EK Josh

When I start my car up after its been sitting for a while I get small amounts of white smoke puffing out of the muffler. Its not thick smoke that lingers in the air, rather it just comes out and seems to dissipate. Once the car warms up and gets going it seems to go away. I've searched and found out
white smoke=coolant=blown headgasket, BUT people were saying if it's a blown headgasket the car should be overheating almost immediately. I'm having absolutely no problems with overheating. Also, I just swapped this motor in and its a brand new kteller exhaust system with a hi-flow cat. When the motor was swapped in new sparkplugs were put in also. It's probably just condensation in the pipes and I don't have anything to worry about, but I just want to be sure. Its my first swap and I'm a little paranoid. What do you guys think??

EK Josh

^^^

B16Civic93

well since you said it doesnt linger and it does it until it warms up i'm not sure, my car has some white smoke that comes out and i have a gutted cat, but usually when it warms up it goes away. however if you said it was just a puff right when you started the car, i would say it is worn valve guides. but i think you dont have anything to worry about, i think like you said it might just be some type of condensation building up, because my car has done it since i got it, and i def dont have a blown head gasket cuz compression test numbers were good, and consistant.

EK Josh

^Up for more thoughts

EvilPinkEye

kinda have the same prob with my single cam..also does it at high revs

EK Josh

^up

bmckay

Most likely a little oil is building up in the cylinders while it's parked through worn valve stem seals. At start up the oil is burned up quickly and as the engine warms up and expands there isn't enough oil getting past the valve stems to be noticed. This condition is common with OHCs over 100,000 miles. It won't hurt anything to ignore it until it gets worse. Most likely as the weather gets warmer you won't notice it again until next winter. When it gets worse the seals can be replaced without removing the head but I would remove the head and carry it to the local machine shop for a valve job or purchase a rebuilt one.

GsR-Freak

omg dude...it's the winter time. Who's car does'nt smoke little and gone during winter?. Yes your car will smoke while cold, it's all normal. If you want go get a leak-down test and cmpression test.