Is water leaking from a car exhaust pipe dangerous?

If you pay attention to the rear of the car while warming up a cold engine, you will notice an interesting phenomenon - water splashes from the exhaust pipe along with the exhaust gases. In the warm season, literally a few drops form, and in winter there is often a wet path or puddle behind the car. This worries inexperienced car enthusiasts who perceive splashes from the exhaust tract as a symptom of a malfunction. To make sure that suspicions are groundless, it is necessary to understand the nature of this phenomenon.

How does moisture get inside the muffler?

In the vast majority of cases, splashes of water escaping from the exhaust pipe do not indicate any failure and do not pose a danger to the “health” of the car. Splashes can be observed on almost all cars, regardless of class and model. The reasons for the formation of moisture lie in ordinary physical phenomena and chemical reactions occurring inside the engine and exhaust tract:

1. Condensation resulting from contact of hot surfaces with cold outside air.
2. The release of water as a product of the chemical reaction of hydrocarbon fuel combustion occurring in the cylinders of the power unit.
3. During residual afterburning of combustible gases, water vapor also forms inside the catalytic converter.

Each reason requires detailed explanation. In the first case, moisture forms after stopping the running engine, when the exhaust tract has become thoroughly heated. Water vapor suspended in the air condenses upon contact with hot surfaces. The more humid the outside air and the greater the temperature difference, the more intense condensation occurs. This is why much more liquid flows out of the pipe in winter than in summer.

Reference. The greatest amount of condensation occurs during periods of rain and fog, when the air is oversaturated with moisture.

Water vapor is also a product of combustion of gasoline, liquefied gas and diesel fuel. When oxidized, a hydrocarbon compound disintegrates with the release of heat. As a result of a chemical reaction, 2 substances are formed - carbon dioxide and water, which evaporate at the time of combustion. The steam is released through the valves into the exhaust pipe, where it partially condenses.

Since the combustion conditions of gasoline are not very ideal, unburnt carbon monoxide (CO) is formed in the chambers, which is sent along with the exhaust to the catalyst. There the final oxidation and combustion of gasoline vapors occurs, again releasing water.

What to do and how to eliminate black smoke from the exhaust pipe

A novice driver who notices black smoke from the exhaust pipe of a carburetor or injection gasoline engine should contact a car repair shop.

You can do the following yourself:

• refuel at another gas station if you doubt the quality of the fuel;
• replace fuel and air filters;
• clean the injector electronics with gasoline with special detergent additives;
• check the operation of the injectors and carburetor;
• observe the pressure in the combustion chambers, compare the data obtained with the nominal value;
• Don’t forget about diesel particulate filters: change the elements every 15-30 thousand km on the speedometer.

Watch your own driving style: extreme style with sharp starts and frequent braking at high speeds does not allow fuel to burn out effectively.

Consequences of condensation release

Drops that appear inside the exhaust pipe after stopping the engine flow down and accumulate in the cylindrical resonator housing. The next time you start a cold engine, they are squeezed out by exhaust gases, as a result of which water drips from the muffler until the tract warms up. The remaining liquid evaporates from the hot pipe and is thrown out along with the smoke, the outflow stops.

What are the consequences of water accumulation inside the exhaust system:

1. If the car is stored in an open parking lot in winter, the moisture will be captured by frost after cooling. Ice will appear in the pipe, partially blocking the flow area.
2. Freezing of water in the muffler and resonator tanks reduces the service life of these elements. Because ice formation is accompanied by expansion, metal walls and welds are subject to tensile stress.
3. The exhaust system, made of ferrous metal with an anti-corrosion coating, runs the risk of rusting over time. Condensate contains sulfur and other aggressive substances that cause corrosion. Stainless steel pipes are not susceptible to chemical attack.

Note. An ice plug that completely blocks the passage of flue gases is a rather rare occurrence. Normal moisture release processes described in the previous section do not lead to similar consequences. The maximum that can happen is a build-up of icicles at the end of the pipe.

Since condensation always appears in the exhaust pipe in all cars, the difference in exhaust system wear is almost unnoticeable. Gas ducts and tanks made of ferrous metal last from 20 to 50 thousand kilometers, and any fistulas that arise can be repaired using conventional welding and thus extend the life of the elements. Stainless steel lasts twice as long – up to 100 thousand km.

When should you be wary?

In some cases, the release of water indicates certain problems with the motor:

• the amount of condensate is too high;
• the flow does not end after the engine and exhaust system warm up;
• the flying drops have a distinct black color or leave oily stains on the asphalt.

If strong condensation comes from the exhaust, which does not stop when the engine warms up and is accompanied by white smoke, there is a breakdown of the cylinder head gasket (cylinder head). This means that the crack has connected the channels of the block's water jacket with the combustion chamber. Antifreeze penetrates the cylinders, evaporates from the high temperature and is thrown into the exhaust system. As a result, you observe the release of white steam and coolant, which has managed to partially condense.

Advice. If you discover a violation of the integrity of the cylinder head gasket, immediately begin repairing the power unit. Driving with this malfunction is unacceptable.

Both the color of the exhaust gases and the color of the condensate may indicate a specific problem. Black water from the muffler indicates a large amount of soot contained in the smoke and deposited on the inner walls of the pipes. There are two reasons for its formation:

• poor fuel combustion conditions (wear of the cylinder-piston group, problems with the fuel supply, ignition system, and so on);
• refueling with low-quality gasoline or diesel fuel.

There are cases when soot from unburned or low-quality fuel completely clogged the pipeline system, making it impossible to start the engine.

