Every motorist knows that when smoke starts coming out of their car bonnet, their vehicle is in trouble and needs a mechanic. However, there are other types of smoke car owners ignore and often end up with massive damage. Not many motorists know that the type, colour and thickness of the smoke that comes out of their car exhaust can be used to predict what part of their car is broken and needs repairs.
Here are three car smoke colours that you should watch out for, their possible causes, and how a competent mechanic can help you fix them.
When a Thick White Smoke Is Coming Out of the Exhaust
Typically, a car produces a thin white smoke when you maintain it properly. However, when it starts developing engine and transmission problems, the colour of the exhaust changes. Thick white smoke can be caused by the engine overheating, a cracked engine block, and a blown head gasket.
All these problems usually originate from the coolant. When the levels of your engine coolant become depleted, the engine overheats, constantly creating cracks. The coolant then leaks into the combustion chamber, and this is what leads to white smoke coming out of your vehicle exhaust. A competent auto mechanic will help you diagnose and fix the cause of thick white smoke in your exhaust.
When Your Exhaust Is Giving Off Blue Smoke
Blue is another colour of exhaust you should worry about. Blue smoke typically results from an oil leak in the combustion chamber. As your vehicle gets older, certain parts might start wearing out. If the piston rings get damaged or the bore wears out, the oil will start leaking into the combustion chamber, and you will have to repair the broken parts.
Once you have sealed the source of the leak, the colour of the exhaust will return to the standard light white.
When the Exhaust Is Black
Black is a common exhaust colour for poorly maintained cars. It can be caused by clogs in the air filters, burned engines and problems with the sensors, injectors and regulators. Only a professional can diagnose your vehicle and determine where the problem lies. They will also repair the cause or replace the filter to restore standard car exhaust.
These are the common exhaust colours and what they mean. Choose a reliable auto repair mechanic to carry out the repairs. Timely repairs save your car from bigger problems in the future.
