Brief white smoke that quickly goes away is most likely valve stem seals. Just keep an eye on your oil level.

 

is there a way to check it to be sure? i mean i've had the white smoke for at least a year now, thought it might be due to the PCV valve so i replaced it, but it persists.

 

The only way to check them that I know of is to just replace them, Which could be a bit on the pricey side. On the other hand my 04 has been doing it since 04 and almost 100k and 10 years later no ill effects and i think it has actually gotten less. Just keep an eye on the oil level especially after long highway cruises. Highway RPM with low throttle opening creates high vacuum which will draw more oil through the seals.

 

I agree it is stem seals, particularly if the engine is high mileage. Oil tends to leak past the seal as the engine sits cold. Check the oil viscosity and perhaps try going up one step from 5w30 to 10w30 and see if it helps. The oil would be a little more viscous when it is cold and less likely to drain down, but if you aren't losing much oil between changes and you are sure it isn't a coolant leak, then drive on and worry about other things.

 

i've been using high mileage synthetic 5w30 for over a year now. if i switch to 10w30 would that have any adverse or undesirable effects on the engine or performance?

the coolant is a bit less than full after 2 months, but its not significantly lower. is there a way to double check if it is a coolant leak? what would i have to do?

Yeah, try a high mileage oil. It does take about 5000-6000 miles to show.

You can also pull the spark plugs and inspect the tips.

i actually replaced the spark plugs about a month ago. what would i be looking at on the tip?

thanks!

 

Yeah, try a high mileage oil. It does take about 5000-6000 miles to show.

You can also pull the spark plugs and inspect the tips.

 

Personally I would not run 10w-30 unless you are in a particularly hot climate. I would stick to 5w-30. Usually with valve stem seals it would have a blueish hue to the smoke. White smoke on warmup is usually 100% normal condensation burning out of the exhaust system. Even if your valve seals are the problem, no reason to worry about them. Let them leak down. It really will not hurt a thing. For the price it would cost to have them replaced, or the time it would take a DIY to do it, its just not worth it. If it makes you feel any better, my 07 2.4 w/ 95k miles burns about 1-1.5 quarts through a 5k mile oil change interval, and if it sits for a day or two without me driving it, it will smoke blue for a little bit on startup because of the valve seals. And it isnt like this car wasn't maintained, ive owned it for a year but this car has been with me and serviced by me for 95k miles now. Don't worry about it!

 

well, i'm in arizona. it was 113 today. the hot season where its 100 or above goes till about october. i've just never experienced condensation with any other cars here. as for smoke color, i don't think its bluish. i'll have to look more closely tomorrow morning.

 

2009 Camry 4cyl
-------------------

I changed my PCV valve over a month ago and still have white smoke coming form exhaust on startup. The smoke goes aways as always, after that the smell is gone and the car runs like normal. The smell of the smoke is not really sweet as if it was coolant leaking, but its not exactly smelling like burnt oil either (I've had cars that burnt oil real bad and it smelled different than this camry).
Thanks!

see my comment below

Personally I would not run 10w-30 unless you are in a particularly hot climate. I would stick to 5w-30. Usually with valve stem seals it would have a blueish hue to the smoke. White smoke on warmup is usually 100% normal condensation burning out of the exhaust system. Don't worry about it!

exactly what i was thinking...water vapor..

well, i'm in arizona. it was 113 today. the hot season where its 100 or above goes till about october. i've just never experienced condensation with any other cars here. as for smoke color, i don't think its bluish. i'll have to look more closely tomorrow morning.

doesn't really mater the climate you live in, condensation is every where. even though it is well over 100 degree's there, the car still cools down over night. the metal cools, and when you start it up, you are basically blowing out the condensation. like said earlier, the oil will have a blue tint (hue) to it, and pretty much, you cannot see through it.

white smoke, indicates coolant being burned, but you do not see this smoke, you are seeing "steam" such as the condensation.

stick with the correct oil, make sure you check it regularly, as Toyota does say x amount of oil consumed between oil changes is normal. never assume that you are burning coolant, as there can always be a slight leak, that is drying up, before it gets to the ground.

you may have not really noticed condensation before in any other vehicle you owned, and since you do see some "smoke", which is actually steam, you are worried about it too much.

we are getting high 90 degree temps here, with high humidity, and i can assure you, all my family cars are emitting steam from the tail pipes.

 

Unless he lives up north around Flagstaff, this time of the year, the car will have zero condensation after sitting a couple of hours. Anywhere in the Phoenix valley down to Tucson or out to Yuma, you can pour water on the concrete pavement and stand there and watch it evaporate in a matter of seconds.

With no loss of coolant, I don't think that is the issue either. Pull the dip stick and look for any milkey residue. Same for under the oil filler cap. I don't think you are going to see any condensation of note.

I would argue that 5w30 is too light for most cars with mileage in Phoenix. When daytime temps hit and average 95 or better, I'd be using 10w30. If you have never lived in Arizona, you just can't quite grasp the concept of how hot and dry it can be.

 

true about phoenix. yesterday was 114 and supposed to be 118 today. i was out in my driveway this morning and spat on the concrete and within about 30 seconds the spit was gone. the car doesn't really cool in the garage overnight either. when i get there in the morning the engine is still barely warm.

this morning however, i left the house a lot later in the day than usual and there was no smoke coming out at all from the exhaust.

you may have not really noticed condensation before in any other vehicle you owned, and since you do see some "smoke", which is actually steam, you are worried about it too much.

the smoke that i do see from my camry is pretty thick actually and its hard to see through it, i just don't think it has a blue tint to it. i'll have to check next time i start the car up. as i mentioned above there was no smoke today at all.

 

the smoke that i do see from my camry is pretty thick actually and its hard to see through it, i just don't think it has a blue tint to it. i'll have to check next time i start the car up. as i mentioned above there was no smoke today at all.

then "thick" white smoke IS coolant. you "might have"...a cracked head or block, bad head gasket. when the engine gets "hot" then cools, you have the normal expansion and contraction of the metal. when it is hot, the metal goes together, (expands) when it cools, it (contracts, and this is when it is allowing whatever amount of coolant into the system, then the smoke when you start it up.

have you ever taken the radiator cap off (engine cool to cold) and sniffed the fluid..??

if it smells rancid, you got an internal problem.

take it to a garage that you trust, they may want to have to car overnight so they can check it first thing in the morning.

blue tint (or hue) always meant oil..white always meant coolant.

you may not always get "a smell" from burning coolant.

 

haven't taken the cap off, no. the cap on the radiator itself or the coolant tank on the side?

 

either one, the odor will be there, but frankly, i always preferred the radiator cap.