E30 Zone

Hi Everyone!

Recently my 325i cab has decided it wants to produce a nice big smokescreen from the exhaust. Now I know there are plenty of head gasket threads about but I am after some help troubleshooting from the guys on here that are the gurus!

The car has 161k miles and has been serviced regularly as far as I'm aware. I have had her for around two months now and the smoke has appeared in the last two weeks.

So a description of exactly what is happening. I start the car, no starting problems and no problems with the idle, after a minute or so of idling some white smoke starts to appear out of the exhaust. This gradually gets worse until the smoke is quite thick and doesn't really change when the engine heats up. It smells to me like fuel but I'm no expert.

Then when I start driving the car the smoke seems to disappear until I stop at traffic lights and then it re-appears! Producing a James Bond Aston Martin type smoke screen behind me! Lol.

Now I have had a look around on this forum and a few others but can't seem to find a problem that is exactly like mine. I have read that it could be The dreaded head gasket! Antifreeze and coolant leaking through a crack somewhere on the head and coming out of the exhaust as white smoke.

Also there is no mayo like substance on the dipstick, under the oil cap or in the reservoir. She isn't using any more oil than normal and she isn't losing coolant.

Could anyone shine some light on this for me? Any help would be much appreciated!! Any more details needed?

most M20 engines tend to "steam" at this time of year, that's normal ..

is your heater ok and the temp needle sitting just below half?

Hi, thanks for the quick reply! I am totally new to BMW's especially old ones. The heaters are fine. Blowing hot and cold on all settings. It is a non AC model. And the temp needle sits just below half after warming up. Never goes any higher!
To be honest when I bought the car a couple of months back the weather was better and warmer, I didn't notice any smoke then. Maybe just the cold weather then?

Is it any water?

maggspower wrote:Is it any water?

What do you mean?

Mafisher wrote:

maggspower wrote:Is it any water?

What do you mean?

Well that didnt make any sense

Is it loosing any water from the cooling system. Much better

sounds fairly normal to me, on very cold mornings they can really steam a lot !

maggspower wrote:

Mafisher wrote:

maggspower wrote:Is it any water?

What do you mean?

Well that didnt make any sense

Is it loosing any water from the cooling system. Much better

Haha no it its not losing any water from the cooling system. It recently had a service, full coolant change and oil change around a month ago and the coolant hasn't budged.

e30topless wrote:sounds fairly normal to me, on very cold mornings they can really steam a lot !

Yes I agree, the m20 is one of the most steamy engines when cold i have come across.

I have also read the opening post again and there is no coolant loss.

I'll get me coat

e30topless wrote:sounds fairly normal to me, on very cold mornings they can really steam a lot !

Thanks mate, putting my mind at rest a little but! Blown head is all I need at this time of year!! Especially with very little mechanical skill!!

maggspower wrote:

e30topless wrote:sounds fairly normal to me, on very cold mornings they can really steam a lot !

Yes I agree, the m20 is one of the steamy engines when cold i have come across.

I have also read the opening post again and there is no coolant loss.

I'll get me coat

Haha yeah best had mate! Been a long weekend? Lol

Agree with the above. They are extremely steamy in the cold weather.

Thanks for the replies guys. I kinda figured they would get steamy just the smell of the steam that bothered me. Smells a bit like fuel, is this normal? Maybe running a bit rich?

Yes found this myself after doing a head gasket on one only for it to chuck out huge clouds of steam. Had me worried for a while but its still running fine 5 years later as far as i know.

Quick update, weather is a little better this morning and not as cold. Started her up and only a little steam which almost disappeared once the engine had warmed up! Cheers for the help though guys, put my mind at rest!