What Causes White Smoke from a Vehicle's Exhaust Pipe?
2 Answers
Vehicle exhaust pipe emitting white smoke can be attributed to the following reasons: 1. Contamination of the air filter; 2. Malfunction of the carburetor; 3. Pollution of the oxygen sensor in the exhaust pipe. The exhaust pipe is part of the engine's exhaust system, which includes the front exhaust pipe and the rear exhaust pipe. The exhaust system is responsible for discharging the waste gases produced by the engine's operation while reducing the pollution and noise of the emitted exhaust. It consists of the exhaust manifold, catalytic converter, exhaust temperature sensor, automobile muffler, and exhaust tailpipe. The functions of the automobile exhaust pipe include: 1. Vibration damping and noise reduction; 2. Ease of installation; 3. Prolonging the life of the exhaust muffler system.
Recently, my car's exhaust pipe has been emitting white smoke. At first, I thought it was just normal winter vapor, but as it got thicker, I realized it was a serious issue. I remember when I drove it to the repair shop, the mechanic said it might be a cooling system leak, with coolant entering the engine, especially common with a damaged cylinder head gasket. He checked and found the coolant level was low with a sweet smell, confirming that coolant was leaking into the engine and burning, causing the white smoke. Normally, I pay extra attention to the temperature gauge; if it goes above normal, I’m cautious. When the weather turns cold, brief white vapor is fine, but if it persists or the smoke becomes as thick as fog, I stop driving immediately. For prevention, I regularly check the coolant and engine oil to avoid long-term neglect leading to costly major repairs—safety first, after all.