exhaust steam
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- jamescarruthers
- 480 Is my middle name
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exhaust steam
i was just wondering if anyone could tell me if what i am experiencing is "the norm"?
now the weather is hella cold i have noticed that my exhaust is very "steamy". That never worried me because i figured it was ust cos my 480 was old technology (12 yrs old) but today my kind passenger informed me it could be a sign of a going head gasket. thing is, the oil cap and water car have no deposits on them; and i drive her like a baby most of the time.
am i just worring over nothing here or is my 480 got winter flu?
now the weather is hella cold i have noticed that my exhaust is very "steamy". That never worried me because i figured it was ust cos my 480 was old technology (12 yrs old) but today my kind passenger informed me it could be a sign of a going head gasket. thing is, the oil cap and water car have no deposits on them; and i drive her like a baby most of the time.
am i just worring over nothing here or is my 480 got winter flu?
- strangegame
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- Ben Harris
- 480 Is my middle name
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I've noticed both my 1.7ES and 2.0ES both have quite a lot of steam/smoke from the exhaust when it's cold outside, even once the engine's warmed up. I've just assumed it to be normal, as I can't imagine they'd both have a blown head gasket! I haven't got the cooling water dissapearing thing though...
Ben.
Ben.
1998-2003 ... 1981 Austin Mini City
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
- volvofox
- 480 Is my middle name
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"laat je niet gek maken"
"now don't get made grazy.... a smal little cloud is ok, specially on a cold engine in the "choke" mode. the water still in the exhaust everytime due to the combustion proces you will see as a cloud, the engine sucks up a lot of water through the inlet on misty wheather.
I had once a blown engine head gasket. the cloud was as big as a car.... now thats a blown gasket.
now, don't panic, but keep a weekly eye on the coolant level. and thats even not a guarantee, lots of 480's leak coolant a bit (mostly the aux pump)
luck
JPF
"now don't get made grazy.... a smal little cloud is ok, specially on a cold engine in the "choke" mode. the water still in the exhaust everytime due to the combustion proces you will see as a cloud, the engine sucks up a lot of water through the inlet on misty wheather.
I had once a blown engine head gasket. the cloud was as big as a car.... now thats a blown gasket.
now, don't panic, but keep a weekly eye on the coolant level. and thats even not a guarantee, lots of 480's leak coolant a bit (mostly the aux pump)
luck
JPF
luck,
JPF
Nomen est Omen
JPF
Nomen est Omen
- levensnevel
- 480 Expert
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Overkill ?
No, just one of the features to ensure the durabillity of the engine
No, just one of the features to ensure the durabillity of the engine
Niets of niemand zegt dat het echt moet
En toch, of juist daarom,wil je het beleven....
Gammal kärlek rostar aldrig!
Sweet memories
at this moment a Toyota Prius editione Tech MY2008 - 203K km+4K km
- jamescarruthers
- 480 Is my middle name
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- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
- Location: Cambridge
thanks
i think my collant level is ok too (just replaced it a few months ago ready for winter). i'll keep an eye. thanks for your insight.
-
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Hi, hope I'm not intruding.
RE: Head Gasket
As Volvofox says, if you've got a blown head gasket you'll definitely know it. It'll run like shit and start misfiring. Also one way to check for this at an early stage, remove the oil filler cap. If it's covered in custard (yellow goo) then you've got a problem.
RE: Steam from exhaust
Yes, mine does this now that the weather has started getting colder (89 ES). Usually lasts for about the first 10-15 minutes of running. Brand new cars straight out of the showroom also do it. Makes me feel less paranoid certainly.
RE: Head Gasket
As Volvofox says, if you've got a blown head gasket you'll definitely know it. It'll run like shit and start misfiring. Also one way to check for this at an early stage, remove the oil filler cap. If it's covered in custard (yellow goo) then you've got a problem.
RE: Steam from exhaust
Yes, mine does this now that the weather has started getting colder (89 ES). Usually lasts for about the first 10-15 minutes of running. Brand new cars straight out of the showroom also do it. Makes me feel less paranoid certainly.
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Well at first I didn't really notice anything except for the steam, but now the "run like shit"-part starts to sound familiar; when driving, it runs nice, but when idle it drops to 800rpm, then raises to 1500rpm and so on, or it just idles at 1500rpm. Sometimes 1100rpm.. there's really something weird going on.NickyNackyNoo wrote: RE: Head Gasket
As Volvofox says, if you've got a blown head gasket you'll definitely know it. It'll run like shit and start misfiring. Also one way to check for this at an early stage, remove the oil filler cap. If it's covered in custard (yellow goo) then you've got a problem.
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- Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2003 11:52 pm
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Check the underside of your oil filler cap tomorrow, that'll be the surest sign of a head gasket failure.
Has it just recently started idling like this? Mine will idle a bit up and down at times, not really a problem unless it's sluggish and cuts out at traffic lights etc.. When you tap your foot on the pedal it should roar into action, they're quite responsive.
