white smoke

[81 rangie]

what does white smoke from the exhoust of a 88 efi rangie mean, but it doesn't smell like burning oil, nearly as though it's running rich, but shouldn't that be black smoke?

[RaginRover]

white ususally = water which ususally = head gasket

Low on water ? Milky oil ? drinking glass over oil filler mists up ?

Try a comp test and see how it looks - is itl like this all the time or just on start - it could just be condensation in the exhaust on start ??

Tom

[dirtyGQ]

is it auto ?

[HotFourOk]

If its the head gasket, you can usually smell the coolant burning smell... not nice at all.... Its like steam and you can feel the moisture in it if you feel what is coming from the exhaust.

Check ur radiator fluid for floating oil as Ragin said...

[Ruffy]

Auto fluid burns white aswell. If it's an auto check the vacuum hose to the modulator. if there's any oil in it then that'll be your problem. If its steam from a headgasket and it's that visible then it should run shit aswell.
Good luck.

[lay80n]

If its auto, you could be getting auto fluid into the motor. Auto flid burn white. Not sure about rangies, but lots of auto's (older ones esp.) run vacum modulators. If these leak they allow auto fluid into the inlet manifold, hence white smoke. Check for vacum lines that run from the inlet manifold to a small vacum can on the side of the auto. If its not a headgasket chances are it might be a vacum modulator. Thats if the car is auto . I'm sure a rangie freak will be able to tell you where and if it uses this system.
Layto....

[of4x4]

I once had a car do this upon application of brake pedal. Turned out to be vacuum booster on brakes was stuffed and allowed brake fluid to be sucked into the manifold.

Lots of white smoke (and a sickly sweet smell from memory).

[81 rangie]

It is a auto, but why would it only seem to do it on petrol not gas. Yes there was alot of water spitting outa the exhaust (mostly on petrol). The radiator fluid is going somewhere, but because there are leaky hoseclamps I'm not sure wether it's a leaky headgasket. If it is is that big trouble or does that radiator seal work as a permanent fix, i might use some of that just to seal everything up. Where would i find this vacuum modulator on a ZF 88 rangie

thanks for the replies

[Ruffy]

If it's a head gasket and it's bad enouh to cause steam out the exhaust then stop leak probably wont help. Either way stop leak is only really a temporary fix for any coolant leak. Only on petrol??? you didn't fill it with 2 stroke did you???? lol.
don't discount the gas convertor either. They can leak water into the gas side of the convertor and hence into the engine.
good luck

[81 rangie]

no i think we have established it is running fully rich, wich then just floods the engine, then when it revs a little, it's enough to blow it out

[ofr57]

a young fella at work put deasil in his petrol car talk about smoke

[81 rangie]

damn that'd suck, but i know i put unleaded in

[lay80n]

Running rich will make it pump out Black smoke.
Layto....

[chimpboy]

Blue smoke is usually a sign of oil burning, and smells nasty.

Black smoke is a fuel issue, carby, timing, etc.

White smoke is often trans fluid as suggested or water as also suggested.

If you only run it on petrol rarely is it possible you have a bit of water in your fuel maybe? Does it do it continually or only when you have just started it?

Are you getting bubbles in the coolant - take the rad cap off and start it up and see what you can see (when the engine is still COLD by the way!)

Jason

[Loanrangie]

Rangies dont use a vacumm modulator on the auto's so that rules out trans fluid. My wifes car just blew a head gasket and it was blowing white steam out the exhaust - but it was cold friday night.