A Big Puff Of White Smoke

Most likely some harmless condensation being burned off at cold start.

Probably left over fuel in the cylinders when you shut the engine down just burning off .

Should not be a big problem unless your car starts smoking all the time (or at least more frequently).

Did it always do this? I'd keep an eye on the antifreeze and oil. Does the oil look milky? Does antifreeze have oil floating on top? Maybe a head gasket is starting to go and leaks a little while the engine is cooling down- expansion and contraction and all that good crap.

Occasionally, cold start in the morning creates a large puff of white smoke. What could be the culprit? Maybe, fuel injector leaking? Maybe, motor oil getting into the cylinder? The car does not burn oil, and runs fine, by the way.

this is a classic description of worn valve seals and/or valve guides. what happens is when you shut the engine off for the night the little bit of oil up in the cylinder head around the valve train will sit up around the valves and leak down around and through the worn valve seal onto the top of the valve if it is closed and onto the piston if the valve is open, then it just sits there till you start the engine. Remember its only a small amount of oil so it would be hard to see any oil usage. when the engine is again started the next morning, that oil is burned up causing the puff of smoke your describing, and then quickly goes back to running fine again and will continue to not smoke while you drive the car that day. if this is what is realy your cause then you have nothing serious to worry about, exept for a little smoke each morning.

hope that helps , just another potential cause for the smoke.

very good BMF, theres some oil additives that seem to help temporarily stave off the oil burning. a little bit of ATF or a small amount of seal swelling additive added to the oil goes along way towards keeping the valve stem seals from seeping as much.

If it were oil leaking by the seals, wouldn't the smoke be blue, not white?

White is normally water.

The smoke is definitely white color.

If it were oil leaking by the seals, wouldn't the smoke be blue, not white?

White is normally water.

....engine oil doesn't burn white, but automatic transmission fluid does...you the guy putting this in his oil to clean the engine?

If it were oil leaking by the seals, wouldn't the smoke be blue, not white?

White is normally water.

oil smoke could be white and/or blue. also it could be a combo of moisture/fuel and the oil, what will determine if its realy the valve seals is if it keeps doing it when it warms up outside.

I always thought that fuel could burn white as well as oil.

....engine oil doesn't burn white, but automatic transmission fluid does...you the guy putting this in his oil to clean the engine?

....engine oil doesn't burn white, but automatic transmission fluid does...you the guy putting this in his oil to clean the engine?

lol, not that much and only for 100 miles prior to an oil change. never more than 1/2 quart. its usually less, i just top it off.

 

As a general rule:

Blue = oil

Black = gasoline

White = H2O

ATF?? Has anyone ever seen an older Ford with a transmission modulator whose diaphragm has developed a tear.......my recollection was that it burned very blue....perhaps the newer ATF burns white.

Occasionally, cold start in the morning creates a large puff of white smoke. What could be the culprit? Maybe, fuel injector leaking? Maybe, motor oil getting into the cylinder? The car does not burn oil, and runs fine, by the way.

As a general rule:

Blue = oil

Black = gasoline

White = H2O

ATF?? Has anyone ever seen an older Ford with a transmission modulator whose diaphragm has developed a tear.......my recollection was that it burned very blue....perhaps the newer ATF burns white.

Occasionally, cold start in the morning creates a large puff of white smoke. What could be the culprit? Maybe, fuel injector leaking? Maybe, motor oil getting into the cylinder? The car does not burn oil, and runs fine, by the way.

I know the GMs were like that, too, with ripped modulator diaphragms. It created a whole lot of white smoke. Another old trick is ATF down the carb to loosen carbon- also a whole lot of white smoke.

well heres the thing, when its cold out the white puff of startup will mask the blue color of the oil. if you look really carefully or have somone else start it while you watch you might be able to better see whats going on. or just wait for a warmer day.

....engine oil doesn't burn white, but automatic transmission fluid does...you the guy putting this in his oil to clean the engine?

lol, not that much and only for 100 miles prior to an oil change. never more than 1/2 quart. its usually less, i just top it off.

 

It is a good way to get the engine cleaner and does not cause any damage. I have done it myself.

 

....engine oil doesn't burn white, but automatic transmission fluid does...you the guy putting this in his oil to clean the engine?

lol, not that much and only for 100 miles prior to an oil change. never more than 1/2 quart. its usually less, i just top it off.

 

It is a good way to get the engine cleaner and does not cause any damage. I have done it myself.

 

Actually, an instructor in auto-tech school (many years ago) showed us that. It's a very good oil for cleaning, and it's particularly good for engines with hydraulic lifters.

 

I think it helps keep the engine cleaner and will reduce the inevitable sludge that oil leaves.