i read several threads where people just cant figure out whether its steam or smoke. and ppl that are not sure how burnt coolant smells.
so, i thought a little bit about it.

imagine there is a damaged seal....that means water gets into the combustion chamber when the engine is not running...right?
so when i start the engine, the water must be burnt immediately, so smoke has to come also immediately out of the tailpipe. (not after 1 minute, like after a cold night)
wouldn't that be the easiest way to diagnose a blown seal?


Chris

 

You're on the right track but it's even easier than that.

When the coolant is warm and under pressure with the engine shutoff it weeps into the combustion area and makes the car difficult or impossible to start since you basically have water in the gas. Once it does light off (if at all) it runs rough until the water is passed.

If the car sits overnight the water has time enough to evaporate and the car will fire right up. If you are actually burning coolant in the motor the smoke although white is much more opaque than the wisps that come out the tailpipe on a cool morning.

 

Umm, I still think the EASIEST way is to look for the "champagne" bubbles in the filler neck as it warms up.

Axis of Evil - lol!

 

Mine wouldn't do that! My theory is that perhaps the o-ring failed on the intake side and so no combustion gases were getting into the coolant? It sure as hell had water inside the combustion chambers of the rear rotor but I never could see bubbles in the filler neck.