White Smoke - Help

[over_the_hill]

Had a concern about coolant loss last week and what looked like odd and occasioanl puffs of white eminating from the exapansion tank area.

However, had a closer look at the weekend - engine running with bonnet up and the smoke seems to be
coming from somewhere near/from the exhaust manifold.
(I think the fans/wind was redirecting it before)
Also when stationary the smoke is a continuous flow
and starts as soon as the engine fires up.
(again wind and movement probably gave the impression
of intermittent puffs)

On the drivers side towards the rear of the engine bay
i.e. the last cylinder - let's call it #4. There are four brass/copper pipes (couldn't find out what these are for) that pass very close to the #4 outlet pipe.
In fact one of them actually rests against the #4 outlet pipe.

Is this consistent with a blown manifold gasket ?
Is it relatively safe to move the car a shortish distance to get it in for repair.

There are no visible signs of fluid loss - the garage floor is dry under this area, or could this be something else ?

[Steve_T]

Does the white smoke have an odour. If not it could just be condensation. If an exhaust gasket has gone, you should get a ticking noise from the engine.

Steve.

>> Edited by Steve_T on Monday 13th December 09:29

[over_the_hill]

Steve_T said:

Does the white smoke have an odour. If not it could just be condensation. If an exhaust gasket has gone, you should get a ticking noise from the engine. Steve. >> Edited by Steve_T on Monday 13th December 09:29

Fairly certain it isn't condensation.
There is a vague petrol smell to it.

[JonRB]

If my Chimaera has been out on the drive for a few days and it has been raining or damp, then when I start her up she turns into a white smoke generator for the first few minutes - pure white smoke belching from the exhausts and, more worryingly, the big jubilee clip thing that holds together the N/S exhaust manifold to the pre-cat / exhaust.

It soon clears and I'm reliably informed it is just the dampness / condensation burnin goff.

Are you sure that your white smoke is not just this?

[over_the_hill]

It looks a bit too "thick" to be steam and it lives
in a garage so dampness is less of a problem.

[homer]

It doesn't need much water to drip onto a hot manifold to make lots of white "smoke". The antifreeze in the water causes this. Could be a small leak in one of ther heater hose connections perhaps.
I once had a lower radiator hose go pop, and the resulting white smoke covered several miles of the M4. Thought the engine had blown at first !

[over_the_hill]

This is almost instant from a cold start - within about
2 seconds.

[KDNGRIFF]

On my Griff, the copper pipes where you describe are I think the hydraulic clutch & brake lines. I think hyd. fluid burns with white smoke but more importantly (if it is this)its leaking !!!!!

[red griff 500]

If these "copper" pipes you describe that are touching the exhaust manifold are your brake and/or clutch pipes, then I would be extremely concerned about boiling the fluid inside them if I were you! (irrespective of your white smoke symptoms). Also, it's highly likely that the copper pipes will chafe (is that a real word or did I just make it up) as the engine moves around on its rubber mounting, and will wear a hole in the pipe - this could be the cause of a fluid leak, and your white smoke.

Steve

[crimsonchim]

over_the_hill said:

This is almost instant from a cold start - within about 2 seconds.

The manifolds close to the head will heat up very quickly, so it does sound like the pipes are leaking something onto the manifold, but I can't picture what the pipes are to suggest what it might be!

[over_the_hill]

It is sitting in the garage and I cant see any signs of anything leaking - no wet patch on the floor.
Even a few drips would leave some trace I'm sure,
especially after standing overnight. Even without the
ignition on (pumps primed etc) there should be fluid
in the pipes to drip out ? This is what is confusing.

[over_the_hill]

Tracked it down.
After discussing the problem with a friend, he said
you need to see my mate Richard, he is always working
on engines and V8's. He came arround and we discovered
one of the four copper pipes (brake lines) has developed a very small hole. When braking the pressure
squirts a small amount of fluid onto the manifold and
the white smoke appears.
This explains why there were no signs of major leaks,
as it is only when the pressure in the pipe is high
that the fluid is forced out. Also the fluid level
wasn't dropping that much to notice.