FishyMan

hello,

i've noticed almost everytime i start my car in the morning a lot of white smoke burns, i dunno if it is oil burning or what not, it comes out of the tailpipe. then through out the day, when i start it and what not nothing happens, this seems to happen only morning time when i 'first' start it.

what can be wrong?

thanks..

i run amsoil synthetic,...
97 max, 54k

tedo007

iTrader: (6)

ha its prolly cause you live in "hi" how cold is it there in morning?

FishyMan

im not sure, not that bad actually mid 70's.. i've tried starting it in the afternoon, and it smokes up too, (1st startup in the day).. it's not early early, but it just seems that way perhaps as i start my day off in the morning, but on weekends i started in the afternoon (temp 85) and still same thing, the white smoke...

so i don't think it's temp related, but rather something.. perhaps i should use a diff oil?

tedo007

iTrader: (6)

what kind of oil you use?

FishyMan

amsoil full synthetic 5w-30 or 5w-40 i dun remember..

some one recommended me using a higher weight, 10w-30 i guess cuz the stand still the car is cold.. it just seems odd, cuz the camry, accord, altima, and etc dont' have the same problem but they use the regulat kind oil, im certain something is wrong...

thank you

waveridr85

iTrader: (4)

black smoke = extra rich

blue smoke = oil

white smoke = anitfreeze

well, thats what ive been told

FishyMan

ya but i've taken it down b4 and they didn't find any leaks... yet they kept on saying that it could be moisture, or something, yet it seems odd the other cars aren't like that...

could it be something in the gaskets? or oil rings? i dunno..
thanks

acj

Thats exactly right!


Anyway, if its white smoke it is not oil burning, so don't worry about that. But that doesn't mean that it isn't serious. An example would be yesterday I just finished putting a motor in a F150. It had a combination of white smoke and black smoke coming out of the exhaust depending on the idle (not bad for a motor just rebuilt, right?). Turns out, the #2 cylinder had a small whole in it letting water in there (white smoke). and the truck was "leaning" itself out trying to correct the problem (black smoke).

I doubt your problem is anywhere near as serious, but it could be anything from just condensation in the exhaust to a cracked head, blown head gasket or maybe intake gasket.

You can narrow it down by checking your plugs and seeing which one (if any) has water on it. This will at least tell you which side your problem is with.

wickedmax

don't feel bad, mine does it too. have NO idea why... good thread

FishyMan

thanks for the many inputs..

i'm thinking this is a nissan w/ under 60k, and not driven hard and etc.. such wierd problems.. still open to ideas... and i will try see and check things out.. will try do a diff oil.. since i need to change anyhow..

thanks !!

tomservo291

I've noticed that when i first start up each day ('98 max se, small mods.. bosch plat 4+ plugs, k&n etc) that my car makes white smoke, but I'm not so sure that it is smoke; because it doesnt smell like anything has burned... it's almost like a thick steam. It will do it till it's about 1/2 warmed up or so; and I've seen other nissans with the same smoke before in my travels.

Maybe it has to do with climate (mine is similar to what you stated) and how nissan engines run.

FishyMan

i see.. thanks. ya it is like an initial thing. then after that during the day it seems fine, and what not..

mine smells like something, but that smell i dunno how to describe, it isn't like burning burning, but like just a distinct smell that tells u somethign is wrong..

99se5spd

antifreeze has a really distinct sweet smell

FishyMan

bump for ideas... mines smell like something...

could i have a leak somewhere???

Taken2DaMax

iTrader: (5)

You have to let the leprachans in under your hood warm up first or they puff out that smoke...j/k

Sounds to me like you might be leaking antifreeze. Check under the car for crap after you sit in idle for awhile.

FishyMan

well imma arrange appt to leave overnight w/ mechanic so he can see.

i'll update to chime in thoughts to others. im just a noob..!

FishyMan

bump.. would using those treatment stuff work??

thanks

Maxima Mike

I had a similar problem. I had too much oil in the car, because I put too much in to make up for lost oil for my leak. It could be new oil burning off. Check the oil level and see if you have too much in. If you do, you'll feel some vibrations through the engine.

FishyMan

its been like this for a while though, 4 quarts right? every time i did oil change + oil filter. so i d k, i dont' top off or anything like that..

