05/24/2024 – 12:50h Updated 05/24/2024 – 12:50h
The smoke that comes out of a car’s exhaust pipe, if the vehicle is in good condition, is colorless. But what happens when this is not the case and after accelerating you leave a black cloud behind you? First of all, there is a possible visit to the workshop soon to solve any problem with your car’s combustion. The second thing, what you must Correctly identify the color of the smoke that comes out of your car’s exhaust, as well as its density and the time it takes to dissipate, to know if you have a fault or rule it out. To clarify this, we have consulted the experts at Euromaster, a company specialized in comprehensive vehicle care and maintenance.
Information content:
White smoke
White is one of the most common colors that comes out of car exhaust. In most cases it is odorless, light and lasts very little. It usually happens as soon as you start the vehicle when it is very cold. or in autumn, with a high percentage of humidity in the environment. This means that there is no reason to be alerted and that there is no type of breakdown, since it is simply water vapor that is produced by condensation.
However, when the white smoke is dense and continues to come out of the exhaust throughout the entire time the vehicle is driving, it can be a clear symptom that something is wrong. “One of the possible causes may be the possibility that water is entering the combustion chamber, which indicates some type of problem or leak in the head gasket,” explain the expert mechanics at Euromaster. In this case, The fault is serious and its repair has a cost that can range between 2,000 and 4,000 euros.depending on the make and model.
blue smoke
When the smoke coming out of a car exhaust is blue, it is mainly because oil is burning, which in turn is caused by an internal leak in the vehicle’s lubrication system. In this case, the breakdown can be very serious and very costly, since the vehicle can run out of oil, an undesirable event that would imply a complete breakdown of the engine.
On the other hand, Euromaster also points out that this blue smoke may be due to The valves, cylinder liners or piston rings are worn, although in certain cases this color can also be the symptom of a turbo malfunction.. In these cases, oil consumption can also accelerate, which is why it is crucial to check the levels of this liquid.
Black or gray smoke
When the exhaust smoke is black or dark gray, the possible Breakdowns vary depending on the type of vehicle fuel.
Thus, in gasoline carsthe origin may be due to the fact that too much fuel is being burned —or with a ‘very rich’ mixture in the mechanics’ jargon—, a problem that undoubtedly has to be reviewed. The fault may also be a problem in the feeding system caused by a failure in the injectors. Here, it is advisable to change them. In this case, the usual thing is that all four are changed, one for each cylinder. This repair can cost around 1,000 euros, around 250 euros for each injector.
For its part, in the case of dieselthat black smoke could simply be due to a soot buildup in the exhaust system. To remedy this, it is best to drive for several minutes in a lower gear than you normally drive or accelerating at a higher rev rate than normal to release the carbon.
However, persistent black smoke in a diesel car can also be caused by various factors, with possible problems in the injectors, in the electronics, in the turbo and even in the particulate filter. In these cases, the cost of the breakdown varies depending on its severity and complexity, so the final bill can range between 30 and 3,000 euros.
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