Hello guys

So Friday afternoon I replaced my old broken radiator with a brand new one. Saturday morning I finished up the job by replacing the radiator cap with a new one, replacing the hoses and filling the car up with some fluid. I started the car up to let the fluid circulate and get the air out and I find that I have a very faint amount of white smoke coming out of the exhaust. When I rev it gets worse and when I rev and release the throttle it puffs it out.

So being mechanically I turn the car off after it heats up and check the oil. Its oil, nice oil color and tastes like oil (yes I tasted it to verify there was no coolant). Checked under that cap, nothing just oil. You can clearly see the cam lobe, covered in a thin film of oil. So I restart the car and head towards the rear and smell the smoke...nothing. Smells like regular exhaust with a hint of gasoline. Later on that night I decided to take the car for a ride with a friend of mine. Started the car, had some smoke. (this was right after I finished with the radiator). Drove to my friends house (roughly 2.5 miles) and checked everything there. Revved the car to 2k, no smoke. Revved to 3k no smoke let it sit and idle no smoke. Drove later that night, car drives fine, no problems.

For reference my car sat for a week and a half in the parking space outside my house. The temperature during this time varied from 50-95 degrees. Does anyone have any ideas?

Jan

Wow, now that dedication. Tasting the oil! I am sorry I can't help with the problem but take it easy on chugging the oil. I am sure you know but antifreeze is pretty toxic stuff. Coming from a veterinary background, it doesn't take much to kill a dog or cat. I am sure that the amount that would be in the oil is pretty insignificant but dont get any ideas! We don't want to lose any members. Good luck. By the way, what did it taste like?

carl

like chicken?

Sorry.

could it have been just condensation in the exhaust pipe from the swing in outside temps? what was the volume of smoke?

Well I drove it today with no white smoke at all. I'm inclined to believe it was just condensation in the tailpipe as there is no sign of it now.

As for the oil. It is fairly bitter. I only had a finger tip of it so its not like I'm chugging Castrol or anything.

Thanks for the advise

Jan

It sounds like it was condensation but if you're really concerned, a cooling system pressure test will help diagnose if there is any seepage.

Incidentally, my intro to o-chem professor told us once that drinking vodka can help if you accidentally drink some ethylene glycol. He says that ethanol will displace the antifreeze in your liver so it isn't metabolized into the stuff that hurts us. Obviously I've never tried it and am skeptical that it's true but who knows. It's been a few years

Andy, it's true. If someone ingests antifreeze, get them good and drunk; It will protect them from the poisonous effects. That said, it's not as toxic as many people think. It has to be consumed in some quantity (like alcohol). But then, yes, it will kill you. Obviously from a veterinary background, you know that antifreeze on the ground is a hazard to animals. It's sweet, so they drink it. Always wash the stuff into the dirt if you spill it.

Jan, cars sometimes smoke on start-up because oil has seeped down worn intake valve guides from the top-side of the head. Oil then enters the cylinder and burns.

Andy, it's true. If someone ingests antifreeze, get them good and drunk; It will protect them from the poisonous effects. That said, it's not as toxic as many people think. It has to be consumed in some quantity (like alcohol). But then, yes, it will kill you. Obviously from a veterinary background, you know that antifreeze on the ground is a hazard to animals. It's sweet, so they drink it. Always wash the stuff into the dirt if you spill it.

Jan, cars sometimes smoke on start-up because oil has seeped down worn intake valve guides from the top-side of the head. Oil then enters the cylinder and burns.

He did tell us to get our dog good and drunk if it ever drank some of the coolant. Phd chemists are usually right but sometimes things sound too crazy to be true no matter how much sense it makes when they say it

Oil leaking past the valve seals is a definite source of smoke if the vehicle has been sitting a while. Leaking valve seals can also be seen on decel as the high vacuum pulls the oil past the seals. Oil usually burns a bluish-gray though

Crazy? Nah.... Dogs love to drink, you know. I remember having let our dog out onto my stepson's patio the morning after he had thrown a party. About a half hour later, I found he visited all the drink cups that were left on the ground, slurping up any left-over beer. He also found a bag of corn chips.

Now as for Z'aholics getting into the motor oil... That's another matter altogether.