OT FOAK smoke/steam after engine stopped?

What does it mean when white smoke/steam comes out of an exhaust
for more than three minutes after the engine's been switched
off?

I test drive a Galant this weekend, and after 10 minutes
driving, where the engine seemed fine, I was surprised to see
the exhaust continue to discharge while I discussed the car with
the seller.

OK, it was a cold day, and our breath condensed and made us look
like little dragons as we talked, but what the car was doing
still seems odd.

I'm thinking it probably means, in layman's terms, that the car
is telling me to walk away from it. What does the FOAK think?

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I think it's a sign that it has been sitting for a while so there is a build
up of water in the exhaust.
10 mins would just about set it off evaporating and the heat stored in the
exhaust system would keep it vaporising.

wibbly flip.

 

Wizard emerged from their own little world to say

Did the car have a turbo? If so then there may be a fan that runs for a
while after the engine is switched off. This would cause hot air to come
from the exhaust. As the air cools the water vapour within would condense.

 

No turbo. A catalytic converter, which I suppose could trap
moisture in line with Linger's suggestion.

FWIW it wasn't just a few wisps, it was enough to get Fred
Dibnah interested. About as much as you'd see from a kettle
about to boil. So if it was condensation, there'd have been a
fair bit of water in there.

Ebay item 4602348521, if anyone's interested.

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It very much depends if it is smoke or steam. Take a clean white rag
and hold it in the path of the vapour.

If it leaves a dark and smoky residue something is burning, somewhere,
and it could be expensive.

if it's watery vapour it's likely to be nothing, or maybe less
expensive.

 

AFAIK it's a bit of condensation in the exhaust system. I've noticed it
a few times recently from my car.

BTW, you clumsy **** ;-)

 

It is indeed. I was impressed by it. I can see why SWMBO still
raves about hers.

Sadly, he's reversed it into a post, and the rear plastic
skirting round the bottom is crumpled. It may be possible to
push it back into shape, but it may snap.

Also, at 128,000 miles, I'm wondering if a lot of things may be
about to go wrong.

I think it'll go for more than 500GBP- probably more like 800.
But not, I think, to me.


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Or a buggered head gasket letting water leak slowly into a
cylinder?

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SteveH
() says...

Guilty, yeronner.

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