It's not losing any coolant and there are no bubbles coming from the coolant filler neck when the engine is hot. I have never had the add coolant buzzer come on. The coolant doesn't smell like gasoline or exhaust. The AST does bubble like crazy when I've driven the card hard for a while then shut it down.

This morning when I started the car it died after just a few seconds. It ran fine for the first few seconds then just started stuttering for a few then died. I started it again, it ran for about 2 seconds then cut off like i turned the key or something. I finally started it a 3rd time and stepped on the gas, a few puffs of white smoke shot out the back, it felt like it wanted to stall again but I held the gas and it cleared up. I immediately figured coolant seals but I'm not sure (denial mode)

It still generally starts in less than 2 seconds and doesn't seem to struggle to start. It ran smoothly each start for a few seconds then just died. Today was the first day that it died after starting it.

The white smoke goes away usually after about a minute to 1 1/2 minutes, and the idle also settles down to a proper rate as well, when the car is warm there is no white smoke at all from the exhaust.

I'm not really sure what burning coolant smells like, I keep meaning to light some on fire to find out. My exhaust smells sweet to me, but it does NOT smell like the coolant you pour into the filler cap. It just smells sweeter than the normal sour smell from most exhausts. So I'm kind of left scratching my head here.

The car is stored indoors but the garage is not heated so it can get a bit cold at times, I'm not sure if so much condensation could form while the car is garaged to cause it to smoke for a good minute on startup though.

Any ideas on what it could be? I'm considering trying the block weld trick, but I'm hoping it's something else. Where would I get a cooling system pressure kit, how much are they?

I'll try to take a video of this tomorrow if the snow lets up here.

I should note: This JUST started. It went from absolutely no smoke on startup last week, to big wafts of noticeable white **** blowing back into the car when the garage door is open. It was sitting from around December 27th until yesterday in the garage. But I wouldn't think condensation would get so bad the engine would die multiple times, would it?

 

have you changed your sparkplugs lately?

 

The combustion process forms water vapor, which sounds like what you have for white smoke, since it disappears after a minute or two. Cold, humid weather makes the steam from the exhaust last longer and to be more noticeable. Unless you start losing coolant, don't panic.

Your start problem could be any number of things unrelated to a coolant seal problem.

If you start getting coolant loss, then suspect a coolant seal failure.

If you want to reassure yourself, do the coolant pressure test. IMO, DO NOT USE BLOCK WELD. This usually causes more problems than it's worth!

 

Thanks for the replies.

You were right Dave the starting issue was related to a theft attempt on my car from a few months ago. I decided to check the ignition switch and low and behold the metal prongs had become loose. I reseated the switch and it starts up and stays on without a problem now. Excellent!

I will try to get a coolant pressure tester. I will have to find where to get one locally, my Canadian Tire store doesn't seem to carry them.

I started the car today and there didn't seem to be that much white coming out the exhaust. I think it must have just been particularly humid and cold inside the garage the other day. Hopefully I've dodged a bullet but I will definitely get a pressure tester and check what's going on with the coolant seals.

Thanks!

 

I think it's pretty likely that your coolant seals are fine. IMO, unless you are actually losing coolant, a coolant pressure test isn't necessary, EXCEPT that you said the AST gurgles a lot after a hard drive. A pressure test might be good just to see if the fill and AST caps are holding OK.

Dave

 

good advise dave. its most likely just condensation build up, we have to hear it all the time on the forum.

also like dave said, make sure you watch your coolent levels..just in case

 

A cold climate/temperature sounds like the cause of your problem.
If you have a boost gauge check the vacum(it should be at -16 to -20 at idle)
----If it is there your compression should also be good. If you have power and good vacum numbers you should be fine.
Watch the coolant level, if not boom
DO NOT USE THE BLOCK WELD

 

mine smokes too when cold. i haven't noticed any coolant loss so far. IT's realy cold here now, about 28F, the smoke lasts longer (maybe because it takes longer to warm up in this cold weather). I have yet to change my spark plugs, i ordered them from sparkplugs.com.

here is the video, does your car smoke like this?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qxxMf2V-lS4

 

mine has been doing exactly the same thing like in the video but alittle less dense smoke, since i moved back to texas. it has been raining alot since i got back, and has been around 50F in the mornings so pretty high humidity. im thinking its condensation, its also running really rich, which could help, and the tip of my exhaust is tilted slightly up, so im thinking maybe rain may have run down into the muffler. what do you guys think? it idles fine, hunts alittle between 830 and 900, but sounds fine. no loss of coolant and vacuum fluctuates between 18-21mmHg and coolant temps are fine.