Have you lately changed your engine oil? Is your car blowing white smoke after oil change? If so, it could be wise to look into what created the smoke.
One typical car ownership experience is a car blowing white smoke every once in a while. Please continue reading to learn more about the reasons for the white exhaust smoke, the importance of eliminating it, and potential solutions to the problem.
Let’s get started!
Why Does My Car Blow White Smoke After Oil Change?
When a car produces white smoke after a change of oil, it’s usually because the engine has a valve stem leak, the wrong oil was used, or there is too much oil inside the sump. In addition, your vehicle could emit white smoke if a cylinder or head gasket were cracked. When this occurs, the oil might not burn properly.
If you notice your Car Blowing White Smoke After Oil Change from your exhaust pipe, you may have an issue that needs fixing immediately to prevent engine damage. However, when driving normally, you could notice that your car occasionally emits a small amount of white fumes that quickly go away, especially when it’s chilly outside.
In these circumstances, white smoke signals that the evaporated gasoline in your car’s engine is reverting or condensing to liquid. In these situations, there’s nothing to worry about. Nevertheless, if the smoke is persistent and heavy, it could indicate any of the issues below:
Use of Wrong Oil
Your car’s engine may smoke excessively if you use the incorrect type of oil and viscosity. It happens as a result of the engine oil not being burnt properly and entering the exhaust. Your exhaust starts to spew out white smoke as a result.
Fortunately, you could simply and cheaply solve this issue by purchasing the proper oil type at any vehicle retailer.
Pro Tip: If you want to prevent this from happening, always go to your owner’s manual guide before changing the oil in your automobile and follow its instructions exactly. When individuals service their cars, they frequently use the incorrect type of oil, which causes white smoke to come from your exhaust pipe.
Too much Oil in the Sump
The bluish-white fume emerging from your exhaust after an oil change may indicate excess oil in your car’s engine oil sump. After a change of oil, when you add new oil to your automobile, it frequently overflows into the engine’s sump because of air pressure which keeps the oil from draining out of your engine.
If this occurs, stop driving the car and have some surplus oil from the sump drained by a professional.
Leakage from Valve Stem Seal
Oil can leak through the valve stem’s seal into the combustion area, where it could burn and emit white smoke. This problem can be fixed by replacing the stem seals of the hollow rubber valve in the engine, which are on either side of the valves in your car.
If you require these BETOOLL Valve Stem Seal Pliers for the task, they are a good set of tools (available on Amazon.com). They are flexible and work with aftermarket and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) seals.
Cylinder Crack
Oil pouring from one damaged cylinder could damage the cylinders in your engine. White smoke may be billowing through your car’s exhaust as a result. It is advisable to have this checked out by an automobile technician because it points to major engine problems that demand expert care.
Your car may shut off quickly if you don’t fix this problem right away.
Blown Head Gasket
Your car may have a leak from a burst head gasket, which causes it to burn spilled oil in the cylinder instead of gasoline if coolant or water do not enter the combustion chamber. White smoke will therefore come out of your car’s exhaust.
Immediately you notice this problem; you should have your car inspected by an expert because, if left unattended for an extended period, it might lead to significant issues with the engine’s cooling system.
Also Read: Temporary Fix for Crankshaft Position Sensor (Expert Guide)
What to Do When Your Car Blows White Smoke After Change of Oil?
Even after you’ve changed the oil or looked over other sections of your car, white fumes coming from the exhaust can occasionally continue.
To solve the issue, have a professional check all of the engine’s components and rectify any broken ones that are the cause of the white smoke coming from your exhaust. Also, ask the mechanic to wash the valves and fuel injectors because they are essential sources of engine air pollution.
The hoses connecting to your engine’s exhaust fume pipe or muffler system may also need to be checked. Check any loosened bolts and nuts on your engine, and look for oil or gasoline leaks.
White smoke rising from your exhaust could be a sign that your car’s system of internal combustion needs repair if these steps don’t stop it. Hence it could seriously harm your car’s engine if left unattended for too long; it is dangerous and demands prompt treatment.
The easiest approach to avoid the difficulties involved in attempting to address the reasons for your car producing white smoke is to take preventive action. Here are a few suggestions to help you avoid your car emitting white fumes in the long term in that regard:
- Before you change the type of oil in your vehicle, consult the owner’s manual.
- Avoid overfilling your car’s oil because doing so could cause it to spill into the engine’s sump.
- Regularly check the parts of your car to identify problems as soon as feasible.
How to Fix White Smoke leaving the Exhaust
White smoke blowing from your exhaust has no universal solution. To address white smoke, however, you must identify which of the sources mentioned above is the issue and take the appropriate action. Continue reading to learn several solutions to the various issues.
Fix Accumulated Condensation
That would be the only issue that resolves itself. You just need to be patient, that’s all. It will quickly vanish after the smoke is gone.
Fix Damaged Cylinder Head
A defective cylinder head should be replaced rather than repaired. Any material can be harmed when an automobile overheats, even the cylinder head. So make sure your car isn’t overheating frequently to prevent fractured cylinder heads.
