Believe us. We here at CAR FIX Crossville hope you never see blue exhaust coming out of your tailpipe. It doesn’t matter if you drive a diesel or gasoline-powered automobile. Blue exhaust is a bad sign, as is excessive exhaust of any color. Let’s talk about engine exhaust in this blog post, so you have the knowledge that you need to know when something is wrong and when you and your car, truck, or utility vehicle might be in danger.
You Shouldn’t See Your Vehicle Exhaust
Except for dissipation in cold weather and perhaps a puff of black exhaust when you accelerate in an older diesel vehicle, you should not see the exhaust coming out of your tailpipe. This is why engine exhaust is a “silent killer.” You might think it’s okay to warm up your vehicle in the garage with the door closed because you don’t see the exhaust, but there is still exhaust exiting the tailpipe.
Exhaust Colors
If you do see exhaust, there’s a problem, especially if you see a lot of exhaust. It’s the exhaust color that will clue you into what the problem is and whether you should invest in repairing the problem or consider purchasing a new car. Three primary smoke colors exit the tailpipe when your automobile has a serious issue. They are
- Black
- Blue
- White
Breaking these down further, black exhaust indicates excess fuel in your motor, and the heat from the motor is burning. This poses a fire danger. In fact, some people have reported flames coming out of their tailpipes along with the black exhaust. Don’t keep driving your automobile if you see a lot of black smoke. Stop it and have it towed.
Blue exhaust means you’ve got oil burning somewhere, and oil doesn’t burn unless it’s leaking. In many cases, the blue exhaust is a sign it’s time for a new car because the oil leak is so severe it might take an entirely new engine to repair it. This problem is common in ancient cars with hundreds of thousands of miles on them or in automobiles that are not cared for at all.
Finally, the white exhaust also presents repair versus a new automobile because your engine is burning coolant. In most cases, the coolant is pouring out of a cracked head gasket, so contact CAR FIX Crossville in Crossville, TN, if you see the white, black, or blue exhaust.
