Causes of Blue and White Exhaust Smoke | Car Tips

 
 
Clearly it’s never a good sign when you see blue or white exhaust smoke coming out of your vehicle. However, the problem may be easy to diagnose if you know what to look for, which will allow you to get your car fixed as soon as possible.
 
Piston wear and worn valve seals are both common reasons for blue exhaust smoke. If these parts are worn out the oil will start to leak which will cause the exhaust smoke to turn blue. Other reasons for the smoke to be this colour could be a very dirty oil or air filter. However, most of the time the issue is just a problem with the engine (could be internal or external).
 
While white smoke may just come from your engine on a cool day, excessive white smoke most likely indicates a problem. A coolant leak is usually the issue when white exhaust smoke appears. A cracked cylinder head or engine block or head gasket failure are usually the reasons for coolant leakage. If you’re trying to fix the problem yourself, just remember to never remove the radiator cap while the engine is still hot or you could get seriously injured.
 
Patrick Britton – Guest Blogger