Soot in the exhaust pipe. The exhaust pipe smokes: we determine the cause by the color of the smoke. Re-enrichment of the mixture and black exhaust

Smoke from the vehicle's exhaust serves as a diagnostic feature and indicates a malfunction that has occurred in the engine. Let's talk about what affects the black and white color of a car exhaust.

Causes of white smoke

This is normal for a cold engine warm-up. It's not just smoke, it's steam. Water in the form of steam is a sign of high humidity in the exhaust system. In an unheated exhaust system, moisture from the air partially condenses and becomes visible, with water usually appearing at the end of the exhaust pipe. As the system warms up, condensate and steam disappear.

At temperatures below 10 o C, white vapor is also formed on a well-heated engine, and when it is -20-25 o C, it acquires a thick white color. So, the colder the environment, the denser the smoke from the exhaust pipe. In addition, the color and saturation of steam is affected by air humidity: the higher it is, the thicker the steam.

The appearance of white smoke on a warm engine associated with the ingress of coolant into the cylinders. The water contained in the coolant does not have time to completely evaporate during the combustion of the fuel and forms a rather thick white smoke. Its shade depends on the composition of the coolant, the weather, the illumination on the street. Sometimes it looks bluish, resembling an "oily" exhaust. Distinguishing water vapor is easy: it immediately dissipates, and after the oil smoke, a bluish fog remains in the air for a long time.

It is not difficult to clarify that water is actually emitted from the exhaust, and not oil. To do this, on a well-heated engine, briefly close the muffler hole with a sheet of paper. Drops of water from the sheet will gradually evaporate and leave no obvious greasy marks.

Antifreeze can enter the cylinder if the gasket is damaged, cracks form in the head or cylinder block. These defects in engine operation cause exhaust gases to enter the cooling system, which serves as the basis for identifying the cause of smoke.

All problems associated with white smoke from the exhaust pipe require not only the elimination of direct causes. Since defects are usually caused by engine overheating, it is necessary to check and eliminate malfunctions in the cooling system - it is possible that the thermostat, the fan switch-on sensor, the fan itself are not working, the radiator, its plug, hoses or connections are leaking.

If white smoke and its accompanying defects are noticed, then the car cannot be operated. First, defects progress rapidly. And secondly, the operation of the motor on a water-oil emulsion sharply accelerates the wear of parts, and after several hundred kilometers it is no longer possible to do without a major overhaul.

Causes of black smoke

Black smoke from the muffler indicates a re-enrichment of the air-fuel mixture (fuel burns a lot). Therefore, about malfunctions of the power system, ignition system or injection control system. It is clearly visible against a light background and represents soot particles - products of incomplete combustion of fuel.

The reasons:

Clogged air filter (

In principle, many car owners do not pay much attention to the smoke from the exhaust pipe if its amount decreases after the car is fully warmed up, and the smoke disappears during the movement. However, if the smoke does not stop while driving, this is a clear sign of more or less serious malfunctions in the car's engine.

These problems, as it were, are trying to attract the attention of the driver, aggravating when the engine is started and manifesting itself in the form of smoke of various shades - white, black or bluish-gray. These warning signs should be heeded and the problem identified in time before complex and costly repairs are needed.

On the nature of exhaust smoke

The color and consistency of smoke from the exhaust pipe can be figuratively compared with the freshness of human breath - a healthy body (both biological and mechanical) exhales correspondingly cleaner vapors than a diseased one. In a serviceable car, when fuel is burned, compounds of water and carbon dioxide are formed - just like in the vapors from the breath of a healthy person. However, it must be taken into account that the combustion of gasoline does not take place on pure oxygen, but with the help of ordinary air, mostly consisting of nitrogen.

That is why the smoke from the exhaust pipes of cars produces harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx), which negatively affect the state of the atmosphere and even lead to so-called acid rain. Yes, and the fuel is oxidized and does not burn out completely, even in the engines of the latest brands, and because of this, there is an additional emission of carbon compounds - CO and CH. In addition to all this, when oil or coolant enters the combustion chamber, other, no less harmful, chemical “cocktails” appear and go into the air.

Of course, the exhaust system of modern engines, if possible, is equipped with various converters and filters. However, this is not enough - remember the dense smog clouds in the photographs of the largest metropolitan areas. In addition, any filter systems wear out over time, thereby increasing the toxicity of the smoke coming out of the car's exhaust pipe. Although, as mentioned above, the color and toxicity of smoke depend not only on the unsuitability of self-regulation mechanisms, but also on many other malfunctions.

Most often, more or less thick smoke from the exhaust pipe signals to the car owner about a malfunction in the fuel supply and engine cooling systems, as well as malfunctions in the distribution mechanism or piston group. In each of these cases, there are nuances: either the fuel burns out incompletely, or the cylinders enter, and sometimes oil. In fact, it is the excess fuel or the presence of foreign substances in the cylinders that give the exhaust gases different shades.

In general, the color of the smoke from the exhaust pipe is almost the same - the differences are only in the nuances, because sometimes the malfunctions of a certain system that cause smoke are directly related to the malfunction of other systems that cannot “declare themselves” with the help of smoke. For example, such a situation is not uncommon: the cooling system does not work well, which is why. Due to overheating, piston rings burn, which entails oil entering the cylinders and, as a result, smoke. Note that the original reason lies not at all in the piston rings, but in the cooling system.

That is why, starting to look for the cause that caused the smoke from the exhaust pipe, one should be extremely careful - analyzing and comparing all the available factors. We will now consider the most common combinations of such factors and possible shades of smoke in more detail.

Origin of white smoke

Often, especially in cold weather, you can notice white smoke from the exhaust pipe in the mode. The appearance of a white cloud (in fact, it is not smoke, but steam) is often associated with the complete cooling of the engine overnight. Water vapor is a natural companion of the combustion process. When the exhaust system cools down during the night, water condenses, and as the system begins to warm up, water condensation decreases and warm evaporation becomes visible in the cold air. Thus, the density of white smoke directly depends on the ambient temperature: the colder it is outside, the more visible the white cloud becomes. In addition, the degree of steam saturation is also related to air humidity - with high humidity, steam thickens more.

What indicator of the "health" of the car is the presence of such smoke from the exhaust pipe - bad or good? It depends on several points of view. Exhaust with enough water vapor indicates efficient engine operation. However, with regard to the exhaust system itself, the intense formation of white vapor cannot be called a good sign of its operation. If such steam appears even in warm weather, you need to check the cylinders for coolant getting into them. In this case, special attention should be paid to checking the tightness of the head gasket.

The composition of the coolant includes water - and when it enters the cylinders, it does not have time to evaporate during the combustion of the fuel, which leads to the formation of white smoke-steam. By the way, sometimes it can acquire an oily bluish tint - this also depends on the composition of the coolant. In general, it is easy to distinguish smoke from steam: the steam dissipates almost immediately, and after the smoke, a slight fog remains in the air for a while. You should also be aware that the ingress of liquid into the cylinders leads to intense contamination of the spark plugs, from which they begin to spark, and as a result, the cylinder cannot work fully.

Also, intense emission of white smoke from the exhaust pipe may indicate that the engine has not previously warmed up to the required temperature - for example, due to the fact that the car moved only for short distances. In this case, a certain amount of water will necessarily remain in the muffler and exhaust pipes, and this is “not good”, because it can lead to the occurrence of corrosion centers.

Blue smoke (possibly with a bluish tinge)

Next in our classification of smokes, we consider blue smoke from the exhaust pipe. In most cases, the appearance of gray and blue exhaust smoke is of an “oily” nature. Usually this situation is associated with the combustion of oil in the cylinders - most often this applies to older cars, since their engines are already at a fairly high degree of wear. The cylinder walls in such engines become thinner, and therefore the piston rings are no longer able to provide a proper seal. As a result, the oil is poorly removed, its consumption increases, and the compression decreases - which is why a “tired” car starts to smoke with a gray or blue exhaust.

