hey, lately my exhaust has been smoking white when idling after normal driving, and my oil is getting low relatively quick. it usually doesn't smoke like this, and when im at a traffic light it really smokes, and no one elses car around me does. what do u guys think is causing this? thanks

2001 A4 2.8l 30v

 

not to scare you but you might have oil leaking onto your exhaust manifold. i had the same issue on my lancer and it was my cylinder head gasket.blown to hell. was causing a good deal of oil to leak and burn white. two very different cars but you are loosing oil at a great rate and its coming out the other end. park it and get it checked asap.

 

hmmm i checked recently and havent seen anything...ill def check again after work. if thats what it is, how much is repair?

 

Sounds like it might be a headgasket. This idea comes from the oil being run out quickly and the white smoke. White smoke typically means that you are burning coolant. Bluish smoke typically indicated burning oil... So the headgasket would be a good place to start. Not saying that it is necessarily the cause, but it would be a nice place to start. Good luck!

 

does it smell of oil? are you losing coolant too? if you're not loosing coolant i'd say it's the valve cover gaskets which you can do yourself. just need a 8 mm socket and patience

 

I don't think that its a head gasket unless your using coolant as well. Also I don't think its a valve cover gasket as the smoke is out the exhaust not from under the hood (im assuming from your description). Typical signs of a head gasket are milky oil from coolant getting in it and the exhaust will usually smell rather sweet. The things I would see causing your symptoms are valve stem seals, PCV system, bad engine rings, and last a head gasket. To rule out a head gasket you can do a block test to see if combustion gases are getting into the coolant. If it fails a block test then you pretty much know what it is. To test the rings you can do a compression test. Im not really sure how to be sure if its the valve stem seals and the I don't fully understand the PCV system on our cars. But those are the things I would suspect w/ the symptoms you have listed. Are there any engine codes? What does the exhaust smell like coolant, oil, or gas?

 

i dont seem to be loosing coolant, and as for smell i dont seem to smell anything like oil/coolant/ or gas, but ill go outside and run the car, and smell it

yes the smoke is coming out of my exhaust not my hood, and i havent noticed any oil/gas smell out of the exhaust but ill go outside and run the car to be sure. I have a OBD cable coming in a few days to check for engine codes, but my check engine light is not on (if it should be for something like this). ill let you know in a few minutes if smells like oil, coolant or gas. also, im not sure if i mentioned it, but it usually doesnt start smoking until ive been driving the car for about 5-10 mins, and then ill see it when i come to a stop.

 

i have a bad valve cover gasket. another symptom, or at least for me: its that when you turn on ur heater it smells like burnt oil due to the oil leaking onto the exhaust manifold. i dont think its a head gasket either tho. it could just be moisture setting in ur exhaust at night and when it gets warm it comes out as steam aka white smoke. all cars do that in the morning... specially when its cold out

 

hmm..yea i checked my car and there is no oil/coolant/gas smell...maybe you are right about the steam build up, but it happens anytime after ive been driving it for 5+ mins, and its not only in the morning.

 

Well some smoke is normal but I have no idea how much yours is putting out. Maybe a video of it would help us lol. Idk otherwise.