Toyota Camry 1998 - 220kms - white smoke on start

batman4321, Apr 1, 12:19am
Can happen on cold starts but it definitely happens in the afternoon, when I start my car again, Heaps of white smoke, then small white smoke puffs, then it clears. Is coolant or oil getting into the fuel mixture in the engine! Anyway, how to fix, what will a mechanic charge, this sounds expensive.

Thanks

mugenb20b, Apr 1, 12:22am
Don't know. You tell us. Have you checked radiator water level! Does it need topping up!

V6 or a 4 cylinder engine!

tonyrockyhorror, Apr 1, 12:26am
Turbo seals are gone.

Actually, it sounds like plain old water, a by-product of the combustion of hydrocarbons, building up because you do a lot of short runs.

batman4321, Apr 1, 12:28am
V6 engine.

mugenb20b, Apr 1, 12:29am
Water level OK! Overheating problems!

batman4321, Apr 1, 12:33am
Oil ok and coolant/water level topped up.

batman4321, Apr 1, 12:38am
I have to do my cam-belt soon. Do you guys do it yourself or take it to a mechanic! I might take it to a mechanic because I can't be bothered doing it myself.

msigg, Apr 1, 12:47am
I would take it to the mechanic and get a test done on the radiator water to see if it hasn't got a blown gasket as well as get the cam bely done.

mugenb20b, Apr 1, 12:56am
Water level OK!

motorboy2011, Apr 1, 2:10am
maybe faulty brake booster letting some brake fluid through, makes white smoke. though Im betting poss head gasket

steve98h, Apr 3, 6:08am
white smoke like steam or white/bluey smoke like oil!
if its white get a tee-kay test done by your mechanic to check for a blown head gasket. if its whie/bluey smoke probly valve stem seals/ valve guides. try chaning to a full synthetic oil as it doe not smoke when it burns like mineral oil

ema1, Apr 3, 9:38am
Check the brake booster isn't failing due to a master cylinder leaking brake fluid into the booster and then feeding via brake vac hose into inlet manifold to cylinders!
Had that happen once on a Corona 3S-F 1991.
Re kitted the master cyl and "chucked" on a 2nd hand booster and viola .fixed.

spud1991, Apr 3, 8:15pm
Yeah sounds like a head gasket possibly has gone, thats one of the symptoms.