In some situations, when engine wear is not yet critical, the cylinders can remain in fairly good condition, and the cause of the bluish smoke coming from the exhaust pipe is only coked rings. Especially often, the rings coke and, accordingly, lose their mobility when the car has been running for a long time (the same applies to oil). One way or another, but with the appearance of bluish-blue smoke, the car owner willy-nilly should think about serious repairs with a complete engine overhaul.

However, there are also less fatal reasons - for example, valve stem seals, which seal the valve stems. Since they are made of rubber, they can also lose their original elasticity over time, which entails oil leakage. In these cases, the oil enters the intake manifold through the gaps, and from there into the combustion chamber, which is the condition for the appearance of a bluish exhaust. Of course, if the matter is in the caps, then fixing the problem will cost the car owner much cheaper than a complete disassembly and prevention of the motor.

Quite often a problem arises when oil is consumed due to incorrect operation of the ventilation system, in this case, crankcase ventilation. In this case, oil enters the crankcase due to the fact that the pressure in the cylinder rises so much that the piston seal can no longer cope with the exhaust gases generated during the combustion of fuel. It is “thanks” to the combustion of unwanted gases that uncharacteristic smoke appears from the exhaust pipe. The engine tries to pump out gases on its own, while communicating with the intake system. Because of this, the gases are re-burned and then exit through the exhaust pipe. In this case, the main harm is caused by oil "fog", which stretches for gases inside the motor and interacts with its parts, which leads to the appearance of bluish-blue smoke from the exhaust pipe.

It is the ventilation system that is designed to cope with these undesirable processes: in good condition, it must separate the oil and regulate the flow rate (since the engine works on the principle of a pump and is capable of creating too high a vacuum in the intake system). So, if the ventilation is spoiled, the oil consumption increases accordingly. However, if we talk about the cost of fixing this problem, then it is quite small, especially if the owner is clearly aware of what he is dealing with and will not allow himself to be deceived by service station workers.

Black smoke is fuel

As the title of this subsection indicates, black smoke from the exhaust pipe is most often caused by fuel problems. The black color of the exhaust is due to the color of soot, which is formed as a result of, for example, incomplete combustion of fuel. Soot appears when there is a process of decomposition into elements of that part of the fuel, which did not have enough air for complete combustion.

Modern cars are equipped with computer systems that control all the processes that occur during movement - including the process of fuel combustion. Under such “sensitive guidance”, the risk of an error in the formation of a combustible mixture is significantly reduced - although by and large this only applies to gasoline engines, while a diesel engine, even the most modern one, will still smoke a little.

This is due to the fact that the composition of the mixture differs from gasoline counterparts - its concentration in this case is heterogeneous and contains inclusions of high fuel density. To make it even, the modern auto industry uses high injection pressure mechanisms - however, even this measure has not yet been able to completely eradicate the problem, and therefore soot-colored smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine can be seen much more often than gasoline cars.

On the latest brands, particulate filters are used, which to some extent solves the issue (however, these filters must be periodically cleaned, and sooner or later replaced with new ones).

In addition to incomplete combustion, other factors can also cause black smoke from the exhaust pipe - for example, insufficient quality of gasoline. It should be remembered that the use of low-quality gasoline can lead to a too rapid combustion process - such combustion is also called detonation. Another factor influencing the intensive formation of soot can be a malfunction of the very notorious electronic system that monitors the efficiency of fuel combustion. For example, a failure of the oxygen sensor leads to the fact that the electronic unit is unable to control the completeness of combustion - and then it starts to work at random, without maintaining a full-fledged "dialogue" with the oxygen sensor.

