Exhaust smoke!

Synchros shot? Weird noises while shifting? Not sure what needs to be replaced?
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rubi
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Exhaust smoke!

Post by rubi »

I've memorised the fact that if it's;
White: coolant
Black: fuel
Blue: oil

In the last couple of days here's what I observed, the smoke is sometimes light blue, some others light gray some times the gray is heavier closer to black. The idle speed isn't constant when it's warm or cold(fuel intake isn't the same). So the car is shaking the exhaust feels a little choked and the smoke smells more like gas.

A couple of weeks earlier after cleaning the carburetor, the smoke was nonexistent, there were water vapor that condenses and becomes water and that's it. I feel stupid because the mechanic changed the spark plugs and i didn't get to see how they looked...

I am checking on the oil level tomorrow morning...A couple of days ago it was alright.
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by theholycow »

If it's that nasty now, your new spark plugs may already look fouled. Pull one and see.
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by rubi »

I tried but somehow I think I lack the muscle, a friend promised he'll help me, but we have to find the time, over the course of the last 400 kms, there is no smoke at all or almost invisible, at first, second and reverse though, you can smell it, my idle speed has gone banana, my choke's spring needs replacement, and I think my air filter is really dirty.

Is there such a thing as a dirty carburetor causing causing excess fuel to mix with oil??
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by theholycow »

Dirty/gunked up or maladjusted carburetor can definitely cause those problems. You could try carburetor cleaner that you add to the gas and carburetor cleaner that you spray into the carburetor while the engine is running, to see if it clears up easily.
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by LHOswald »

when i cleaned out my carburetor on my truck it vastly improved performance (to the extent you can in a carbureted truck). i just added the cleaner to my fuel, but i didn't know you could spray it into the carburetor itself?

interesting...verrry interesting :shock:
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by theholycow »

These are some of the sprays that you spray directly into the carb (with the air filter removed):

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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by rubi »

I can definitely do that, Thank you!
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by rubi »

So I am getting white smoke when the car is hot, when it's cold nothing, and not all the time. And there are no signs of water in oil, or oil in water, the water level is fine, the oil level for nearly 1000km is still the same, actually there might be oil leaks, but if it's burning it'd have burnt the last time i traveled for a 500kms or the other 500kms in the city. I don't know I feel it's gonna come down to some sort of engine rebuild, but there's nothing but white (sometimes creamy sometimes grayish) smoke that sometimes turn very black (well the carburetor may not be that clean anymore, because the mixture is quite rich thanks to the choke).
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by theholycow »

White smoke and overheating (per your other thread)...that all doesn't sound good.
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by fa22raptorf22 »

theholycow wrote:White smoke and overheating (per your other thread)...that all doesn't sound good.
White smoke is indicative of burning antifreeze, blue is burning oil, black is running rich.

Therefore, you are overheating because you are burning off your coolant, and thereby getting hotter, and burning/boiling more, until its all gone.

Most likely the cause of the leak is the intake manifold.

edit: you are probably running somewhat rich and burning coolant.
This explains the gurgling, as the air leak is probably within the engine.

Check for leaks around the manifolds. Find out where it is

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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by Rope-Pusher »

fa22raptorf22 wrote:
theholycow wrote:White smoke and overheating (per your other thread)...that all doesn't sound good.
White smoke is indicative of burning antifreeze, blue is burning oil, black is running rich.

Therefore, you are overheating because you are burning off your coolant, and thereby getting hotter, and burning/boiling more, until its all gone.

Most likely the cause of the leak is the intake manifold.

edit: you are probably running somewhat rich and burning coolant.
This explains the gurgling, as the air leak is probably within the engine.

Check for leaks around the manifolds. Find out where it is

2c
Are you saying that it was Manifold Destiny that his coolant is spreading throughout his entire vehicle? I would still worry that it's leaking at the head gasket. There are many ways for this to occur that don't have to result in oil in the coolant, coolant in the oil, or your chocolate in my peanut butter. A compression check would probably help determine if it was the head gasket (or warped head, etc.).
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by fa22raptorf22 »

Depending on the miles, I find that its much more likely for the manifold gasket to go than the cylinder head gasket.
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by Rope-Pusher »

fa22raptorf22 wrote:Depending on the miles, I find that its much more likely for the manifold gasket to go than the cylinder head gasket.
Do Citroen's even have coolant in their manifolds? Hey, any Frenchies out there?
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by rubi »

My car has run 140000 km, I had a problem with the reverse, the mechanic discovered that the gear box was somewhat loose, and in addition to that, the intake manifold too. I took the car home at night, but there were no visible smoke or smell even, I just don't get it...
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Re: Exhaust smoke!

Post by rubi »

I just re-read what fa22raptorf22, makes sense, the engine is no longer running rich so there's only creamy white smoke. Thanks!
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