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Hey all, just got this 94 LE Camry i4, and I notice that it blows white smoke out the tailpipe when you first start it. Does this for about 30 seconds, medium sized amount that gets weaker and the smoke stops completely within 30-60 seconds of startup. Seems like it is doing this a little more each day. Drives fine, revs fine, not sure how serious this is. I've been told that my harmonic balancer was bad, but don't know if that has anything to do with it. Any ideas or simple/free things I can test?
White smoke is coolant definately not good, time for a mechanic, or to learn how to take the head off the engine!
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Forgot to add that I bought it from the owner of a mechanic shop who had gotten it with a dead engine and replaced it with another engine that had 70,000 miles on it. That's what I was told anyway.
It's only been driven on the replacement engine for a week now.
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sometimes white smoke can be as simple as putting too much oil in your car, like during an oil change... the excess oil can squirt into your piston while firing and will temporarily create thick white smoke. i hope thats the problem... to see if it is try changing your oil. hope that helps !
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I have an 01 Camry with 82,000 miles on it. The oil has been changed at intervals no longer than 4k miles (usually about once a month). Mine is doing the same thing. I only have the Toyota dealership near my apartment do my oil changes. Mine only does it when it's been sitting overnight. It does it for roughly 10-15 seconds then stops. It doesn't smoke when I drive it.
BTW, the car has NEVER been above 4k RPMS and rarely above 3K RPMS.
Harmonic balancer, not.
A little white smoke is normal especially starting first time of the day.
Theres always a little condensation from a hot pipe in cooler air. Especially if its wet and cold. I remember water turning to steam increases in volume by approx 1500% - a little bit of water makes a lot of steam.
Now if it doesn't stop and gets worse - thats a whole different ball game.
You then start to think about blown head gaskets and cracked blocks.
Other telltale signs would be bubbling in the radiator, oil in coolant or coolant in oil.
I really don't think you have a problem.
are you sure this isnt just the normal cold day/cold engine white feathery smoke that is normal on all engines when its cold?
That's what scares me. I'm probably just going to ignore it until it gets worse but it smells like it's something worse. Like I said, it only does it on my car for a few seconds then stops.... and when I'm driving on the freeway it doesn't stink.
are you sure this isnt just the normal cold day/cold engine white feathery smoke that is normal on all engines when its cold?
mine does this everyday. its normal i dont think anything is wrong w/ ur car its just warming up in the morning. could be wrong tho ask ur toyota dealer i guess
That's what scares me. I'm probably just going to ignore it until it gets worse but it smells like it's something worse. Like I said, it only does it on my car for a few seconds then stops.... and when I'm driving on the freeway it doesn't stink.
Worn valve seals. Its a common problem on Camrys.
Mine started doing it at around 80,000 miles.
Your looking at around $600 - $700 to replace the seals if you have it done at a Toyota dealership.
That's what scares me. I'm probably just going to ignore it until it gets worse but it smells like it's something worse. Like I said, it only does it on my car for a few seconds then stops.... and when I'm driving on the freeway it doesn't stink.
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