An oily puddle under the exhaust pipe may indicate wear on the cylinder-piston group or valve seals. Engine lubricant, penetrating into the cylinders, burns and is partially released into the flue and mixed with condensate. The problem is accompanied by bluish smoke, carbon deposits on the electrodes of the spark plugs and increased oil consumption in the engine.

Is it possible to reduce the amount of liquid in the exhaust?

The intensity of condensation inside the exhaust system is practically independent of the make and model of the car. It should be understood that a small amount of water in the pipe is normal. The exception is a situation when liquid flows like a river due to a cylinder head gasket failure.

Since you can't control the chemical reaction of gasoline burning to release water vapor, try to combat condensation. What is needed for this:

• reduce the temperature difference between the heated surface of the pipe and the surrounding air;
• reduce the humidity of air in contact with hot flues;
• create conditions for natural evaporation of condensate.

There is only one way to meet these requirements - store the car in a warm, tightly closed garage equipped with exhaust ventilation. Less moisture will fall out of the heated and drier air, and thanks to the positive temperature, the condensate will evaporate during parking and be removed through the hood. Please note that it will not be possible to completely get rid of water droplets from the muffler.

Condensation in a car exhaust system occurs when cold and hot air mix. Dripping water from the muffler always frightens a novice car owner. Is it so scary and what negative consequences could there be?

Where does the water in the exhaust come from?

Water vapor tends to turn into condensate. In a car, condensation collects in many places - in the exhaust and cooling systems, in the fuel and coolant lines. Moisture also accumulates in the interior and hard-to-reach niches of the body.

After stopping the engine, condensation begins to form in the exhaust system. This happens even on new cars that are fully working. This is explained by the fact that the outside of the system cools much faster than the inside. Therefore, drops of water splash from the muffler. They can quickly harden, coating the inside of the muffler with an icy crust. There will not be much damage, although many drivers are confident of the opposite.

The natural formation of moisture in the exhaust system is inevitable. It is the most intense:

• after active use of the car;
• on cars with automatic start;
• after sharply pressing the accelerator pedal.

If condensation appears at temperatures below 0 and there is little of it, it’s okay.

Water from the muffler: reasons

There are 2 reasons why water drips from the muffler. Condensation can appear from the outside - when snow and rain penetrate into car systems. In the second case, moisture forms directly in the exhaust, since any engine runs on a fuel-air mixture.

A hot engine produces steam, the amount of which increases due to sudden temperature changes.

Condensation can also accumulate in other vehicle systems:

• In the engine itself. White deposits at the neck are traces of condensation.
• Near the valves (due to gasket damage).
• In the lubrication system (due to refrigerant).
• In the fuel tank (due to the use of low-grade fuel).

Try to keep the tank filled to the brim and park the machine indoors. Then the risk of moisture in the tank will be minimal.

Moisture inside the car is a big problem, because it may not reach the muffler, remaining invisible.

The liquid will significantly accelerate the wear of the elements. Therefore, it is worth regularly checking the engine compartment and undergoing maintenance in a timely manner.

The presence of condensation in the fuel tank can be determined by difficulty starting the engine or by engine interruptions. Moisture gets inside the tank along with low-quality fuel.

When refueling, look at the price of gasoline or diesel fuel. If it is significantly lower than the market price, be wary and do not rush to rejoice. The octane number is easily increased synthetically, using additives. Therefore, it is better to go to proven, branded gas stations.

Experienced motorists try to always keep the fuel tank full. This is not a whim, but an opportunity to avoid the appearance of condensation even with low-grade fuel. There is simply no room left for moisture inside the tank. Conversely, regular partial refueling helps retain moisture in the gas tank and other car systems.

There is no less trouble with condensation in the engine. It comes here from the fuel tank. A sign of a problem is excessive heating of the motor. You need to inspect the car for leaky gaskets or valves. If there is moisture on the internal combustion engine itself, this can be determined by grease stains on the engine body. The oil mixes with hot air, evaporates, and settles as condensate.

You can get rid of moisture in the tank and engine by using chemistry - special enzymes dissolve in water. Compounds are formed that easily burn out during engine operation without causing damage to the engine installation.

Water is more likely to form in cars with modern exhaust gas treatment systems. Condensation may leak from the muffler while driving. It occurs in the catalyst, which oxidizes platinum, palladium and other harmful compounds coming from the engine. As a result of the reaction, carbon dioxide and water vapor are formed, which remains on the walls of the pipe.

What to do if condensation appears in the car exhaust pipe

Climatic conditions and the operating principle of the internal combustion engine cause the formation of condensed steam in the exhaust gas exhaust system. To evaporate it, it is enough to take a long trip lasting more than an hour once a week.

You need to go to a service station for diagnostics if the exhaust gases have bluish or black smoke, a large amount of soot settles on the walls of the pipe, or there are malfunctions in the functioning of the cooling system or engine.

Is it possible to drill a muffler?

The procedure is ambiguous. On the one hand, liquid is removed from the exhaust system through the holes, on the other hand, two problems arise:

• the exhaust sound becomes louder;
• an element made of ordinary steel fails prematurely.

Under the influence of high temperatures, reagents, and moisture, a small hole will steadily increase. The same thing will happen with a stainless steel part, but at a slower pace.

Note: How and how to paint car rims yourself

Instead of drilling into the muffler, experts recommend that car owners create conditions that will prevent the formation of condensed steam in significant quantities.

What is the danger of water in the muffler?

Natural transparent condensation is not a problem if there is little of it. It’s just water - its accumulation, on the contrary, indicates the serviceability of all systems. Things get worse if the moisture has an unusual color and thick black smoke appears.

