3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
Need advice...when I start up my '98 while cold, smoke comes out of the exhaust and there's an odor. Can't tell exactly what it smells like. After a few seconds the smoke clears and the exhaust smells normal again. This only happens when the car's been sitting for some time. I just added fuel injection cleaner and am hoping the fumes are due to the cleaner doing it's job. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
I'm not 100% sure but I don't think it's black. The weird thing is that I can see it come out from my rear view mirror. Then just as fast as it comes out it's gone again. What follows is the typically white fumes that don't really smell like anything bad. I will pay closer attention to the color of it today. But it smells like burnt something...
White smoke can be an indication that your head gasket is leaking. Check your oil for water (it will be creamy looking) and keep an eye on your coolant level (it will get low for no "reason"). If either or both of these occur you will need to consider how you want to repair it. Hopefully, it is something else.
Kep
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Often, it's the loose screw between the steering wheel and the driver's seat that needs to be fixed first!
It's likely to be the valve stem seals allowing a little oil to leak into the cylinders as the engine sits over night. As the mileage goes up, the valve stem seals harden, and can crack allowing oil to get past. The engine burns off the oil at startup, and that's what you see coming out of the tail pipe. I have the same problem on my 96 5sfe(128xxx miles). A quick puff of bluish/white smoke will be burnt oil, a lot of thick pure white smoke(steam) is coolant, black smoke will be incomplete combustion.
It's likely to be the valve stem seals allowing a little oil to leak into the cylinders as the engine sits over night. As the mileage goes up, the valve stem seals harden, and can crack allowing oil to get past. The engine burns off the oil at startup, and that's what you see coming out of the tail pipe. I have the same problem on my 96 5sfe(128xxx miles). A quick puff of bluish/white smoke will be burnt oil, a lot of thick pure white smoke(steam) is coolant, black smoke will be incomplete combustion.
...I paid a little more attention to it over the weekend and it does seem to be what you said about the "quick puff of bluish/white smoke". (it DOES smell like burnt oil) How concerned should I be...will it get worse? You mentioned having the same problem on your '95. Is the cost expensive? ...I just bought the car, it's a '98 5sfe w/80K miles. Thanks.
...I paid a little more attention to it over the weekend and it does seem to be what you said about the "quick puff of bluish/white smoke". (it DOES smell like burnt oil) How concerned should I be...will it get worse? You mentioned having the same problem on your '95. Is the cost expensive? ...I just bought the car, it's a '98 5sfe w/80K miles. Thanks.
I would just monitor the oil consumption for a while. If you are using a quart or less in about 3,000 miles, I wouldn't worry about it. Chances are you are still not using much oil.
I don't know about the repair cost, because I've never had it fixed. It's just been doing that since I got the car over a year ago. The last owner of the car had it for two years, and the car's been puffing like that since she had it (the last owner was my cousin. I was there when she bought the car). It just never got any worse, and doesn't seem to affect the car in any way. It's just little annoying. I don't even have to add oil that often, if at all. It will maybe loose half a quart between oil changes, but that seems normal for any older car. Anyway, Ask around, and find a good shop that will do the repairs for the best price. I just got use to it.
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