Vehicle Exhaust Can Be a Huge Sign of Trouble

Vehicle Exhaust Can Be a Huge Sign of TroubleEven if your automobile is a diesel, you should not see excess exhaust pouring out of the tailpipes. Vehicle exhaust is clear, which is one reason why it’s so dangerous. If you see excess exhaust behind your car or crossover, there’s something going on underneath the hood that needs immediate attention. Bring your vehicle into Argonaut Garage so we can find the source of the problem and fix it. Here are the different engine exhaust colors and the underlying problems that indicate serious engine trouble.

Black or Dark Gray

Black or dark gray – really dark gray – exhaust means that your automobile’s engine is burning gasoline or diesel fuel. The burning is excess, i.e. you’ve got too much fuel somewhere and it’s being burned. In most cases, the fire is controlled, which is why the engine exhaust comes out of the tailpipes. In rare cases, however, the engine fire could get out of control and you’ll end up with smoke pouring out from underneath the hood, too. An excessively rich air/fuel mixture can also make flames come out of your tailpipes.

Blue or Gray

Blue, gray, or bluish-gray exhaust point to motor oil, and this is a devastating engine failure. Anytime your engine is burning enough motor oil to produce exhaust, you’ve got a serious oil leak and are causing further engine damage as you keep driving. The oil is being burned away and cannot lubricate your engine’s moving parts. This causes friction, overheating, and wear and tear that will kill your engine – literally. The parts will get too hot, break down, seize up, and your engine will die. You’ll even end up with metal shavings from the parts in your motor oil.

White

If your engine has been overheating constantly and you start to see white exhaust coming out of your tailpipes and/or from underneath the hood, you’ve probably blown the engine’s head gasket and you’ve got coolant spraying all over the place. As with motor oil, this can seriously damage your engine. As the engine loses coolant, it gets hotter and hotter. Constant overheating can do more than just crack the head gasket. It can also crack the exhaust manifold and engine block. Once any of these things happen, you’re looking at an engine rebuild or even a replacement.We are Argonaut Garage, and we specialize in all makes and models, but especially hybrids and electric automobiles. You’ll find our auto repair shop in Berkeley, CA. Give us a call today for all of your service and repair needs.