im under 2k into a rebuild...

s5 na

when i start my car, i get (not CLOUDS like i used to before the rebuild) smoke, looks like the smoke coming out of any car, not white, not blue, just looks like exhaust... it smells like exhaust...

it continues to smoke until i drive it, once i drive it for about 30 seconds, its done.

my split air pipe is not hooked up.

could this be from the cats not warming until i drive? or the catalyst not getting the o2 from the split air pipe?

also my exhaust is very, very bad. the previous owner did the atf 'trick' a few times when the engine was blown, so maybe the cats are grossly clogged and just gross in general?i am ordering a racing beat exhaust next week (header/presilencer/ypipe/mufflers).

will that help or hurt? (if its the cats)

EDIT:
when its cold out (as it has been in nj) my car doesnt smoke any more than EVERY other car on the road (im guessing its like breathing out, the heat / moisture makes vapor) and its not a different color at all...

 

so what's the problem exactly? If it looks like normal exhaust and smells like normal exhaust, i'd hazard the guess that it is normal exhaust.

 

but it doesnt stop until i drive it.

i could idle it all day and it smokes, i drive it for a few seconds, no smoke, even when i stop

 

^