White smoke...but I'm not overheating :-/ any idea's?

[Zach_SR20]

Oook, so I've had an sr20 240sx for about 2 months now and recently I've noticed white smoke coming out of the exhaust, but only when it sits idle for a few minutes. When I'm actually driving, it doesn't spit any out. Everyone says it's probably my headgasket but they say my engine would be overheating, and it isn't. I'm slap out of idea's, what all could this be?

[NismoRider]

You might be running rich. I encountered this problem after I had my SR installed and did a few upgrades. You could just need a tune. Or... it's also a possibility that you're putting bad gas in your car. I run nothing but 93 octane in mine, but I've discovered that there are a good many gas stations out there that claim cheap unleaded gas as premium...

[Soup Nazi]

Does it only do it when you first start it, like in the morning or when its been sitting all day? It may just be condensation. Not sure that white smoke means that youre running rich.

[ixfxi]

check your head



gasket



a compression check is in order, that plus a leakdown test, brah.

[SUPERSTAR]

mine started doing that, but its my turbo going out.

[jspeedm]

only after idling you say? are you sure it's not a light blue smoke?

[Zach_SR20]

It could possibly be a very very light blue smoke, but what could that be?

Adding on to my turbo going out, I have the stock blow pass valve, and it has been sounding different from time to time..

[sdterrible1]

I was kinda having this same problem. My car would smoke bad when i was just at an idle, white smoke was coming out. Turned out to be a bad injector o-ring. Check you plugs also maybe? Does it smell like gas when its smoking?

[murda-c]

It could possibly be a very very light blue smoke, but what could that be?

Adding on to my turbo going out, I have the stock blow pass valve, and it has been sounding different from time to time..


Blue smoke is oil.


Do a compression test, if it fails that, it's probably rings or head gasket. If it passes that, it's probably valve stem seals.

Could also be your turbo...but i'd expect that to smoke more while you were driving it as oil pressure got higher.
The car is has more vacuum when idling, which pulls oil past the seals.

[Zach_SR20]

Here's a dumb question. Where might I go, or how do I do a compression test?

[DreamN]

Buy or rent the test kit from your local auto parts store. They're cheap.

Then search on how to do a compression test. There are countless threads on here, how to guides all over google, and even videos with step by steps on youtube.

[Zach_SR20]

thx a million guys, definitely got me closer to solving this problem!

[240sxxs]

i dont thin is your head gasket...if your head gasket went out on you then shouldnt your oil/coolant be mixing with coolant/oil..and spit out white-blue ish smoke ? .

[DreamN]

i dont thin is your head gasket...if your head gasket went out on you then shouldnt your oil/coolant be mixing with coolant/oil..and spit out white-blue ish smoke ? .

You can actually have a blown headgasket and not blow any smoke or have any oil/coolant mixing. Depends how severe the issue is and where on the headgasket it has blown.

Smoke is typically white in color and sweet in smell.

[jspeedm]

most likely if it only does it after idling, it will be your valve stem seals. watch your exhaust after engine braking and giving it gas again. does it smoke then too? decel and idle have the highest vacum and will pull oil past old valve stem seals.

[mksue240sx]

EXHAUST

VALVE

SEALS:duh: