Juddering and white smoke
Discussion
Hi all,
My car seems to be a little sick but I am not to sure what it is?
On a cold start it judders. I have got out and looked and the exhaust is moving and white smoke is coming out. A rev normally fixes this. After about 30 seconds the juddering stops and no more white smoke and it drives fine.
Now I have checked under the oil cap and there is no white sludge, water tank water is still pink and filled up so its not losing any and although there was 2 tiny bubbles in there none appeared while revving it and it has not lost any power. Its not over heater either. So I am ruling the head gasket out for now.
But I am stumped. I have a few idea on what it may be but please tell me if I am wrong.
Fuse plugs?
Bad fuel?
MAF sensor
Starter motor
Battery
Timing belt out (Had it changed a year ago)
Head gasket (Although I dont think its this)
Injectors
Sticky valves
I am stumped at what else it could be?
My car seems to be a little sick but I am not to sure what it is?
On a cold start it judders. I have got out and looked and the exhaust is moving and white smoke is coming out. A rev normally fixes this. After about 30 seconds the juddering stops and no more white smoke and it drives fine.
Now I have checked under the oil cap and there is no white sludge, water tank water is still pink and filled up so its not losing any and although there was 2 tiny bubbles in there none appeared while revving it and it has not lost any power. Its not over heater either. So I am ruling the head gasket out for now.
But I am stumped. I have a few idea on what it may be but please tell me if I am wrong.
Fuse plugs?
Bad fuel?
MAF sensor
Starter motor
Battery
Timing belt out (Had it changed a year ago)
Head gasket (Although I dont think its this)
Injectors
Sticky valves
I am stumped at what else it could be?
Coolant level has hardly dropped if any. And oil is fine. I think its condensation as there is water in the tip.
I do have a video of it happening.
http://s191.photobucket.com/user/Mastspotter/media...
I do have a video of it happening.
http://s191.photobucket.com/user/Mastspotter/media...
Looks like steam. I know water (vapour) is a product of combustion, but that looks a bit too much.
Are there any other symptoms? I thought the possibility of head gasket, but doubtless there would be other symptoms.
On another tack, I'm sure your modified exhaust system is well designed, but I'm always suspicious about modified anything that's not made by the original manufacturer. Undoubtedly it's a VERY outside possibility - and if everything else checks out okay - that maybe there's some sort of cavity or void within the modified exhaust system whereby the temperature is such that water vapour (normal product of combustion) collects and condenses and then comes out as steam at a later time.
Are there any other symptoms? I thought the possibility of head gasket, but doubtless there would be other symptoms.
On another tack, I'm sure your modified exhaust system is well designed, but I'm always suspicious about modified anything that's not made by the original manufacturer. Undoubtedly it's a VERY outside possibility - and if everything else checks out okay - that maybe there's some sort of cavity or void within the modified exhaust system whereby the temperature is such that water vapour (normal product of combustion) collects and condenses and then comes out as steam at a later time.
Hi again
Bit of an update. I bought a OBD reader and it came up with this
P0303 - Ford Type Powertrain - Ignition System or Misfire -
ISO/SAE Controlled Description Cylinder Number 3 Misfire Conditions Cause Engine running in a positive torque condition, then the PCM detected a misfire condition in engine cylinder number 3 (lack of spark or fuel metering, base engine)
And again this later
Pending Fault Log ------------------ P0300: Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
As before the car sorts itself out with 30 seconds and after clearing the fault and trying again the above fault goes.
Bit of an update. I bought a OBD reader and it came up with this
P0303 - Ford Type Powertrain - Ignition System or Misfire -
ISO/SAE Controlled Description Cylinder Number 3 Misfire Conditions Cause Engine running in a positive torque condition, then the PCM detected a misfire condition in engine cylinder number 3 (lack of spark or fuel metering, base engine)
And again this later
Pending Fault Log ------------------ P0300: Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
As before the car sorts itself out with 30 seconds and after clearing the fault and trying again the above fault goes.
As far as I could tell it was only in the first video could I detect a misfire - and that appeared to be only for a few seconds after starting. Although having said that if this occasions unburned fuel entering the exhaust system, then the catalytic converter once warmed up will convert such to CO2 and H2O (water).
So once the cat had warmed any unburned fuel may well produce steam (water vapour).
If that's the case it may account for the symptoms, i.e. initial misfire (neat fuel into the exhaust) followed by steam from the exhaust once the cat was up to temp.
Therefore what's wrong with the engine? After eliminating ignition and the like I suppose I'd perform a compression test. If it's a well used engine, pitted valves might be one possibility.
So once the cat had warmed any unburned fuel may well produce steam (water vapour).
If that's the case it may account for the symptoms, i.e. initial misfire (neat fuel into the exhaust) followed by steam from the exhaust once the cat was up to temp.
Therefore what's wrong with the engine? After eliminating ignition and the like I suppose I'd perform a compression test. If it's a well used engine, pitted valves might be one possibility.
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