Danger No. 1 - condensation can turn into ice. This threatens to rupture the muffler or resonator. In addition, when water freezes, important channels connecting the motor to other systems become clogged. Therefore, it is very difficult, almost impossible to start the car.

Danger #2 is corrosion. The internal cavities of the exhaust system quickly rust. For example, on the first VAZ cars, the resonators and pants rotted in almost 3 years, although they were made of durable steel. With a stainless muffler of foreign cars, things are somewhat better, but condensate can react with sulfur dioxide (present in the exhaust of any internal combustion engine), form acid and corrode the metal in 1-2 years.

How to get rid of water in the muffler

Moisture should not actively accumulate inside the muffler. You can avoid its formation by following these recommendations:

Increase the engine warm-up time if the engine has automatic warm-up. You can use a separate liquid heater if the muffler does not have time to heat up.

• Do not leave your car outdoors in winter.
• Use quality fuel. The low grade is all water.
• Place the car at an angle with the front end down after starting the engine. This method will reduce the intensity of corrosion on metal walls.
• Insulate the muffler (especially important for cold areas). Any non-flammable heat insulator can be used.

It’s worth making long trips at least once every 30 days (preferably in winter or autumn). This will make it possible to warm up the car and its exhaust system well. An hour-long drive along the highway at high speeds is the best way to remove excess moisture from the silencer. Short trips around the city do not give such an effect. This, on the contrary, is a destructive factor - the condensate will only have time to thaw and turn into water.

Is it possible to drill the muffler?

You need to drill the resonator, not the muffler itself. A thin 3mm metal drill is placed on the drill. Up to 250 ml of water can leak from the exhaust cans. The method is imperfect, but quite safe. Some drivers even use it on new cars.

Read also:  Spark plug gaps: what they should be and what they affect

The manufacturer does not recommend making holes in the resonator. The metal of the muffler quickly becomes unusable after this, because even a small hole is a potential source of corrosion. Due to high temperatures and dirt, the process of rust spreading becomes more intense. In addition, a leaky muffler makes a lot of noise and exhaust gases enter the cabin.

The lifespan of exhaust elements is 4-5 years. With regular use of the car - even less. When purchasing a new silencer, give preference to models with anticorrosive properties.

Every second driver in the Russian Federation is forced to solve a problem with condensation. The humid Russian climate is the reason for this. Be careful, monitor the amount of moisture. A small amount of water is not a problem. If there is too much of it, it is better to contact a car service, perform diagnostics and accurately find the source of the problem.

Almost every motorist faces the problem of condensation in the muffler and, as a result, leakage of water droplets from the exhaust pipe. This phenomenon, which is relevant both in winter and summer, often leads car owners to suspect that there are problems with the systems. At the same time, the formation of steam and leakage of liquid, being a normal physical process, does not always indicate a malfunction. Condensation can collect on new cars in the same way as on those with decent mileage, and in most cases does not cause any damage, so most often there is nothing to worry about. But if the leaking liquid has an unusual color or clouds of white smoke come out of the pipe, then this is a reason to think about it and go for diagnostics.

Is condensation in a car dangerous?

Moisture settled in the muffler is a sign of proper operation of the internal systems of the car. Although such a phenomenon does not pose a radical danger, it would be thoughtless to turn a blind eye to it. The main reason for this is corrosion. Experts at domestic service stations claim that exhaust gases are no less aggressive than condensate. But water in a car muffler is still a potential threat, just like any metal liquid. The same applies to the gas tank, engine, and interior - in these places moisture sometimes accumulates in the same volumes as in the muffler.

In addition to the fact that water will splash spectacularly from the exhaust pipe, the car owner will also face a banal inconvenience. During a trip, few people will ignore the gurgling and “spitting” sounds made by the muffler, and in the cold season an additional nuisance appears - an ice jam. Frozen condensation can simply block the exhaust outlet, causing the car to not move.

• Phosphalugel - instructions for use. What does Phosphalugel help for adults or children and contraindications
• Pneumatosis intestinalis - symptoms and signs. Treatment of pneumatosis intestinalis with drugs and folk remedies
• How to detect stomach cancer at an early stage

If water flows from the exhaust pipe on a warm engine

Moisture can get from the fuel tank into other vehicle systems. If the neck of the oil filler cap is stained with a white coating, then condensation is present in the engine itself. If the gasket is damaged, similar marks remain near the valves. Even antifreeze mixed with oil can have the same appearance. In any case, moisture in the engine is a risk of increased heating.

The source of the problem lies in leaky car parts, but if these damages are not detected even after a thorough inspection, then it is too early to worry. Condensation may occur due to the mixing of water and oil on the engine. Ordinary moisture removers will help get rid of it. When interacting with water, these substances enter into a chemical reaction. This creates compounds that burn during engine operation without harm to the insides of the car.

If black liquid drips

The concern begins from the moment when the condensation flowing out of the exhaust pipe shimmers with an unusual hue. It can be black, blue, and sometimes yellow-green. But the color of moisture from the muffler should not puzzle the car owner. On the contrary, this shade will give an understanding of the nature of the problem:

• Some parts of the car are very worn. There may be an oil leak or the coolant is turning the moisture from the muffler an unusual color.
• Cheap, low-quality fuel with a high content of additives. The latter, as a rule, do not burn out, but come out of the muffler along with condensate.
• A high concentration of soot in gasoline turns the moisture yellow-green.
• Soot has settled inside the muffler, causing black water to drip from the exhaust pipe.

