Lots Of Steam

[alien1974]

I dont do a lot of mileage in my car normally about 100 miles a week around town, i take it easy not thrashing it and always get steam on tickover, even at working temp, so i decided to give it a bit of a clear out by flooring it up a quiet road, and all i can say is the amount of white smoke that came out of the exhaust was unbelievable, i have never seen so much it was like a huge smoke screen. i take it the exhaust must be saturated with water....

[lex - eleven]

Hope it's not a head gasket cos it sounds like it to me. Any scum in the oil?

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[alien1974]

i only noticed last night and it was dark, i tell you it was a huge amount of steam from both exhausts

[lex - eleven]

Had it before myself twice. Both occasions it was a head gasket. Once on a Sierra , once on a cadillac.

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[JIM PIKE]

Hi Matthew

Mine does the same, notice it more when there is a car behind with its lights on, it's just condensation. I am the same as you only normally under 100 miles a week.

I did see last summer when giving it a bit of an Italian Tune Up, loads of dirty cruddy smoke came out, chickened out and took my foot off :)

Brian

[The-Acre]

Had it before myself twice. Both occasions it was a head gasket. Once on a Sierra , once on a cadillac.

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I can understand it with an old Ford or a Cadillac, I'd be surprised if was was the head gasket on an LS. What's your coolant level like, any overheating, or other symptoms?

[alien1974]

just went out to check levels - the coolant is like cherryade and is full, the oil is full and clean, no mayo on the filler cap.

[alien1974]

Hi Matthew

Mine does the same, notice it more when there is a car behind with its lights on, it's just condensation. I am the same as you only normally under 100 miles a week.

I did see last summer when giving it a bit of an Italian Tune Up, loads of dirty cruddy smoke came out, chickened out and took my foot off :)

Brian

it was scary looking in the mirror, i thought oh dear the engines gone :(

[The-Acre]

just went out to check levels - the coolant is like cherryade and is full, the oil is full and clean, no mayo on the filler cap.

I wouldn't be too concerned. I seem to remember the same post last year from someone. Exhaust systems can do strange things when there's cold and damp around. And don't drink the cherryade!

[steve2006]

With water being a by product of combustion it is always present in the exhaust gas as H2O but in cold weather it tends to condense more in the rear boxes which are cooler due to the ambient air temperature and distance from the engine.

As they do warm up the collected water then boils off as steam hence the white cloud, if I rev mine water actually spits out of the tailpipes until it has all evaporated.

[Colin M]

Agree with Phil and Steve's comments - probably nothing to worry about.

Water and steam come out of the tailpipes on my cars until the exhaust system warms up - I think the time to worry is if water is coming out of the tailpipes when the system is hot, as then it is likely to be a head gasket problem.

[Titch LS]

I can't say that I've ever read about a head gasket failure on this forum. Remember, it's not a Ford nor does it have a K-series engine! Not saying it's impossible, just doubt it very very much. My mk.4 puts out a fair bit of steam/vapour especially when it's very cold. I think running on LPG seems to make it worse. I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet Matt. If you start to lose coolant regularly and the oil level also rises and looks like coffee, then I would start to worry.

[Bluesman]

Its just normal. Always looks more during the wet cold moist weather conditions. Don't start worrying about head gaskets. I cant say I have ever heard of a head gasket going on an LS.

[goldtop]

Well, 4 litres is a rather large volume, so it's not too surprising to me.

And in this kind of weather, there's a lot of moisture going into the engine as well.

[moriwaki]

Please take this poor car ....and give it what it needs.....a good long run on a big road ....the car will Love you for it....and you will Love it too....

The exhaust will be full of water....thats all. :D :D

[Malc]

..... but not for long

malc

[Bluesman]

Lots of lovely white steam coming out of my LS this morning and you could be forgiven thinking that this was a steam driven car. Once she has all warmed up the steam goes. Blue smelly smoke is the type of exhaust fumes you never want to see. Mike.

[9690phil]

Mines like a boiling kettle as well

[Jacques Wood]

I had the same enormous amounts of steam, but paid no attention to it as believed it to be condensation. Recent MOT threw up both rearward lambdas reading too high. Ended up replacing them, and since the steam has subsided.

Admittedly, this doesn't make a lot of sense, as you shouldn't be able to see a richer air/fuel mix in the form of steam. It's just an observation, and could even be a placebo. The only correlation I can make is that a more accurate air/fuel figures going to the ECU means the choke mix is less and on for less time as it warms up quicker, evaporating the steam quicker?

So unless your car is overheating I wouldn't worry about it at all.

[Bluesman]

Brand new Rollers, Bentleys, Lamborghini, Audi, BMW, and every other car you can think of running on petrol will have steam coming out of the exhaust. Mike.

[lex - eleven]

So there we have it. All cars blow off.....steam that is. [emoji1]

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