Did you know that the color of a vehicle's exhaust smoke can help to diagnose common issues? Vehicles do not usually produce visible smoke, so if it is emitting from your exhaust pipe it's time for vehicle maintenance. Here is a brief look at what different colors of smoke exhaust mean -
White Smoke
If you see opaque white smoke emitting from your tailpipe while driving, you should immediately pull to the side of the road, stop the vehicle and have it towed to the garage. This indicates damage to the head gasket, cylinder head, or engine block, which can affect the safe operation of the vehicle.
Blue or Grey Smoke
An exhaust pipe that blows blue or grey smoke is leaking oil somewhere in your engine. Although oil is crucial to smooth engine operation, it should not be spilling into the combustion or leak onto the ground. The problem could be wear and tear on the engine or even a hole, or it could indicate a need to replace piston rings or valves. Car engine oil eats quickly through the rubber, so to avoid engine failure or fire from friction, have the vehicle checked out at a garage right away.
Black Smoke
Black smoke is an indicator that your gas-to-air balance in your engine is "running rich". This is a term that means that you are wasting fuel because there is more gas than air in the engine. This type of issue can be due to either a problem with your ignition or fuel pressure, which can lead to expensive fixes for clogged air filters or leaking fuel injectors.
Is your car exhaust emitting a visible color smoke? The automotive experts at our repair shop can diagnose and fix the issue promptly!