Video - white smoke (steam) of the engine

Video - the appearance of blue smoke from the exhaust pipe

Video - cold start Nissan Skyline and the appearance of black smoke from it

Conclusion!

So, the smoke from the exhaust pipe, regardless of its color, should not leave the car owner indifferent - after all, in this way, the car signals a malfunction. We wish all our readers serviceable cars and smoke-free trips!

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High-quality operation of the engine, as well as the fuel supply system, are important aspects of the long-term operation of the vehicle. If the power unit does not function correctly, then fuel consumption increases, engine power decreases, and other unpleasant moments develop in the operation of the technical part of the car. Therefore, it is always necessary to monitor the quality of work of important car components, provide timely service and diagnose problems at an early stage. If black smoke is coming out of the exhaust pipe of your car, you need to think about the factors that could cause such trouble. Often the problem can be solved without the intervention of professionals, but sometimes a complete engine diagnosis is required.

Black smoke may mean that gasoline does not completely burn out in the combustion chambers, and such a factor may indicate that third-party elements other than clean and high-quality gasoline enter the engine piston system. There are many problems that can cause such manifestations. Today we will look at the most common possibilities for the appearance of black smoke from their exhaust pipe and options for solving this problem with our own hands or at a professional service station.

The main causes of black smoke from the exhaust pipe

Let's say right away that the main reason for the appearance of black smoke from the exhaust pipe is incomplete combustion of fuel. In this case, the soot particles, which have been charred but have not given up their energy, escape through the exhaust pipe, pollute the exhaust gases of the car and interfere with the normal operation of the vehicle. For some diesel engines, moderate black smoke is normal during cold operation and when starting the unit. Often, black smoke can be easily identified by visible soot particles, and the intensity of its emission is constantly increasing. The main reasons for this phenomenon are as follows:

the fuel may be of poor quality, then the main part of it does not burn out, but exits through the exhaust pipe;
there was a malfunction in the power system, the fuel supply does not work well, gasoline flows uncontrollably;
there was a breakdown or contamination of the nozzles, the fuel is supplied not in atomized form, but in a plentiful stream;
the fuel contains additives and additives that are incompatible with the operation of your type of engine;
the fuel injection sensors may have broken, gasoline is constantly supplied intensively and in large quantities;
almost always in such situations, fuel consumption increases significantly, exhaust toxicity increases;
the machine loses power, and the power unit starts to work intermittently, it starts badly;
one of the causes of black smoke can also be a depressurization of the cylinder block, which will require a major overhaul.

Too much wear on the piston group sometimes gives consequences such as black smoke from the exhaust pipe. In this case, the intensity of the smoke output increases, the proportion of black particles constantly increases. As a result, this leads to the fact that the operation of the machine becomes impossible due to too abundant black exhaust and an unpleasant smell of engine products. If you encounter such problems, you will have to immediately take up their solution, since the car will soon be impossible to use for its intended purpose.

Solutions for Black Smoke from the Exhaust

Solving the situation with black exhaust is quite difficult when it comes to hardware changes in the design of the car. It often happens that the owner of the car continues to operate, not paying attention to important indicators of breakdown. In this case, it is possible to aggravate the problem up to the physical impossibility of a normal start of the engine. If you encounter a black smoke problem and cannot continue to operate the machine, there are several important processes to follow to understand the cause of this problem:

fill in obviously high-quality fuel and roll back several kilometers to assess the quality of the exhaust smoke;
inspect the fuel filter for black particles or other solid impurities;
change the air filter to avoid getting into the engine of various contaminants from the air;
if you have certain knowledge and qualifications, view the operation of the injector, check the nozzles;
on a diesel engine, you can safely give the nozzles for cleaning, this will remove all problems in 90% of cases;
you can also measure the compression in the cylinders to ensure the quality of each part of the engine;
valve adjustment and ignition setting (especially for older carburetor cars) can help in diagnosis.

There are dozens of small things that can cause profuse black smoke from the exhaust pipe. We are talking about serious secretions that are constantly growing. The steps listed above are a complete set of tools for dealing with the problem on your own. It is enough to use all the presented methods to understand which particular node worries you and causes some discomfort in the operation of the machine. But it is not always possible to identify and fix the problem on your own.

We turn to specialists and repair engine problems

The more problems with the power unit present in your car, the less pleasure you will get from operating the car. High fuel consumption, unpleasant exhaust, toxicity, as well as terrible interference during unstable operation of the unit create unpleasant sensations and do not allow the machine to be used in the right range of cases. Therefore, if there is such a problem, you can safely contact specialists who will take the following important steps:

conduct a complete diagnosis of the car's power system, as the main culprit of such problems;
examine the engine for damage and the need for a major restoration;
they will see the need to service the machine, replace filters and other elements of your unit;
carry out preventive work to clean the power unit from old oil, which can burn out and produce black smoke;
completely flush the engine, fill in new oil to check various options for the occurrence of a problem;
re-testing and lengthy tests will be carried out to ensure that the car does not repeat the problem.

It is enough to turn to specialists to get the necessary results. In particular, a few hours of testing the car at a professional station will open a problem that causes black smoke from the exhaust pipe. The decision to contact a normal workshop is the most correct option for eliminating any serious problems. Especially when it comes to the power unit, which should be protected from various inept interventions, as well as from prolonged operation in the wrong modes. We offer you to watch a short video with the opinions of experts about the presence of different exhaust in the car:

Summing up

The good operation of the car is only guaranteed if you constantly monitor the quality of the functioning of all units. Abundant black smoke from the exhaust pipe is one of the options for such problems that require high-quality and qualified intervention. If you can clean the nozzles, look at the filters and change the oil yourself, do it, but it is almost always better and more rational to take the car to a professional repair to perform all the necessary processes.

At the service station, your car will be tested, the root cause of the problem will be found out and their vision of solving the problem will be presented. In some cases, this will be a simple cleaning of the injector, and in others - the replacement of the engine piston group. Of course, the cost of repairing the car will also depend on the decision made. However, if one service seemed too expensive or not entirely honest to you, no one bothers you to carry out diagnostics in another repair company. Was there a situation with the wrong exhaust color in your car, and how did you solve it?

Black smoke from the exhaust pipe can appear in any car: gasoline or diesel, it doesn't matter. And with any fuel supply system: carburetor or injection. The appearance of black smoke indicates the occurrence of minor malfunctions in the engine, and if they are not eliminated in time, they will develop into serious breakdowns and affect the operation of other systems. The result is costly repairs.

Black smoke, as a rule, is accompanied by an increase in fuel consumption and unstable engine operation, it is difficult to start in the morning, especially in cold weather. And the harder you press the gas, the more intense the black smoke goes. So what are the reasons?

Causes of the malfunction

First reason– Malfunction of system of giving of fuel. Too much combustible mixture is supplied to the combustion chamber of the engine, which simply does not have time to burn out, from which the exhaust acquires a thick black tint. Such an exhaust is much more toxic than normal, because. does not cope with its task from an excess of smoke.
The second reason- Incorrect operation of the ignition system. Fuel is simply not ignited in the combustion chamber and goes straight into the muffler. This situation is accompanied by unstable operation of the engine, in simple terms, it starts to triple.

Gas engine

If the engine has a carburetor fuel supply system, in order to get rid of black smoke, you need to properly clean and blow out the carburetor jets with compressed air. Often this procedure is sufficient. If after that the black smoke does not disappear, you will have to spend money on repairs - change the needle in the carburetor, adjust the level of gasoline in the fuel chamber, etc.

If the engine has a fuel injection system, you need to clean the fuel system. Clogged injectors cannot properly inject fuel, hence the engine jerking. Turnovers are constantly jumping, there is no stable operation. In this case, diagnostics and repair of the nozzle will be required. On the site defors.ru you can consult with experts.