Has it just recently started idling like this? Mine will idle a bit up and down at times, not really a problem unless it's sluggish and cuts out at traffic lights etc.. When you tap your foot on the pedal it should roar into action, they're quite responsive.
- volvofox
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now wait a minute. if you people start reasoning the other way around on blow gaskets there are more symptoms.
a broken engine head gasket can have 4 consequences, and symptoms.
1 the gasket is broken between the coolant holes and the combustion chambre :White gray smoke. poor running.(much more water in the exhaust as normal)
2 The gasket is broken between an oil hole and the combustion chambre:
grey- blue smoke. bad running, bad smell of burned oil in the exhaust.
3 the gasket is broken between one combustionchambre and the outside
no real smoke, but running on "3 paws" poor running.
4 combinations of the above or all.
there is a difference, but mainly its on most modern petrol engine's the same cure: replacement of the eng. head gasket. sympton 2 can also be a broken valve stem seal.
the mayonaise on the inside of the oil filler cap can have an other cause: if the engine is some older, and the breather is clogged, you have the same trouble. (in this case the water comes from condens mist inside the engine due to temp changes as you drive short trips. )
like mayonaise the white gray gel like substance is a mixture of fine divided drops of water and oil. in this case the water comes from the combustion proces. and the increased heat differences in the engine (condens)
An expensive extra trouble can be, especially if you drive longer (the engine hotter) lwith broken eng. head seal is that the engine head, a fine machines part in 0,01 of mm, car pull bended because of the heat influeces. than the head has to go to a specialized grinding machine, which can make it absolutely plain again, nessesary for a good fit of the new gasket.
but no panic the post founder has no broken eng. gasket.
Luck
JPF
a broken engine head gasket can have 4 consequences, and symptoms.
1 the gasket is broken between the coolant holes and the combustion chambre :White gray smoke. poor running.(much more water in the exhaust as normal)
2 The gasket is broken between an oil hole and the combustion chambre:
grey- blue smoke. bad running, bad smell of burned oil in the exhaust.
3 the gasket is broken between one combustionchambre and the outside
no real smoke, but running on "3 paws" poor running.
4 combinations of the above or all.
there is a difference, but mainly its on most modern petrol engine's the same cure: replacement of the eng. head gasket. sympton 2 can also be a broken valve stem seal.
the mayonaise on the inside of the oil filler cap can have an other cause: if the engine is some older, and the breather is clogged, you have the same trouble. (in this case the water comes from condens mist inside the engine due to temp changes as you drive short trips. )
like mayonaise the white gray gel like substance is a mixture of fine divided drops of water and oil. in this case the water comes from the combustion proces. and the increased heat differences in the engine (condens)
An expensive extra trouble can be, especially if you drive longer (the engine hotter) lwith broken eng. head seal is that the engine head, a fine machines part in 0,01 of mm, car pull bended because of the heat influeces. than the head has to go to a specialized grinding machine, which can make it absolutely plain again, nessesary for a good fit of the new gasket.
but no panic the post founder has no broken eng. gasket.
Luck
JPF
luck,
JPF
Nomen est Omen
JPF
Nomen est Omen
-
- Knows where Volvo is from
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- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2003 10:23 am
- Location: Kampen, The Netherlands
I'll check it tomorrow, thanks.NickyNackyNoo wrote:Check the underside of your oil filler cap tomorrow, that'll be the surest sign of a head gasket failure.
Has it just recently started idling like this? Mine will idle a bit up and down at times, not really a problem unless it's sluggish and cuts out at traffic lights etc.. When you tap your foot on the pedal it should roar into action, they're quite responsive.
The idling problems started recently (yesterday actually), but otherwise there's nothing wrong, except when the engine is cold; acceleration is excellent with a warm engine, it's just acting really weird when idling (e.g. traffic light 1: constant 1100rpm; traffic light 2: drops to 800rpm, then suddenly raises to 1500rpm and so on; traffic light 3: constant 1600rpm). When the engine is cold (the first 3 minutes), it almost doesn't accelerate.
But I've already sold it; let's hope I'll make it to the dealer monday
- Ben Harris
- 480 Is my middle name
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- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:18 pm
- Location: Cambridge, UK
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I agree with Volvofox here. If you've got a damaged head gasket, you'll soon know about it. On Dad's old MGB Roadster the headgasket's blown several times (I think the head itself is probably damaged), and when it happens, the car becomes almost undriveable. It'll only run if you put the choke on full, and then that's only because the idle is raised to about 2500RPM! Every time you try and pull away it splutters and almost dies.
Just my two-pence worth!
Ben.
Just my two-pence worth!
Ben.
1998-2003 ... 1981 Austin Mini City
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
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- 480 Newbie
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2003 11:52 pm
- Location: Cambridge