New smoke from the tail pipe

[bradleyheathhays]

My main ride is a '96 XJ with 202k miles on her. Very lightly driven her whole life and well maintained. So last night I have this car coming up on me fast so I hit the gas and lo and behold the car's headlights behind me illuminates a cloud of white smoke coming from my tailpipe I've never seen before. Actually, other than when doing seafoam treatments, this is the first smoke I've seen from my tailpipe ever. Being nighttime it was difficult to gauge how thick the smoke actually was. I'd say it wasn't thick by any means but definitely impossible to miss.

So what's the best idea of what's causing this in a 202k engine. Worn piston rings maybe? She doesn't normally burn oil. I use Mobile1 full synthetic for high mileage engines if that matters.

It's been some years since I've done a seafoam treatment. Wonder if it's time to do it again?

 

[mark sr]

That sure sounds likes it's burning oil but if it is it should also show up on the dipstick.

 

[JPNinPA]

First verify if its burnt oil. White smoke can be CAT buildup, rich gas, steam from cold exhaust or head leak or burning oil.
Look at your exhaust pipe. If black sooty buildup it could be oil or rich. Clean it is likely water.
I have a crv with leaky valve seals and runs rich. The plug is sooty the exhaust it too. And when i hit the gas going slow in a low gear and the engine opens up, a cloud of carbon buildup blows out of the exhaust.


I find on4.0 engines checking plug wear and cleaning TB and IAC every 30 k miles. Running at or above 3300 for a block monthly helps with running and carbon buildup. Steam could be used in place of seafoam to break down buildup on valves and injector cleaner every oil change.

Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up - Jesse Jackson

 

[Gennybro]

It's a blown head gasket or a cracked head. Check the oil. If it looks like yahoo choclate milk, water is getting in with the oil.

 

[Outbackwack]

It's a blown head gasket or a cracked head. Check the oil. If it looks like yahoo chocolate milk, water is getting in with the oil.

My thoughts exactly...

 

[Gennybro]

Did you fix the problem ?

 

[superj]

only when flooring it though? thats not going to a be a bad head gasket or cracked anything. i bet its just the little puff of richness you get when flooring some vehicles that you normally don't see because you aren't watching the tail pipe normally.


i see a little puff from tons of vehicles on the highway when they punch it.