Fix Faulty Fuel Injector
Fuel injectors need to be changed or cleaned in order to be repaired. To keep the engine running smoothly, repair all injectors whenever you replace the fuel injector. Only when the injector is clogged, do you clean it. If you choose to DIY, changing or cleaning your fuel injector is a simple process.
Contaminants that may have collected over time are what harm the fuel injector. To prevent this, only purchase fuel from reputable stations, and replace your fuel filter regularly.
Remedy to Oil Leakage
To accomplish this, you would have to replace the valve seals and piston rings. Valve seals are expensive compared to piston rings, though. Therefore, you should leave replacing them to a mechanic because doing so would require you to disassemble the engine.
Damaged Coolant Reservoir Tank
Despite the rarity, it is necessary to repair a coolant reserve tank if it sustains damage.
How to Restore a Damaged Engine Block
An engine block that is damaged cannot be ignored. As a result, more things will sustain damage. If it cannot be replaced, you may rebuild it, apply a cold-metal patch, or sew a cold-metal seam. Any approach you decide on will require the assistance of a professional unless you are an experienced practitioner.
How to Restore a Faulty Engine Control Unit
Removing the car’s battery for some minutes can allow the engine control unit to restart and correct the issue. But, of course, if this doesn’t work, you’ll need a mechanic’s assistance.
How to Restore a Cracked Head Gasket
It is not possible to repair a head gasket that is cracked, so it must be replaced.
Does Low Oil Cause White Smoke?
Internal combustion engine types utilize oil to lubricate the moving elements inside of them. It avoids friction between these parts, preventing premature wear brought on by pressure from rapid acceleration. But does white smoke result from low oil?
White smoke doesn’t result from low oil. However, if you use oil that isn’t of the proper grade for a car’s engine, you can detect white smoke. Additionally, if oil penetrates into your engine’s combustion chamber, your exhaust may emit smoke that is blue in color.
What Makes My Engine Smoke After I Put Oil in It?
An oil drip on the engine, an oil leakage, or adding a lot of oil can cause your car’s engine to smoke after you’ve added oil. Drain the surplus oil and wait for it to evaporate is a quick remedy for these issues.
If these steps don’t work, there can be more serious issues that the mechanic has to be aware of. So, as soon as you can, consult a technician.
Can I Drive My Car Emitting White Smoke?
The next concern is if you could drive with this issue now that you know what is causing your exhaust to emit white smoke.
Never operate a vehicle while it is emitting white smoke. You run the danger of engine failure or significant component damage if you keep driving without fixing the underlying issue.
In the meantime, keep a watchful eye on your car for any additional indications of smoke blowing from the exhaust and arrange a meeting with a mechanic as quickly as you can.
Also Read: Head Gasket Replacement Cost
Frequently Asked Questions – Car Blowing White Smoke After Oil Change
Is it normal for white smoke after an oil change?
White smoke is most often the sign that coolant or water is entering the exhaust port or combustion chamber. If the coolant is seeping into the cylinder head, this can happen. Water may have entered into the carburetor or exhaust pipe after your engine has been pressure-washed, which could possibly be the cause.
Can too much oil cause white smoke?
As a result of being overfilled, these are going to happen:
Dense white smoke – If you drive your automobile and see a lot of thick and white exhaust fume, your engine block may burn too much oil, although antifreeze or other fluids could also be to blame.
Can oil leak cause white smoke from exhaust?
Oil spills into the chamber of combustion, where it combines with the air and gasoline that are being burnt and is expelled out the exhaust with them.
Smoke that is bluish-white or white is produced as a result. Your engine’s combustion chamber shouldn’t contain oil; thus, this is a concern.
Can wrong oil cause white smoke?
Oil Spills. When synthetic oil is used in the incorrect engine, gaskets and seals may begin to leak. White smoke emerging from the exhaust and oil leaks pooling under the car are potential indicators that you used unsuitable oil.
How do you stop your car from smoking after an oil change?
Your oil may enter the combustion chamber through a leaking valve stem seal, where it may burn and emit white smoke after entering the combustion chamber. The engine’s valve stem seals, two hollow pieces of rubber situated on either side of the valves in your car, must be replaced to solve this issue.
Does white smoke always mean blown head gasket?
There will be engine oil mixed with your coolant, just as there is with your engine oil, and white smoke from your exhaust is nearly usually an indication of a burst head gasket.
Does white smoke mean burning oil?
However, if you frequently notice thick, white or gray exhaust smoke coming from the tailpipe that quickly goes away, your head gasket is likely blown or leaking. That is unfortunate news.
Coolant spilling into the combustion chamber is frequently the cause of this color.
What would happen if you put too much oil in your engine?
Explanation: An engine with too much oil in it may experience excessive pressure, which could harm the engine seals and result in oil leaks. Oil must be drained if there is any extra.
Conclusion – Car Blowing White Smoke After Oil Change
Is your car blowing white smoke after oil change? white smoke is frequently a sign of issues with a combustion engine; if not fixed immediately, it could have profound implications.
Consult your owner’s manual guide and use premium oils for your automobile to prevent the annoyance of fixing this problem. Additionally, you must be attentive to the warning signals on the vehicle. Finally, do not drive your automobile until a certified mechanic has examined it.