The cause of colored condensation can only be determined through diagnostics. Preliminary conclusions can be drawn from an independent inspection of the car:

1. Check the composition of the condensate. After warming up the engine well, you need to cover the exhaust pipe with thick paper. After which this sheet is set aside to dry in a warm place. If there are greasy stains on it, this indicates an oil leak.
2. Inspect the area under the hood. All attention must be concentrated on searching for oil films. With such a breakdown, anyone standing next to the car will smell the characteristic oily smell of a leak.
3. Inspect the spark plugs. One or even several of them may look perfectly clean in appearance. This is a sure sign that she/they have been exposed to coolant.
4. Check the oil and antifreeze scale. Overconsumption of these components leads to leaks.
5. Check the condition of the engine. Its overheating may be due to a leak in the internal transport systems.
6. Find a new fuel supplier. The quality of gasoline from another gas station may differ significantly from the previous one.
7. Do not avoid visits to the service station. Specialists from a decent car service center will see something that most drivers simply won’t pay attention to. Self-diagnosis of parts does not guarantee any results; machine maintenance should be entrusted to experienced professionals.

If there is white smoke coming from the muffler and water

This is a sign of moisture accumulated inside the gas tank. From there, the liquid enters the exhaust pipe, onto the spark plugs and fuel pump. In the same way, it can end up in a car engine. The cause of the problem is low-grade fuel, which is sold at old, small or cheap gas stations. To avoid this, you need to inquire about the price of gasoline. If its cost at a particular gas station is lower than the city average, then not everything is so rosy.

Such a step is taken only when fuel is supplied with an octane number artificially increased by adding additives. Proven gas stations from well-known companies are definitely more reliable. But even low-quality gasoline is not a major hindrance if you fill the tank with it full. So there will be physically no place left for moisture where it could form. Otherwise, the risk of condensation inside the cylinders increases significantly.

How does moisture get inside the muffler?

We regularly encounter the phenomenon of condensation in everyday life, and it is always undesirable, no matter where it occurs, and sometimes it can act destructively on structures, being also one of the provoking factors for corrosion. Every schoolchild knows from physics lessons where condensation comes from, and if water begins to flow out of the muffler, which can most often be detected when starting a cold engine, then this is not a sign of design defects. Let's take a closer look at why water drips from the muffler, which promotes condensation. The reasons for the formation of condensation in the exhaust system of a car lie in physical processes, as well as chemical reactions occurring in the internal combustion engine chamber:

Everything about car operation

Content:

1) Whitish/transparent smoke from the exhaust pipe

2) Black smoke from the exhaust pipe

3) Bluish smoke from the exhaust pipe.

4) White smoke from the exhaust pipe

From time to time, any engine (even a new one) smokes, so every car owner sooner or later asks himself the question - “why does the engine smoke?”

There is an opinion among motorists that by the color of the smoke from the exhaust pipe one can determine which engine malfunction is causing it.

Let us first consider this issue in general terms, and then we will analyze each specific case in more detail and make this visual malfunction point us to more serious defects hidden from view, i.e. We can determine the condition of the car engine by the color of the exhaust.

In general terms, the question of why a car smokes can be answered like this:

1) Whitish / transparent smoke from the exhaust pipe - water from the muffler

This is normal when the engine is running cold or when working in cold weather.

The oxidation of any carbon fuel ideally produces CO2 and H2O. If CO2 comes out of the engine in the form of a transparent gas, then H2O comes out in the form of superheated steam and, as it cools, turns into a liquid state. It is the condensed water vapor that we observe in the form of smoke from the exhaust pipe.

It is quite easy to verify that water vapor is always present in the exhaust (even when it is transparent and we cannot see it) by a simple experiment: cool a saucepan (or any other dish) and place it under the exhaust pipe of a running engine.

And you will be able to observe how steam from the exhaust gases will condense on the cold walls.

At the beginning of the engine operation, until both it and the exhaust system have warmed up, you can even see dripping from the muffler. In this case, the release system itself plays the role of cold dishes.

It should be noted that water vapor dissipates quite quickly after leaving the exhaust pipe and does not smell of anything. Read more…

2) Black smoke from the exhaust pipe

similar to what loaded old trucks traveling uphill spew out of their depths (I think this picture is familiar to everyone) is the brainchild of soot.

This is exactly the kind of smoke coming out of the tractor mufflers that you can see in the photo in the header of the page.

In passenger cars, black smoke from the exhaust pipe appears mainly when there is a sharp increase in load, or when driving with a high load. Even logically, it can be determined that the cause is poor mixture formation (mixture over-enriched in fuel). Like any deviation in mixture formation, this leads to excessive fuel consumption. Well, the fuel equipment or the engine control system need to be repaired accordingly. Read more…

3) Bluish smoke from the exhaust pipe.

Here we can draw an analogy with two-stroke motorcycles - everyone has seen what happens when a motorcyclist adds an excess amount of oil to the fuel (whoever has not seen a motorcycle may remember a chainsaw or other device with a two-stroke engine), the exhaust in this case smells of burnt oil. Thick clouds of bluish engine smoke flying out of the exhaust pipe, and dissipating for quite a long time. The same thing happens in a car, in which excess oil gets into the cylinders for some reason. Of course, the density and amount of smoke greatly depends on the operating mode of the engine, as well as on the degree of warming up, idle time and other factors.

It should be noted that the degree of bluishness of this smoke is quite weak, it is somewhat similar to ordinary steam, but the smell of oil and traces on white paper (+ oil consumption) should help you orient yourself.

In this case, you need to look at the engine hardware itself. Read more…

4) White smoke from the exhaust pipe - water from the muffler

The case is similar to that described in the first paragraph, but is thicker and does not disappear completely when the engine warms up in the warm season.