Dusty21271

Does it smell like gas at all? Had the same situation - white smoke - mine smelled like gas though - fuel injectors was my problem (along with many other problems) - they (2 of them) were stuck open and dumping fuel through the exhaust system - not good...

FishyMan

oh i see. its a thick cloud, and no its not condensation type of thing as my other 4 cars (1 an altima) does not do the same.

it smells like something burn, a slight blue tint as if it was oil. but i've never ever had to top off or ever see a sign saying low engine oil kind ..

and it only happesn during the 1st startup of the day. sometimes it doesnt happpen at all..

Zach95SE

iTrader: (3)

I have the same thing going on but I live in cold weather so usually it just smokes anyway but sometimes I smell antifreeze. I checked level it was full and I'm not leaking any and the oil is fine. What else could it be?

FishyMan

i dunno.. that's what i thought too.. maybe its a 'flaw' ?? or one of those things w/ these cars..

miked15

i have same problem, but it happens occasionaly only from hours of highway driving, sometimes blue sometimes white, i checked oil and coolant, they are not leaking. what else could it be?

miked15

any ideas? should i get a new engine?

FishyMan

bump.. i d k.. im just gonna let it be and monitor the oil.. honestly mine runs fine and its been like that for the longest time since i discovered it, well a while after we got it.

gold4thgen

i get alot of white smoke in the morning and in cold weather but it smells like gas?i also have the servioce light on????wat can it be how do icheck injectors

Maxima99SE

iTrader: (2)

sounds like a headgasket may be going bad...

FishyMan

im gonna BUMP THIS SHEEEET up.. u guys wouldn't believe what CURED IT or seemed to be..

i did my spark plugs.. TOOK OUT THE AUTOLITES replaced w/ NGKS vpower and walla!!! no smoke.. ever since.... however i believe it could be a leak in the valve cover gasket, as 1 plug had oil.. but ever since about 1-2 month. there is NO WHITE smoke no more..

MaxGordon7

iTrader: (36)

Ya always NGK for nissan

lilaclucymaxima

iTrader: (16)

does it smell really strong of coolant? if so then you may have blown a head gasket, and if it smells strongly of gasonline then you are burning rich. if it doesnt smell too strong then dont worry about it, its normal in cold weather anyway.

FishyMan

i live in hawaii, and i dont think weather would matter THAT MUCH, in a cold day, or hot day no matter, the 1st startup of the day is when it smokes, but then any other startup for that dad wouldn't cause a prob, until the next day again...

i didn't think a head gasket would be a prob.. i mean it's possibl, but it had under 60k and what not.. we cked for coolant leak and stuff, but found out in the end it seemed to be oil burning as the smoke had a tinge of blue.. i monitored oil and it didn't seem to loose too much..

but oh well, im hella glad... ngk cured it..

90stanza

I see alot of maximas when iam out driving around and it seems normal. My car does the same thing. There is less when the car warms up, and I have checked both the oil and coolant for any sign of mixing and I havent seen any. Hopfully a much needed tune up will help out some.

PeterK

My car does it everynow and then. I wonder if trottle position sensor that dumps a lot of gas into cylinder is the culpit

lanky2882

I got the white smoke as well. Mine smells really rich like gas though you guys say it was the injectors but it started happening right after i replaced the injector car ran great for like 2 hours then the smoke and gas smell. What could have triggered it running so rich

eLMo

O snap I thought that was normal. I was like eh the car is old whatever. If the car isn't turned on for a couple days, does exhaust have a weird strong smell?

lanky2882

everytime i start the car and while its running i get tons of white smoke. It has to be fuel related since the fuel smell is overwelming

eLMo

Well mine isn't that bad, it's just a little bit out of the exhaust. The only thing is the strong smell of gas, I feel like I am gonna get Carbon Minoxide poisoning in my garage if I stay there for more then two minutes and the car is on.

lanky2882

My front o2 sensor may be bad but that shouldnt be causing a missfire or should it? When i replaced my injector it fixed the miss and had no smoke but now the miss is back and smoke pours outa my exaust with the gas smell

FishyMan

i suspect oil is leaking in somewhere, maybe the gaskets inside the engine seeping things through..

anyhow ngk vpower cured it for me. i dont get any smoke, driving with smoke is another problem..