The injector is an automated fuel supply system that works with the help of sensors. If the fuel delivery sensor is defective, it will supply excess fuel and must be replaced. The last thing to do is to check the fuel pump is working. It should not create excessive pressure. Cleaning the fuel system can be done in several ways. The easiest is to pour a special additive into the fuel tank.

diesel engine

Diesel fuel itself is different from gasoline. Even in good condition, the engine will have a black tint to the exhaust. If the color intensity is noticeably higher, the particulate filter is most likely clogged and needs to be replaced or cleaned (regenerated). The procedure for cleaning the particulate filter is done in any car service. The second reason may be the failure of the high pressure pump.

Effects

occurrence of more serious problems. The catalyst will eventually die completely, and it will need to be replaced, but it is not cheap. You can, of course, ride without it, but you won’t be able to pass the inspection.

If the excess fuel supply by the injector is prohibitive, a rather serious breakdown may occur, after which the engine will have to be overhauled. And further. In diesel engines, fuel combustion is accompanied by high pressure. An excess of fuel in the combustion chamber can cause the block to rupture, and this is a severe breakdown.

Conclusion

Black smoke from the exhaust pipe is only a warning signal of minor malfunctions. It’s not worth delaying with them, and it’s better to fix it right away than to go broke later on an engine overhaul.

The color of the exhaust gases during engine start-up and during its further operation is a kind of indicator of the state of the power unit and systems. Various problems can cause the engine to smoke white, black, blue or gray exhaust. As a rule, on a serviceable engine, drivers briefly observe only white smoke when starting a diesel or gasoline engine.

Note that in some cases this phenomenon is not a malfunction, especially when the indicated smoke formation after the internal combustion engine warms up becomes less intense or completely disappears. If there is blue smoke when starting the engine or the driver notices black smoke when starting a cold engine, then this is a reason to check the power unit.

In this article, we will talk about the reasons why black smoke can appear when starting the engine in cold weather, what blue smoke indicates when starting a cold engine, and why white smoke comes out when starting the engine.

Read in this article

Smoke from the exhaust pipe when starting the engine: white, black, blue color of the exhaust

As already mentioned, when starting the engine, the smoke from the exhaust system can be of different colors, and smoking is not always a cause for concern. Let's start with the white exhaust.

The fact is that after parking, condensate accumulates. After starting, the condensate begins to evaporate, and the amount of smoke and its density are also affected by the outside temperature and air humidity (the colder and wetter, the thicker and longer the white smoke will remain). In frosts, such smoke can be constant, that is, the installation smokes white, regardless of the degree of warming up of the internal combustion engine.

The situation requires increased attention when it is warm outside, and after starting the engine, a thick cloud of white smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe. In this case, there is a high probability that the working fluid (antifreeze or antifreeze) will get from the cooling system directly into the cylinders.

This malfunction appears as a result of engine overheating, breakdown or formation in those places where the channels of the internal combustion engine cooling jacket pass.

In such a situation, you will need to remove the head, if necessary, grind the mating plane, change the cylinder head gasket, check the head for leaks, repair cracks, etc.

To confirm the diagnosis, unscrew the cap on the running engine. Seething and bubbles will clearly indicate a breakthrough of gases into the cooling system, while the coolant level may also increase. After stopping the internal combustion engine, the indicated level in the tank decreases, part of the coolant enters the cylinders.
Note that the liquid will not always boil, especially in the case of microdefects. In such a situation, one should be guided only by color, condition and coolant level.
The smell of burning, the presence of oil stains on the surface, a decrease in the level in the tank for no apparent reason, and a number of other indirect signs will indicate the ingress of fluid from the cooling system into the cylinders.
Also, it will not be superfluous to get the oil dipstick and unscrew the oil filler cap. The fact is that with intensive penetration of the coolant into the combustion chamber, leaks occur from the over-piston space through the engine crankcase.