In addition to oil, coolant can also get into the engine cylinders. It is this that, when condensed, turns into white vapor, which dissipates relatively quickly in the air. But there is a small but: liquids with different properties and structure are used as a cooling liquid. For this reason, the vapor may differ from pure white in color and thus mislead the owner. To be more sure, you need to pay attention to the coolant flow. The engine hardware and cooling system are subject to repair. Read more…

If we consider the essence of this problem in more detail, it turns out that in real life not everything is so simple. Usually, an engine malfunction is complex in nature, and it is all the more frivolous to start a repair based only on the color of the smoke from the exhaust pipe without checking your assumptions with additional methods.

To accurately diagnose the condition of the engine, you will have to roll up your sleeves and carry out more complex diagnostics.

1) Transparent steam.

It doesn’t require any explanation or repair, it’s just worth noting - be careful when you put the car in automatic mode in winter based on the temperature - the exhaust pipe may simply become clogged with ice and the car won’t start.

As a rule, steaming appears either in the cold season or in humid weather. The dynamics are as follows: when you start the engine, a barely noticeable hovering is visible, as it warms up, the hovering intensifies. When driving a vehicle with a cold engine, droplets of liquid may drip from the exhaust pipe. As a rule, when the engine warms up completely, the hovering either completely disappears or decreases. It is worth keeping in mind that not only the operating temperature of the engine matters, but also the temperature of the entire exhaust system.

2) Black smoke from the exhaust

usually caused by lack of air (or excess fuel). Accordingly, solutions to the problem based on this:

The most shameful case is a clogged air filter (especially harmful for carburetor, gas and diesel engines).

Next, you need to look at the compression - with “leaky” cylinders, the combustion process deviates from the calculated one and does not produce the desired result (the required power), as a result of which the ECU can over-enrich the mixture, regardless of its full serviceability.

We look at the fuel pressure and fuel correction - a situation is possible when the fuel system is contaminated and the fuel pressure is low, which leads to prolonged and untimely injection of fuel into the cylinders. Or it is possible that the injectors do not close completely and “flow”, which leads to very poor fuel consumption, a decrease in power and sometimes even water hammer (fuel accumulated in the manifold flows into the cylinder and leads to breakdown).

Engine monitoring sensors can also give erroneous readings, resulting in the ECU operating “blindly”. As a rule, in this case the “check engine” light comes on. However, in some models this light does not always light up if there is a malfunction of any engine. You can read more about engine control systems here.

All described cases are accompanied by the formation of black carbon deposits on the spark plugs, increased fuel consumption, decreased engine performance, increased wear of the CPG (gasoline washes away the oil film from the cylinders), shots are possible in the muffler and there is often a smell of gasoline from smoke from the exhaust pipe.

Spark plugs can help diagnose the problem. When there is black smoke from the exhaust pipe, the spark plugs usually have a soot-black coating.

That is, when analyzing smoke from the exhaust pipe, it is advisable to analyze the condition of the spark plugs.

In any case, driving this way is not only not environmentally friendly, but also expensive, and measures must be taken.

3) Bluish smoke from the exhaust pipe.

The most typical situation that I have encountered on some of my cars is clouds of smoke in the first 10-30 seconds after starting the engine. The defect progresses with increasing mileage and decreasing outside temperature. You start the engine and see a cloud of bluish oil smoke in the rearview mirror. Of course, you are tense, and bad thoughts about expensive repairs come to mind. But at the end of the journey everything becomes normal. Of course, repairs are postponed.

As already written earlier, the reason is a large amount of oil that got into the cylinders or exhaust tract. In our case, oil enters the cylinders during parking through loose (hardened) valve stem seals. At this point, you will most likely have some difficulty starting the engine due to oil deposits on the spark plug electrodes.

But blue smoke can appear not only after a cold start of the engine, but also while driving. Moreover, it happens that smoke appears when coasting (when the throttle is closed) or under load, etc. If smoke appears while coasting, the reason for this will be the CPG: at this moment a vacuum is formed in the cylinders and through a loose friction pair, the piston ring cylinder, oil mist from the crankcase is sucked into the hot cylinder

The most common causes of blue smoke are described below:

a) Worn or hardened valve stem seals.

The malfunction gradually increases and manifests itself in the form of a large emission of smoke at the first moment after starting, then gradually the intensity of the smoke decreases (as it warms up). This is due to the softening of the caps as they warm up. Accelerated wear of the caps can be caused by increased clearance in the valve bushings, poor quality of the caps, or a large amount of crankcase gases (due to wear of the CPG).

The quality of the valve stem seals themselves is also of great importance. Unfortunately, I encountered this personally:

The photo shows two different caps working under the same conditions. And if the left cap was already hardened (the car smoked shamelessly and ate about a liter of oil per 1000 km), then the right one looks like new after 50k. work. The name of the good one is RoadSafe, and the name of the bad one is incognito, because... Most likely it is counterfeit and I don’t want to cast a shadow on the Mitsubishi brand.

In this case, the oil will enter through a leaky connection between the valve body and the seat (sealed by the MSC). And it will enter both the intake (if the valve is closed when parked), and the cylinder (if the valve is open), or even into the exhaust manifold through the exhaust valve bushings. Excessive smoking in the first moments will be caused by the combustion of all the oil that has flowed into the cylinders from the cylinder head during the period of inactivity and the low elasticity of the cold rubber of the valve stem seals.

b) Worn or stuck oil scraper rings.

