Maxima48177

I'm having a problem with my car. Not my Max, but a 96 Toyota Camry V6. There is white smoke that smells bad coming from my exhuast right after I start it in the morning. It lasts for about 5 seconds then goes away. The engine also doesn't sound like before. Does anyone know what could be causing the white smoke? By the way the car is stock. Please help!! Thank You.

Sonic

http://forums.maxima.org/forumdisplay.php?forumid=19

You missed the Maxima part, I guess. BTW, think head gasket leak.

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

i wouldn't say head gasket because if that was bad it would smoke all the time. are you sure it's pure white and no hint of blue? if yes then it's worn valve seals. but if it's pure white and only does it for a few secs then that's basically condensation burning out of the exhaust on a cold day.

shumax

That's not a head gasket if it does it first thing in the morning and doesn't last very long. The smell is the rich misture created by an open choke feature---don't worry about it.

SHUMAX

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

we have a open choke feature on a fuel injected car?
i though the ECU controlled the fast idle during start up.

shumax

You are right, Dan. I couldn't remember the technical term for it so I used lamens terms. Should've used search I bet, right

SHUMAX

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

nah...for a second that you were describing a part from my 88 caprice 4 bbl carb boyeee!

Maxima48177

Yeah I know it's not a Maxima question, but I thought I would have better luck finding an answer in this forum. The thing is that this doesn't happen on cold mornings, it happens everyday at 10:00am here in GA which isn't exactly cold as of now. So I really don't think it's condensation of the muffler,etc. I appreciate the help though.

shumax

It doesn't matter if its cold or not. Your engine is going to reach temps that are going to be a LOT hotter than what lies in your muffler and exhaust in general. When yo strat the car up its going to shoot that heat across a cold exhaust that has water sitting in it--thus the condensation.

Just a thought..

SHUMAX

max'n out

Could be an exhaust gasket leak..get it checked out.

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

please explain to me how a exhaust leak can contribute to the white smoke? maybe...just maybe smelling a little if there's a leak b4 the cat but i don't think that's his problem...(since it goes away)

i swear everyone thinks they are an expert on everything in this BBS. might as well tell him it's his muffler bearing too.

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

maybe its his O-pipe, mine was leaking last summer and all types of smoke was coming out my car........


should I call Kaleco for a replacement.....

max'n out

Hey Danny why not be a little more sarcastic. I never said that was it for sure or that I was an expert. I once heard that white smoke coming out of the tailpipe when started up could be a slight gasket leak.

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

so basically you're totally guessing..why even bother posting? yeah i once heard that you need to refill the blinker fluid and also someone told me a 300ZX TT engine will fit in the max.
if you don't know then don't send the guy on a wild goose chase. if you don't know for sure or have not had the experience in the subject matter then you're better off reading and learning from what others have to say instead of tossing in incorrect information.

max'n out

No i'm not totally guessing...it's something that came from a mechanic. It was along time ago so i don't remember how it was phrased. If you read the hole post I also said get it checked out. Meaning the prob which makes more sence then posting. I don't know why you feel it nessacary to flip out on other members. Now youve caused the post to go off in another direction completly.
If you wanna have a post about members not being sure about what there saying then make one.
I'm thinking of doing a post on members being an *** to other members.
If your in a bad mood then fine take it out on somebody else.

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

who's flipping out? i'm correcting your incorrect post. giving incorrect information to other members may cost more $ and time wasted. so if you're not sure and you can't exactly remember then why post..that's my point. if i don't really know the subject i don't reply..i don't try to post something that's way out there. just sit and read..learn something new..then move on. the post can go in any direction..but you posting muffer gasket already shot the topic to another direction. where does it state in the user agreement that the topic must remain within the subject line?
get it checked out.....sure if ANYTHING is wrong w/ anyone's car...i'll tell everyone to "get it checked out"..that's the easy way to go. but i'm sure he was posting for help maybe he don't HAVE to go to the mechanic.
please post on members being a d1ck to other members...and i'll just refer them to this post stating that i'm correcting you. you put incorrect information here...i simply corrected you. and i'm in a fine mood...no problems here.

max'n out

I never said "muffler gasket" I said exhaust gasket there is more to an exhaust system than the muffler. You posted about a possiblity that it could be,so did I, i don't see the big deal. Without looking at it none of us know what it is. I said it because if he hears somthing along those lines then he know's he's not the first. Why is my idea so far out there?

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

It could be a head gasket. Maybe a slight leak. Overnight the leak might accumlate enough water to spit it out when he starts the car. But when the car is running, the water can't accumulate enough to show the white.

Smell the white smoke next time. It it's sweet smelling, then that's the glycol/water that leaking out.

Compression check might reveal a leak too.

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

ok i stand corrected...you did say exhaust gasket. my reply to that was how can it be the exhaust gasket. yes i know there's more to an exhaust than the muffler (exhaust manifold, y-pipe, cat, b-pipe, muffler, tailpipe). but tell me your theory on how it can be the exhaust gasket for white steam to be coming out of the exhaust? your response was that you weren't sure..but it can be just an exhaust gasket somewhere. i'm willing to listen to any logical answer. if your mechanic told u that ask him why and how. don't just stand there and nod and say ok. ask him...how can a bad exhaust gasket cause white smoke from the exhaust. i don't flame people...but i'm very interested in the theory and comments people post.
it's like if someone heard a noise from the wheel someone will automatically answer it's the suspension...well gee how can it be..and the response was my mechanic told me. see my point. if you're going to post to help someone at least give us a little more detail on it. taking it to the shop is not the answer most are looking for. but let's just think for a second...if there's a leaking exhaust gasket..it would sputter and make a lot of noise..but the white steam would have nothing to do with a leaking exhaust gasket...unless it's a head gasket. but that's not part of the exhaust.
not everyone is an expert in cars...but like i said...if i personally don't know it then i won't post. i'll see what others have to say and do some research and learn from it.

max'n out

When the mechanic told it to me he did explain, but it wasn't my car so i din't care much. you don't need to preach to me about asking. I know a good bit about cars and when i run into somthing i don't know i do ask. Unfortinitly it was so long ago i only remember the white exhaust and somthing about an exhaust gasket leak was the prob in some way. I wish i could say more. The point to me saying any thing was to let him know if he hears somthing along those lines that he's not the only one. I wish i could give more info but like i said it's been a long time. Another reason to post it was that it was another possiblitity to the ones others where giving. I never said that it was the only possiblity or the right one, just somthing to be aware of.