being overly cautious.
Why not take it for an MoT for peace of mind - if it's running rich or burning oil it will fail the emissions test.

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,428 posts

265 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
rhinochopig said:
Why not take it for an MoT for peace of mind - if it's running rich or burning oil it will fail the emissions test.
Was MOT'd just last week, so all good on that front.

Acheron

643 posts

179 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
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This might sound totally crazy, however my mondeo does the same, its the st220 with the twin fancy exhausts at the back.

Now i know the car has no problem, its just exhaust gasses, but i always wondered if the type of metal used in the pipes or backbox or whatever enhances this amount of smoke or something? I noticed a new jag doing the same thing recently too, whereas something with just a cheap small pipe sticking out of the bottom makes no smoke at all.

Unless its just the fact that these cars are dumping that much crap out of the back due to engine size, idk laugh

Urban Sports

11,321 posts

218 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
Gizmo! said:
It's cold at the moment. The air coming out of the exhaust is hot ...
Exactly rolleyes

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,428 posts

265 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
Urban Sports said:
Exactly rolleyes
I did admit I was being paranoid. whistle