In this case, the oil film is not removed by specially designed rings and an excessive amount of oil enters the cylinders. Perhaps this is the reason why the engine can consume the greatest amount of oil. At the first stage, decoking of the rings can help. But after this you need to pay more attention to the engine, because... this may mean the rings lose their spring properties and will soon re-occur. The method for checking piston rings is described on the page on measuring compression in the engine, so I will not repeat it.

I’ll just add that diagnostics is difficult if only the oil scraper (lower) rings are stuck, because The compression is nominal, and decarbonization does not help due to the good condition of the upper rings. A similar option is pictured below:

c) Turbine malfunction.

Cars equipped with turbochargers, if the latter is in poor condition, can smoke due to oil being thrown into the turbine. In this case, the oil used to lubricate the turbine bearings is thrown into the intake tract through faulty seals (usually turbine shaft seals):

This is quite easy to diagnose. It is enough to remove the air duct running from the turbine to the engine at the lowest point and look to see if there is any oil inside. Or (in the early stages) a white light fabric is stretched into the pipe in front of the throttle, then the pipe is placed. Then we gas and remove our fabric. Traces of oil will indicate an emerging turbine malfunction.

d) Clogged crankcase gas recirculation system.

Car engines are built in such a way that a slight vacuum must be maintained inside the engine. This vacuum is created either by a vacuum in the throttle area, or by special vacuum pumps (much less often). In any case, the pumped-out crankcase gases are discharged into the intake manifold. But there are no clean gases in the crankcase, but only oil mist. Because of this, these gases must be separated from them before being discharged into the intake manifold. This is exactly what the crankcase gas recirculation system does. When it fails, crankcase gases throw oil droplets into the intake, which is why the engine can also produce characteristic “oily” smoke.

d) Wear of the CPG (cylinder-piston group).

A special case of point “d” is wear of the cylinder-piston group (or the occurrence of rings, including compression ones). If the oil scraper rings are not stuck, but there is simply increased wear in the friction pairs.

This will result in an increased amount of exhaust gases entering the crankcase. Those. the amount of gas passing through the recirculation system will significantly exceed the calculated one. Of course, drops of oil will leak into the intake and the result will be the same as in point “d”. The malfunction can be identified by opening the oil filler neck with the engine idling. With a working CPG and crankcase gas recirculation system, air will be sucked into the neck (you can check with a piece of paper), or slightly come out of it. If crankcase gases are knocked out of the neck with noticeable force, you should think about serious repairs. It is also worth paying attention to the color of the gases coming out of the oil filler neck - ideally they are colorless.

You can check your assumptions about CPG wear by measuring compression. First, we measure the compression, then pour a little oil into the suspicious cylinder and take another measurement. Details are described here

f) Bad oil.

Don't discount bad oil either. Moreover, several options are possible here. Firstly, you could simply buy a counterfeit. In this case, the properties of the oil are one... known. And how this oil will be separated in the crankcase gas recirculation system and how it will withstand high temperatures in the cylinder is not known:

Secondly, you could simply overheat the oil. The fact is that motor oil loses its properties when the permissible temperature is exceeded. Athletes know about this and install engine oil temperature sensors, additional oil coolers, etc. There is nothing like this in a regular car. And the car itself is not designed for extreme loads. And the pistons are cooled from the bottom by engine oil! In ordinary life, the supply is quite enough. But imagine on a hot summer day you are going on vacation: you have loaded up your family and things (that is, full load by weight), you have engine protection (which interferes with normal cooling of the oil in the crankcase) - where in Russia would you be without it? Plus, there was a long climb on the way and... voila, the oil was overheated. It should be changed without question.

g) The birthmark of many 16-valve engines is deep spark plug wells.

These wells have several joints of mating parts. One by oil, the other by air. The result of a certain set of circumstances will be oil from the well entering the engine suction:

Well, engine smoking is the end result. It’s not difficult to check this - take out the spark plug tips and if they are covered in oil, then your spark plug well installation is no longer doing its job. If we add to this the leakage of the intake manifold, the situation described above will result.

h) Original.

In addition to the described malfunctions that cause engine smoke, there are a number of rather exotic and even curious ones. For example: engine smoking (oil smoke) can be caused by a microcrack in the engine (quite difficult to determine) through which oil enters the intake or directly into the cylinder, or an oil leak and contact with exhaust system elements.

Curious cases include cases when a car owner accidentally pours fuel intended for two-stroke engines (mixed with oil) into the tank and then, in a panic, looks for the cause of the engine smoking.

4) The engine smokes with clouds of steam.

Here the reason is quite clear - water gets into the cylinders. Its location is clearly the engine cooling system. This means that it is quite simple to determine this by reducing the level of antifreeze. In addition, for a more accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to examine the candles. In a cylinder where there is water, the spark plugs will have a deposit of scale on the electrode, which is quite easy to notice. Try to clean such a candle with a file and you will be able to see a deposit similar to the deposit inside a kitchen kettle.

In this case, there are two main reasons - the head gasket has broken, or there is a microcrack in the cylinder. Again, the reason for this is either incorrect assembly, or poor-quality spare parts, or OVERHEATING of the engine (of course, there are others, but these are the main ones). In any case, repairs cannot be delayed.

Sometimes the reason for liquid getting into the cylinders can be corrosion of the engine from the inside (through!). This is the picture I had the misfortune to see on one of my cars:

Poor quality antifreeze literally ate half the block from the inside. Corrosion products (simply rust) even filled the expansion tank. The result is junk. It is more expensive to restore such an engine.

Under bad circumstances, coolant can get not only into the cylinders, but also into the oil! This can be easily determined by examining the oil level dipstick.

You will not confuse the emulsion with anything else. There’s really no point in delaying this. In this case, before repairing, I would advise flushing the inside of the engine with diesel fuel. This will help save time and nerves during repairs; in addition, in a clean engine it will be easier to find the location of the fault.

