Weird Smoke at Start-up with Video

[4Running Daily]

4Runner - YouTube

Make sure you watch the whole thing.
This video was shot after a week of the car sitting without coolant. This is in the middle of the afternoon and it was 70 degrees outside.

Please help me fix my first car!

What's the mystery smoke?

 

[T4R2014]

If it's been sitting for a while it's probably just steam. Does it go away after driving a while? If so it's completely normal and harmless.

 

[Clownmeat]

Just smell it, that will tell you if it's coolant or oil or nothing. Did it smell sweet or like oil or nothing?

 

[Baja Runner]

Why did it not have coolant? Did you drain it?

Try it again during the daytime when it gets warmer out too. It looks normal to me right now, looks like steam and not smoke. If it dissapates fairly quick you know its steam (unless its real frigid outside and humid)

 

[4Running Daily]

It didn't smell most of the time, but then I did get one little hint of oil for a second, then nothing. The coolant was empty because I fill it up once a week and then a week later of sitting, it's empty.

 

[A.Wilson013]

It didn't smell most of the time, but then I did get one little hint of oil for a second, then nothing. The coolant was empty because I fill it up once a week and then a week later of sitting, it's empty.

I think you found the problem. Is the coolant on the ground, or disappearing in the motor?

 

[4Running Daily]

I havent noticed anything on the ground. But the coolant just goes straight to the radiator.

 

[A.Wilson013]

I havent noticed anything on the ground. But the coolant just goes straight to the radiator.

If you have to fill it once a week you have a problem... That is not normal.

 

[BrianSD_42]

coolant has to go somewhere right? it is a closed system. it is either getting burned up by the engine (cracked head, failed head gasket) or leaking onto the ground.

If you are losing a gallon a week then you would definitely notice it leaking underneath the engine. If it is getting burned up by the engine then you will probably see smoke coming out the exhaust.

 

[4Running Daily]

It's been over two weeks since it's had coolant in it. Started it up here in sunny San Diego with the weather being around 80 today. Same smoke, but I have a NEW THEORY:

It's a 1996 with a stock muffler. The muffler looks like a rusty terd, could it be the inside of my muffler burning?

Not denying that I may have a coolant leak.

 

[02SE]

it is either getting burned up by the engine (cracked head, failed head gasket) or leaking onto the ground.

I'm sorry to say that's pretty much it.

OP, since you say it isn't leaking onto the ground, and you have to keep repeatedly refilling with coolant, that only leaves the option of a cracked head, and/or failed headgasket(s).

Get it to a competent mechanic soon.

 

[4Running Daily]

And your sure it's not my stock muffler and the smell being the crap inside of it.

 

[Baja Runner]

White smoke + Loss of coolant = Coolant being burned.

Most likely a head gasket. Its not the end of the world, but I would stop driving it until its fixed. You can do it yourself or bring it to a shop. The gasket is not expensive, just getting to it will take some time. Once the head is off you'll want to bring it to a machine shop.

Take it to Kenyon's in PB if you want good head work done. I've taken all my heads there for valve job, machining, etc. My grandpa and father have been going there since the 40's.

 

[4Running Daily]

New

Ok so I think it is a head gasket issue.
Yesterday I filled my coolant full.
This morning however I woke up and went to my truck.
Half my coolant was gone. Not anything new sadly. But I did find a strange puddle on the ground. I'm not sure if the puddle is anti-freeze or not.

 

[4Running Daily]

Just started it and got no smoke

 

[BrianSD_42]

Dude you are running DUAL threads at the same time on the same issue.

It will not be long before one of the mods asks you to kill one of the threads and just run with a single thread.

This thread:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/100419-weird-smoke-start-up-video.html



The other thread:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/100482-smoke-again.html


:zoom:

 

[Baja Runner]

Pull the plugs and see if any look different.

You fill up with coolant, then the next day its half full? Did you start the motor, or was it just sitting?

To be certain you are filling the radiator to the top, then topping off the overflow tank as well, correct?

The oil does not have water in it? Check the ATF fluid as well just in case.

If you want, go to Napa or Autozone and buy a compression tester. Its just a dial gauge with an adapter that goes to your spark plug hole. You turn the motor over for 5 seconds on each cylinder and it gives you the compression reading. If you find a cylinder that is much lower than the rest, thats the problem.

Another issue you need to check are all your heater hoses. They can corrode and you can loose your coolant that way.

Lastly, your muffler looks like that because (I think) you're getting coolant in the combustion chamber and its being transferred to the muffler and sitting there, corroding/rusting it from the inside out. Not sure on this, but thats what it looks like.

There are several things you can do to help aide you figure this problem out but you need to be willing to do it.

Its easy to pull the plugs, pull them and see if you've got one that is wet or much cleaner than the rest, and go through and check all your heater hoses. There is also coolant hoses that go to the IAC valve underneath the throttle body.

 

[4Running Daily]

I'll put it back up on my other driveway and let it sit there until next weekend when I can deal with it