Car smoking!

[Blane1992]

Hi, I've got a mk 2 phase 2 clio 1.6, yesterday I noticed that it was smoking white smoke, after driving for a few minutes from what I could see it stopped, and to now I've realised it is when the engine is cold and left for a while. It was doing it today again then it had a bit of a blue tinge to it, I know white smoke is water and/or coolant and blue smoke is oil. I've been told it could be the head gasket and it could be the valve stem seals which is letting coolant into the engine causing the smoke. Wondering if anyone could help me to what it could be and how much is will be too fix or if anyone has had the same sort of problem.

thanks in advance Blane

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

White smoke = fire. Is anything on fire ?

Steam = combustion of fuel+air (warm) meets cold air at the end of the tail pipe. This is normal.

However, if your water is going down or there are bubbles bubbling away in the coolant bottle under engine load, it's worth checking it out for HGF. Keep an eye on water temp on the dash - if this rockets up under load you may have issues.

Blue smoke = burning oil. Is it really blue or were you watching this through your tinted internal mirror ?

Also, for reference as there'll be another 497 threads on the subject between now and April, black smoke = unburnt fuel.


I'll bet you a multipack of Curly-Wurlys that it's completely fine.

 

[Beasley Clio182]

valve stem seals dead common on clios mate

 

[Blane1992]

I've been looking at it through my wing mirror whilst driving along, and I've just this minute looked at it with the flash on my iPhone, it's not really really blue but does look quite blue. My temperature needle isn't rising, just staying at the middle like they always do. I haven't checked for bubbles in my coolant bottle, I shall check that tomorrow.

oh are they Beasley? Would this definitely cause what's happening? Are they an easy job? And what is it cost wise?

 

[MartinR]

valve stem seals dead common on clios mate

That common i haven't heard of many

 

[Beasley Clio182]

That common i haven't heard of many

You need get out more then ! that common in our garage has done loads mate yeah ! not so much so on sports , but ive done more than a handful on normal 1.6's ! more they tend to be either really high mileage , or ones that have been standing and the seals have gone dry !

And yes mate that would cause blue smoke only on start up ! should really clear after its up to temp really without looking i cant tell you without seeing the car, its best have it looked at to be 100% but the symptoms you are displaying would correspond with that fault mate

 

[Munson]

Steam. Normal.

 

[Blane1992]

Yeah after I drive for a few minutes and the car gets warm the smoking seems to stop, I've been told these valve stem seels are quite common, apparently it's quite a lengthy job to do

 

[Beasley Clio182]

Yeah after I drive for a few minutes and the car gets warm the smoking seems to stop, I've been told these valve stem seels are quite common, apparently it's quite a lengthy job to do

Just be 100 % its blue , does the engine use any oil ? they are a fair job but nothing your local mechanic cant sort if he is any good !!

 

[Blane1992]

No it's not blue it's white, I topped the oil up the other day so going to keep an eye on it and see if it drops

 

[Beasley Clio182]

No it's not blue it's white, I topped the oil up the other day so going to keep an eye on it and see if it drops

If it isnt blue it wont be the valve stem seals if its white its prob steam and nothing to worry about keep ypur eyes on it

 

[Blane1992]

It's not steam mate, it's too much for steam and has a very strange smell to it.

 

[Beasley Clio182]

It's not steam mate, it's too much for steam and has a very strange smell to it.

possibly coolant does it burn coolant?

 

[lemonnobby]

its normal when it gets cold condension in the exhaust burning off. ive worked for renault for 10 years and look after a few k4m engine outside of work and never heard of valve stem oil seals leaking

 

[Blane1992]

No coolant does seem to be going down, it's definitely not codensation mate, it even does it when the engine is warm after a drive and you pull up and leave it on tick over, but then will stop again after you drive it again for a few minutes

 

[iridebikes]

You sure it hasnt got too much oil in it? mine seemed to do this when i accidently overfilled it.

 

[Blane1992]

No mate I filled it up to about 3/4 full on the dipstick last week