If such a disaster has not happened yet, and you, knowing about this danger, are at a loss: is it time to change the coolant?, what kind of antifreeze to fill in? -I advise you to spend a couple of minutes and read the article “how to check antifreeze.”

Good luck and all the best to you.

Key words: The engine smokes, why the engine smokes, the engine smokes with black smoke, the engine smokes with white smoke, the engine smokes with bluish smoke, water from the exhaust, the car smokes.

Consequences of condensation release

Due to frequent use of the car, the liquid simply does not have time to evaporate; as the unit warms up, steam begins to be released, and then water drips from the exhaust pipe, but with the engine in full working order at the desired temperature, the problem should disappear. Condensation that naturally accumulates in the muffler is not as dangerous as it might seem at first glance, although it does not bring any benefit. The consequences of its presence in the exhaust system are as follows:

• When a car is parked in open parking lots in winter at sub-zero temperatures, the liquid inevitably freezes. A crust of ice appears in the pipe, which can partially or even completely block the passage, preventing the exhaust gases from escaping. The exhaust gases, returning, deplete the fuel mixture, as a result of which the car may simply not go anywhere. An ice jam is a rare occurrence; usually, leaving a car in the cold leads to the formation of icicles on the pipe;
• Freezing of water reduces the service life of parts of the exhaust system; as a result of expansion caused by the appearance of ice, a pipe or resonator may even rupture;
• Moisture plays an important role in the onset of corrosion, but rust is caused not so much by the liquid accumulating in the muffler, but by other reagents contained in the exhaust and having an aggressive effect.

Since the exhaust system can be made of different materials (ferrous metal, aluminum, stainless steel), it will serve differently. Stainless steel is the most durable; subject to natural exposure to moisture and exhaust gases, the pipe will last up to 100,000 km. vehicle mileage.

Smoke from under the hood when starting the engine

This phenomenon can most often be encountered if there is an oil leak in any place (seals, gaskets). The lubricant enters the exhaust manifold and begins to burn out as the engine warms up, and the driver sees smoke from the engine compartment.

Also, one should not exclude the possibility of foreign objects getting onto the heated elements of the internal combustion engine or the exhaust system. A similar effect can be caused by a fuel leak, which occurs due to the loss of tightness of certain elements of the fuel supply and fuel injection system.

In both cases, the problem must be resolved immediately, as the risk of fire and fire in the engine compartment increases significantly. At the same time, leaks in the exhaust system or problems with turbocharging can also be the reason why smoke appears from under the hood when starting the engine or smokes constantly while it is running.

For example, a bent exhaust pipe flange or a burnt gasket will cause smoke to appear in the engine compartment. You should also pay attention to whether the car has a liquid preheater for the interior and engine.

The appearance of smoke from under the hood in this case is more typical of diesel units, since pre-heating is more in demand on this type of engine. To put it simply, the heater on a particular car can be an autonomous chamber for burning fuel (Webasto, etc.).

Since the device burns fuel inside itself, an air supply is required to burn a portion of the fuel, and a system must be implemented to remove gases after combustion. In case of unqualified self-installation or for other reasons, the gas exhaust system from the heater can be removed so that the exhaust pipe goes into the engine compartment.

Normally, pre-start liquid heaters practically do not smoke, and combustion products are discharged in the area of ​​the front fender (behind the wheel). At the same time, certain malfunctions may well lead to smoke appearing from under the hood. In this case, the installed system should be checked separately.

When to be wary

There is no need to immediately ring the alarm bell and go to the service center when you see water flowing from the exhaust pipe. Motorists' fears are largely unfounded. You only need to worry in cases that predict problems with the engine:

• Excessive leakage of water;
• After warming up the engine and exhaust system, condensation does not stop;
• Drops of water are black in color and leave oily stains;
• Along with the liquid, thick white smoke comes out of the pipe.

The presence of strong condensation, accompanied by white puffs of smoke, indicates that the cylinder block gasket has worn out, then it must be replaced immediately. A breakdown causes antifreeze to enter the cylinders, which evaporates and is released into the exhaust system. Meanwhile, the coolant level drops noticeably. The black color of the condensate indicates a large amount of soot settling on the walls of the muffler for the following reasons:

• Using low-quality fuel (soot can completely clog the system and prevent the unit from starting). Sometimes, when using low-quality fuel, the condensate has a yellow-green color, indicating a high sulfur content;
• Violation of the combustion process of the air-fuel mixture. This can be caused by wear of the cylinder-piston group, problems with the ignition system, lack of proper fuel supply and other malfunctions of the participating elements.

Oily discharge from the muffler may indicate wear of the cylinder-piston group or valve seals, since the engine oil entering the cylinders burns along with the fuel and is partially directed to the exhaust gas exhaust system. The smoke from the chimney acquires a bluish tint, and the malfunction is also characterized by signs of carbon deposits on the spark plugs and increased consumption of engine lubricant.

Causes of black smoke depending on engine type

Car engines run on gasoline (carburetor and injection designs) and diesel. The units differ in the way fuel is injected into the combustion chambers, therefore the causes of black smoke from the muffler are different.

Carburetor

The good old (and half-forgotten) carburetor is found on mopeds, motorcycles, walk-behind tractors, scooters, and Gazelles of early years of production. An important condition for the operation of a simple and reliable design with single injection is the correct stoichiometric composition. This is the ratio of fuel to air, normally 1 to 15.

