White Smoke and Overheating at Idle

**chonutz** · 05-20-2010 06:33 AM

Engine overheating in traffic or idling too long, but returns to normal temps once up to speed.

Also, white smoke coming out the exhaust.

Haven't noticed any loss and/or discoloration in oil and coolant.

How do you determine if the oil cooler might be the cause?

I'm hoping it's not the head gasket.

**KNaudi** · 05-20-2010 06:35 AM

are you positive the 2 are related? overheating could be bad fan clutch, bad t-stat, air in coolant, or bad coolant temp sensor.

**S4_NE** · 05-20-2010 06:41 AM

do you have any codes and also is the AC on when you over heat or is it off?

**99ebpsi24** · 05-20-2010 06:43 AM

Check to make sure all the blades on your fan are there and not damaged. I had the same issue and I was expecting to have to do the fan clutch but it ended up being that a couple of the blades on the fan were broken off. I guess that has a big impact on the volume of air that it pulls in. If I remember correct there were 2 broken off of mine which caused this to happen.

**chonutz** · 05-20-2010 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by KNaudi

are you positive the 2 are related? overheating could be bad fan clutch, bad t-stat, air in coolant, or bad coolant temp sensor.

I have an EFK, and a new coolant temp sensor.

Car runs fine, but I got random misfires on all cylinders.

I'm assuming the white smoke is evidence of coolant getting in where it shouldn't.

**chonutz** · 05-20-2010 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by S4_NE

do you have any codes and also is the AC on when you over heat or is it off?

Misfire codes, but car runs fine.

Overheats with the AC on and off.

**The_Jerbel** · 05-20-2010 08:06 AM

With the A/C "on", make sure that both fans are running.

The smoke is caused by either oil, coolant, or water condensation. If you coolant and oil levels aren't decreasing, then it's probably just condensation. If the oil level is decreasing, I would check your PCV system for blockages. If you're losing coolant, it's probably a bad HG. A bad turbo seal will also cause you to lose oil and/or coolant.

Misfires are a bad sign. I would do a leak-down test on your motor to make sure the smoke isn't coming from bad HG's that are leaking coolant.

**chonutz** · 05-20-2010 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by The_Jerbel

With the A/C "on", make sure that both fans are running.

The smoke is caused by either oil, coolant, or water condensation. If you coolant and oil levels aren't decreasing, then it's probably just condensation. If the oil level is decreasing, I would check your PCV system for blockages. If you're losing coolant, it's probably a bad HG. A bad turbo seal will also cause you to lose oil and/or coolant.

Misfires are a bad sign. I would do a leak-down test on your motor to make sure the smoke isn't coming from bad HG's that are leaking coolant.

Fans work with AC on.

I'll start with the leakdown and go from there.

Thanks.