White smoke from exhaust ?

[sarados_elgreco]

Hello

Just wondering if anybody could help me .
On occasions I see that there is white smoke coming from the exhaust , iv done my checks to see if its the head gasket , but everything seems ok .
Would a bad catalytic converter cause white smoke? or Air flow meter is broke ?

Is there anything that anybody would know as its really annoying

Thanks

[stag76]

hi i had this problem almost 2yrs ago,i was pulling my hair out over it.

i changed the pcl valve on the rocker cover,and cleaned out my egr valve.

the smoke went away,and stayed that way until i sold her a few months ago,she was a 1.8 96' car.

keep us posted on your findings

jay

[MX5Spares]

Basically it is steam from water being burned in engine. You must be losing water from rad/expansion bottle.Head gasket I reckon.If you wa nt to drop over to me in Swords I can have a look. 086 8226506.

[sarados_elgreco]

Hello Jay ,

Thanks for that i will have a look into this and let you know how i get on .

Robert i thought that at first , but it happens on occasions at some stages no white smoke comes out at all .

I have noticed when i put first gear in with the clutch in , the revs rise a tiny bit .

Thanks for the help lads

[franksm]

Does the car get used much ?
Could just be water sitting in the exhaust. It is the reason exhausts rust through after all. A car that's been sat up for a while or only run briefly here and there will have a steamy exhaust.

You can get a sniff-test done on the radiator to see if the coolant is beibng effected by a bad HG, but you'd need to be REALLY unlucky to have a burst HG on these cars.

I'd run the car, give it a good run, and then see. Best thing to do to a car is to use it.

If it's piling steam out the back, then yeah, you have a problem.

[MX5Spares]

I have seen several with gasket trouble and most people keep driving till they need engine due to overheating.My advice get it checked....as above it is possible it is condensation in exhaust.

[hoopsbhoy]

My car was billowing out what I thought was white smoke after sitting up for a while. The whole garden was full with it. It took a long time to clear, I mean hours. It was condensation in exhaust, don't underestimate how much smoke it can actually make that way.

To be honest peoples first conclusion is HG and it very rarely is a HG. By on occasion did was it after it was sitting for a while? If it was mine I would be driving it anyway to see if it clears. If it was HG be handier to throw an engine in anyway

[MX5Spares]

We hav engines forb250 e approx but monitor the water levels for a few weeks-.Also if it was not used for a while wa there anti freeze in it during the cold spell

[sarados_elgreco]

Well great news , the problem has been solved . basically for the last week or two since iv got the car i didnt drive anywhere cause didnt have insurance . Went on a drive there today as i got insured and white smoke is gone ! delighted .

Also the RPM rising was basically a hose that had dirt in it that was obviously effecting somehow the rpm to rise .

But everything running smooth now

Thanks for the help lads ! appreciate it !

[hoopsbhoy]

Good stuff. Another mx5 problem solved by driving. I like it

[Merlot man]

Man these are great cars, drive them and there's on problem!


Brian