But the balance can be upset due to a number of circumstances:

• debris got into the air jets;
• excess fuel appears in the float chamber;
• mechanical problems have arisen with the throttle valves;
• emulsion tubes fell out;
• the operation of the elements dispensing gasoline was disrupted.

A lean as well as a rich mixture produces poisonous black smoke from the exhaust pipe of a carburetor gasoline engine. In this case, the unit must be disassembled, washed, and repaired. To restore functionality, a simple set of plumbing tools is enough.

Black smoke at idle

Injector

In cars with a targeted supply of fuel to the cylinders (for example, Mercedes, Ford), the problem is fully present. There are many reasons for black smoke from the exhaust pipe of a fuel-injected gasoline engine. But diagnosis is complicated by the complexity of the mechanism.

Problems with injectors

Electromechanical devices are located in front of the intake valve. One of the elements of the fuel injector is the atomizer. When it wears out, fuel overflow occurs, resulting in thick black smoke pouring out of the muffler.

Faulty sensors

The injector is replete with sensors. Sensors control:

• air flow;
• engine temperature;
• crankshaft and throttle position;
• detonation and phases.

The operation of the controllers goes wrong for various reasons, then the elements transmit distorted information to the ECU. The block generates incorrect commands to the actuators: the motor begins to smoke.

Fuel pump

The gasoline pump (PG) in an injection power system is perhaps the most important component. However, the pump can create excessive pressure, although its regulator is considered quite reliable. The result of the violation will be soot emissions from the muffler.

Diesel

When a heavily loaded KamAZ smokes as it climbs the mountain, the picture surprises no one. But passenger cars, such as Volkswagen Passat, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Rio, and Niva Chevrolet, run on diesel fuel and also emit toxic combustion products. Emissions can tell a lot about the condition of a car's components.

Particulate filters

The cellular structure of diesel particulate filters traps solid particles of combustion products ranging in size from 10 nm to 1 micron. Filter elements in pairs are located behind the catalysts. Or they are built directly into the metal body of the exhaust gas neutralization device.

Particulate filters

The particulate filters contain differential pressure and temperature sensors that monitor the degree of contamination of the elements and transmit information to the engine ECU.

Clean filter elements allow only 0.1% of harmful compounds into the atmosphere. Particulate filters cannot be repaired, so if they become critically dirty, the consumables must be replaced.

High pressure pump

In the high pressure fuel pump (HPF), the speed sensor may fail or there will be a diesel fuel leak. The pressure in the pump should be 300 kg/cm2, which can be verified using the RB-4802 tester or another similar device. Water often gets into the plunger pairs of the device, then when the motor starts, the pump will jam.

A fuel injection pump malfunction is accompanied not only by a black tail at the rear of the car, but also by increased fuel consumption, engine overheating, and extraneous noise from the power plant.

Ignition timing

The air-fuel mixture in diesel engines is ignited by contact with air heated as a result of compression in the working chambers. Diesel fuel is supplied to the cylinders at a precisely calculated moment at the end of the compression stroke.

If the ignition angle is set incorrectly, fuel injection will not occur in a timely manner. A dark curtain that envelops road users will warn about inefficient combustion of diesel fuel.

Turbocharged engines

Aggregate air charging, which increases engine power with constant cylinder volumes, contributes to the occurrence of coal-colored smoke. The process is also accompanied by a characteristic whistle.

Look for and remove blockages in the air ducts, examine the intake tract and exhaust manifold: a leak may be found here.

Exhaust tract

Roar, metallic knocking, rattling from under the bottom of the car scream about breakdowns in the exhaust tract of the diesel internal combustion engine.

Collector defects are divided into three groups:

1. Mechanical, obtained when hitting obstacles or meeting curbs. Cracks appear on deformed pipes, and the fracture sites burn out.
2. Corrosive, appearing from moisture, reagents, condensate. The metal parts of the exhaust tract rust and deteriorate.
3. Operational, caused by natural aging processes.

When the collector has served its purpose, it will smoke when starting, accelerating and decelerating the car: solid carbon particles will not encounter obstacles in their movement onto the street.

How to deal with water in the muffler and is it worth doing at all?

Condensation is a common phenomenon that occurs in the systems of all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model. There is no point in fighting natural dew; water will accumulate in the muffler, no matter how hard you try. The main condition for the formation of droplets on surfaces is a decrease in air temperature to the dew point or even lower. The dew point is reached when the air humidity and the pressure of the contained water vapor are increased to their limit, that is, they are equal to the maximum value. So, to prevent this phenomenon it is necessary:

• Reduce the temperature difference between the air and the structure;
• Reduce air humidity;
• Provide conditions for rapid evaporation of water.

Among the methods describing how to get rid of a large accumulation of condensate in the muffler, motorists often use a barbaric option, which involves drilling holes in the resonator, which will remove excess water, but this will not solve the problem if problems arise with engine elements, and natural condensation can be reduced by more gentle methods methods:

• The car must be operated not only over short distances, but also over long distances;
• It is best to park the car in a warm garage with good exhaust ventilation;
• The automatic heating option often does not have time to heat the muffler to the required temperature, as a result of which moisture still appears. It makes sense to increase the warm-up time to solve the problem;
• Low-grade fuel can lead to a number of different malfunctions, and water leaking from the muffler is only a small part of the troubles associated with this, so it’s worth thinking about switching to high-quality fuel.

It will not be possible to completely protect against the appearance of condensation; all the considered actions are aimed only at reducing its amount in the system and promoting the rapid evaporation of water droplets. At the same time, in most cases there is no need to worry about condensation; as practice shows, only an abnormal color of liquid or smoke can indicate a malfunction.

The best prices and conditions for the purchase of new cars