White steaming exhaust in cold weather

[Paul Brun]

that is usual in all cars in the winter time. All cars produce a white steam from the exhaust in the winter time.

 

Paul

Mikko vainio <mikko....@yle.fi> wrote in message news:3A4C8BE5...@hotNOSPAMmail.com...

Does anyone have any ideas why my '89 240 DL (B200 engine) puffs thick white exhaust in colder weather, under +10 C? It can't be leaking coolant, as I have no need to top the reservoir. Oil level stays fine, too. I've seen other similar Volvos to do the same thing, what could it be? And first of all, is it going to harm the engine somehow?

Revving up the engine produces thicker steam, idling almost nothing. Otherwise my car is running fine (185.000 km = 115.000 miles).

Mikko

[Michael Pardee]

Mikko vainio wrote:
>
> Does anyone have any ideas why my '89 240 DL (B200 engine) puffs thick
> white exhaust in colder weather, under +10 C? It can't be leaking
> coolant, as I have no need to top the reservoir. Oil level stays fine,
> too. I've seen other similar Volvos to do the same thing, what could
> it be? And first of all, is it going to harm the engine somehow?
>
> Revving up the engine produces thicker steam, idling almost nothing.
> Otherwise my car is running fine (185.000 km = 115.000 miles).
>
> Mikko

If the cloud disperses as it gets a few feet from the exhaust, it is
just normal condensation from the cold engine. Smoke also isn't wispy,
like condensation is.

Mike

[Jade7773]

>Does anyone have any ideas why my '89 240 DL (B200 engine) puffs thickwhite

>exhaust in colder weather, under +10 C? It can't be leaking coolant,as I have
>no need to top the reservoir. Oil level stays fine, too. I'veseen other

>similar Volvos to do the same thing, what could it be?

When the engine gets cold water condenses inside of it and when heated back up
turns to steam...if it goes away when your temp gauge gets to normal, then its
steam...also smell the smoke...well dont stick your nose at the tail
pipe....get a wift of it, if it smells like normal exhaust but really humid,
probably condensation....burning oil smells bad...

nick

[N Simply]

Its an acidic water vapour that is condensing in the colder air outside. Your engine always produces it, more particularly if it is running a richer mixture that other cars (due to cold start or incorrect settings). Modern, efficient, electronic fuel injected cars run a much leaner mixture so they should only do it when very cold.

 

It does have a bad effect on your exhaust though if you only do short trips, because it condenses in your exhaust and eats it from the inside out until your exhaust gets hot and boils it off.

 

You might want to get your mixture settings checked if you are getting very poor mpg, otherwise don't worry.

 

"Mikko vainio" <mikko....@yle.fi> wrote in message news:3A4C8BE5...@hotNOSPAMmail.com...

Does anyone have any ideas why my '89 240 DL (B200 engine) puffs thick white exhaust in colder weather, under +10 C? It can't be leaking coolant, as I have no need to top the reservoir. Oil level stays fine, too. I've seen other similar Volvos to do the same thing, what could it be? And first of all, is it going to harm the engine somehow?

[John Varela]

On Fri, 29 Dec 2000 13:04:37, Mikko vainio <mikko....@yle.fi> wrote:

> Does anyone have any ideas why my '89 240 DL (B200 engine) puffs thick
> white exhaust in colder weather, under +10 C?

The products of combustion of hydrocarbons are water and carbon dioxide.
Since it is hot in the engine cylinder, the water in the exhaust is in the
form of a vapor. When the exhaust system is cold, it causes the water vapor
passing through it to condense and appear as white "steam" coming out of the
tailpipe. Once the exhaust system warms up, the water no longer condenses; it
remains a vapor and is invisible, though still there. (Note: Strictly
speaking, steam and water vapor are two names for the same thing. That water
vapor is invisible is evident from the fact that, referred to as humidity, it
is always present in the atmosphere but you can't see it. When the vapor
condenses into droplets it becomes visible as mist, fog, etc. The visible
condensate coming out of a tailpipe or a chimney is commonly referred to as
steam, though as I said strictly speaking it's not steam, it's *condensed*
steam.)

--
John Varela
McLean, VA USA

[James Sweet]

It's normal, one of the products of gasoline combustion is water vapour.

Mikko vainio wrote:
>
> Does anyone have any ideas why my '89 240 DL (B200 engine) puffs thick

[Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells]

Mikko vainio wrote:
>
> Does anyone have any ideas why my '89 240 DL (B200 engine) puffs thick
> white exhaust in colder weather, under +10 C? It can't be leaking
> coolant, as I have no need to top the reservoir. Oil level stays fine,
> too. I've seen other similar Volvos to do the same thing, what could
> it be? And first of all, is it going to harm the engine somehow?
>
> Revving up the engine produces thicker steam, idling almost nothing.
> Otherwise my car is running fine (185.000 km = 115.000 miles).
>
> Mikko

I get the same with a Volvo 360GLT (also B200E engine). I think it's
a 'feature' of the engine as neither of my other cars (Audi, Ford) do
this in similar temperatures.