The result is a thinning and cloudiness of the engine oil, the appearance of a characteristic brownish emulsion. We add that with an intense accumulation of coolant in the space above the piston, an engine water hammer can occur. For these reasons, strong white smoke is an alarming symptom and requires immediate elimination. In other words, it is better to stop the operation of the internal combustion engine until the problem is fixed.

Black smoke when starting engine

The black color of exhaust gases often occurs when there are problems with the power supply system and the quality of the fuel-air mixture.

Such smoke is formed as a result of the fact that there is a strong enrichment of the working mixture of fuel and air in relation to a specific mode of operation of the internal combustion engine.

Enrichment should be understood as a large amount of fuel in relation to the amount of air. In this case, the following additional symptoms may appear:

the engine turns easily from the starter, but starts with difficulty;
often enough, even new or serviceable;
after starting the engine "troit", the operation of the internal combustion engine is unstable;
in and clap hard;
the power unit loses power and consumes fuel;
on the dashboard, the BC gives an error;
in the exhaust there is a clear smell of gasoline or diesel fuel;

The shade of smoke can vary in different cases from gray to thick black. Blackening occurs from excess soot, which is formed as a result of incomplete combustion of the fuel charge.

The engine can smoke black both “on a cold” and after warming up, during gas recirculation, etc. If a persistent black exhaust is noted on a diesel engine, then a failed or other problem with the diesel particulate filter may be another cause.

The list of reasons that lead to violations of fuel supply, mixture formation and combustion of the mixture is quite wide. On engines with a carburetor, it is necessary to start checking with the metering device itself, the float chamber and the fuel level in it, as well as air and fuel jets.
More attention should be paid to the idle system. At the same time, it is recommended to check the ignition system on the injection and carburetor engines, since the failure of individual elements (spark plugs, high-voltage candle armor wires, coil, etc.) causes malfunctions in the internal combustion engine and can lead to misfires.
Another point during the diagnosis is the intake system, since air filter contamination is a common cause of a too “rich” mixture.
We add that on an internal combustion engine with an injector, malfunctions in the operation of sensors lead to an excess of the supplied fuel. Incorrect data is sent to, after which the controller initiates an increased fuel supply.
In this case, check the throttle assembly, oxygen sensor and other elements. Relatively rare, but it is also possible for the electronic engine control unit itself to fail.
As for the fuel system, the injectors themselves can become leaky and pour fuel into the cylinders. This problem is typical of both gasoline engines and diesel engines.

This may be due to severe contamination, wear or other defects in the injectors. On gasoline engines, the fuel rail and pressure regulator should also be checked.

The danger of this situation is that with a strong overflow of fuel, not only consumption increases, candles are flooded and other problems arise, but the oil film is washed off the cylinder walls with fuel. As a result, overall wear increases during start-up. If a lot of fuel gets into the cylinder that does not burn, then the fuel can also drain in excess into the engine crankcase.

To check, it will be enough to remove the dipstick and smell the engine oil, assess its condition. Strong dilution and a distinct smell of fuel will indicate a significant overflow. In such a situation, the engine needs in-depth diagnostics, cleaning, tuning or even replacing fuel injectors may be necessary.

Blue smoke after engine start

The blue color of the exhaust gases or a bluish tint is a sign that engine oil is actively entering the combustion chamber. Such smoke is bluish, oily and thick. Oil intrusion is easy to identify in a simple way.

It is enough to start the engine and lean a blank sheet of paper against the exhaust pipe. The presence of greasy stains that do not dry out will indicate grease particles in the exhaust system. An additional sign can be considered an increased oil consumption, which significantly exceeds the permissible figure for this type of internal combustion engine. Oil enters the combustion chamber for the following reasons:

Significant wear of CPG elements.
Faults.

