Ever drove behind a car that is releasing gobs of black exhaust from their tailpipe? While there’s a good chance there’s an inherent issue with the vehicles engine system, or the fuel that’s it’s burning, there’s much more that a trained eye can tell by the emission.
For any car owner it pays to take a moment to see and understand your own car’s exhaust is telling as it can also tell you a lot about your car.
Of course black exhaust isn’t the only color you should watch out for. Other colors also indicate that there is something wrong with your vehicle. It’s time to decipher that.
Here are the colors you should also watch out for:
Bluish Exhaust
A bluish-gray exhaust can be surprising to see as it isn’t usually produced by vehicles. This color indicates that there is a possible oil leak in your car. With oil leaks, it is possible for the oil to mix with the fuel in the combustion chamber. This causes the bluish-gray smoke to come out of your car’s exhaust pipes.
This condition can happen after the power input modification of your engine. With the additional stress, the piston rings can get damaged and cause the oil to leak. Additionally, the oil leak can also be caused by worn-out valve seals and cylinder walls.
Also, check whether the bluish-gray exhaust is produced during acceleration or deceleration. If it is seen during acceleration, then the piston rings are likely the culprit. On the other hand, if it is present during deceleration, the valve guide seals should be checked.
Whenever you notice your car releasing a bluish-gray exhaust, it is best to have it towed to a mechanic so it can be remedied.
Gray Exhaust
Grey exhaust is similar to a black exhaust and shouldn’t be ignored. It should also be towed to a mechanic as soon as possible to remedy the problem before it gets worse. The possible cause of a gray exhaust is a leak in the internal head gasket, a damaged engine block or a cracked cylinder head.
The leaking gasket will cause the coolant of the engine to mix with the fuel in the combustion chamber. With the leaking coolant, it possible that there isn’t enough to lower down the temperature of the engine and cause it to overheat. Damage in the engine blocks and cylinder heads should not be ignored and should immediately be solved.
Black Exhaust
Black exhaust can be a very obvious sight but unlike gray smoke, black smoke isn’t as dangerous. However, that still doesn’t mean that it should be ignored. Black smoke can be caused by different issues that should also be immediately remedied.
Among those that could cause black smoke is the faulty fuel injection system, a clogged air filter or a blocked manifold. Also, it is common for cars that release black smoke to decrease fuel economy. This is because it burns more fuel than it actually needs and is normally required.
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