Car Service | Decoding 4 Smoke Colours Coming From Your Car's Exhaust System
The exhaust system in your car enables harmful gases to be emitted through a process of combustion. Some smoke coming out of your exhaust is normal because of combustion, but if the smoke changes colour or flows out in excess, then this could be a sign of an internal engine problem. This guide helps you decode different smoke colours coming from your car's exhaust system. If you notice any of them, visit a professional car service immediately to prevent any catastrophic engine problems later.
White Smoke
Regular white smoke coming out of your exhaust is normal because this is caused by steam from the condensation process and shouldn't worry you too much. But if this smoke starts to become too thick and flows out excessively from your exhaust, then it could mean that your car's engine is burning the coolant flowing through it. This coolant loss could be because of a damaged cylinder head, a faulty head gasket or some crack within the engine. If you notice excess white smoke coming from your exhaust, don't ignore it because the coolant loss will eventually overheat your engine.
Black Smoke
If you notice black smoke coming out of your exhaust, then you should know immediately that your engine is running inefficiently. Black smoke is typically released because the there is too much fuel and not enough air within the engine. Black smoke is also usually released because of a clogged air filter. A faulty sensor or fuel injector could also result in black smoke emission.
Blue Smoke
Blue smoke indicates that your engine is burning oil along with fuel and air. This could be because a leak in the valve seals causes oil to enter the fuel tank. Oil may also leak into the engine cylinders or the combustible portions of your engine. Blue smoke emits a bad odour while causing damage to your engine.
Grey Smoke
Grey smoke is typically caused because of worn out piston rings or engine valve seals. This smoke also indicates that your engine is burning oil or your automatic transmission is burning fluid too quickly. Other triggers of grey smoke are clogged air filters, fuel injection malfunctions or emission system faults.
If you notice any of these smoke problems, be sure to head to a qualified car service as soon as possible to get the problem fixed before it gets too big and expensive to repair.
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