In the first case, we are talking about the wear of the piston rings, the appearance of defects in the piston itself or the cylinder walls (seizure, ellipse, etc.). In the second case, the oil leaks because there is no proper seal in the area of the valve stem and valve guide.

At the initial stage, it may be enough to replace the valve seals (valve seals) for repair. The state of the CPG helps determine the measurement of compression in the engine.

If the decrease in compression in the cylinders is insignificant, then the engine may have a gray or blue exhaust only after starting and until the moment of warming up. The fact is that after warming up, the gaps between the parts decrease, the oil stops getting into the combustion chamber.

In the case of greatly enlarged gaps, oil diluted from heating will still enter the working chamber. If the car is equipped with a turbocharger, then blue smoke after starting the engine or during its operation may be due to malfunctions of this element.

In the event of wear on the turbine bearings, as well as rotor seals, oil through the turbocharger will penetrate into the exhaust system and burn there. As a result, bluish smoke with grease particles comes out of the exhaust pipe.

Smoke from under the hood when starting the engine

This phenomenon can most often be found if there is an oil leak in any place (seals, gaskets). The lubricant enters the exhaust manifold and begins to burn out as the internal combustion engine warms up, and the driver sees smoke from the engine compartment.

Also, one should not exclude the possibility of foreign objects getting on the heated elements of the internal combustion engine or the exhaust system. A similar effect can be caused by fuel leakage, which occurs due to the loss of tightness of certain elements of the fuel supply system and fuel injection.

In both cases, the problem must be solved immediately, since the risk of fire and fire in the engine compartment is significantly increased. In parallel, leaks in the exhaust system or problems with turbocharging can also be the reason that smoke appeared from under the hood when starting the engine or smokes constantly during its operation.

For example, a bent exhaust pipe flange or a burnt gasket will cause smoke to appear in the engine compartment. You should also pay attention to whether the car has a liquid pre-heater for the passenger compartment and the engine.

The appearance of smoke from under the hood in this case is more characteristic of diesel units, since preheating is more in demand on this type of engine. Simply put, the heater on a particular car may be.

Since the device burns fuel inside itself, an air supply is necessary for the combustion of a portion of the fuel, and a system for exhausting gases after combustion must also be implemented. In case of unqualified self-installation or for other reasons, the gas exhaust system from the heater can be removed so that the exhaust pipe goes into the engine compartment.

Normally, starting liquid heaters practically do not smoke, and combustion products are removed in the area of the front wing (behind the wheel). At the same time, certain malfunctions may well lead to the fact that smoke appears from under the hood. In this case, the installed system should be checked separately.

As you can see, in some cases it may be enough to replace the filters and clean the injector to eliminate the cause of the black, white or blue exhaust color. At the same time, for other engines, the only way out will be to replace worn-out elements of the CPG, timing, or even overhaul the engine.

We add that if the engine suddenly began to smoke with black exhaust at startup for no apparent reason, then it is recommended to change the fuel at the very beginning. Refueling with low-quality fuel or fuel with a high content of additives and impurities often leads to difficulties in igniting the mixture and changing the color of the exhaust gases.

We should not forget that the stability of the unit and the usefulness of the combustion of the fuel-air mixture directly depend on the valve timing, the quality of the valve adjustment and the normally set ignition. The timing belt (if any) must be set strictly according to the marks, the thermal clearance of the valves must be carefully adjusted.

Note that in the process of conducting primary diagnostics, it is possible, the color of soot on the electrodes and the threaded part. For example, wet spark plugs or black oily deposits will further indicate the cause and severity of the problem. Finally, we add that in order to quickly troubleshoot an injection gasoline or diesel engine, it is recommended to immediately conduct a complete computer diagnostics of the engine.

Given the low cost of this operation at the service station, it is possible to identify malfunctions and malfunctions in the operation of individual ECM sensors. You can also check the internal combustion engine for errors yourself using the diagnostic adapter in.