1992 Honda Civic White smoke

J-CHOE

MEMBER
1992 HONDA CIVIC

Engine Performance problem
1992 Honda Civic Automatic

Hi. My car always comes out thick white smoke from the exhaust pipe every morning when I start the car. Sometimes even when the weather is hot. And after the thick white smoke comes out, my aircon is nt as cold.I suspect it has got to do with the aircon coolant.I knw nuts about cars so I need help badly. The thick white smoke is embarassing me as everyone would look at me. This problem happens everyday.

5 Replies

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Hi J-Choe,

Do you have coolant loses and overheating issues?

Smoke from the exhaust if it is completely white indicates water based fluids are being burnt in the engine and it could be a bad head.

However if there are no coolant losses or overheating issues and the smoke is slightly grey, then it is oil being burnt in the cylinders. They are usually due to bad valve seals.

As to the A/C not cold, you need to check the freon level in system.

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Monday, August 2nd, 2010 AT 12:15 PM

J-CHOE

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Hi KHLow,

Thanks for the advice. In the end I still end up going to the workshop. The mechanic said I need to overhaul the whoke engine. Is that a serious problem?I know overhauling is not cheap. But is there anyway to clear the white smoke or atleast reduce it. I've top up the coolant n add a small bottle of engine oil that the mechanic recommended me to atleast reduce abit of the white smoke.

Another question.I have three indicators on the car desktop, one indicates volt, vacuum n water temperature.I have no idea what does the indicator means but I think it has gotta do with the engine. Eversince the white smoke start to come out, the water temperature indicator rise up to almost 100 n the vacuum indicator rise up to almost 0.I no nuts about cars. So I need help badly.
Thanks

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Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 AT 10:30 AM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Overhauling is not going to be cheap. It means taking the engine out, disassembling the unit and replace whatever components inside that is bad and/or machining of parts to get them back to specs.

The cheapest option is to just replace the valve seals and it can be done without disassembling the engine. It would still cost a few hundred $.

I would suggest getting a second opinion. The mechanic does not seem to know much about Hondas. Additives are not going to help reduce smoke, and I believe that is what he recommended.

The gauges that you mentioned, I believe they are after market add-ons

Temperature indicating 100 is an indication of overheating.
Was the coolant level very low? Do you need to keep topping up?

The vacumn indiactor showing 0 could mean a leakage in the vacumn hose or the engine is not running correctly. At idling, the vacumn should be negative but if the engine rpm is high, it could be nearer to 0, but still won't be 0 unless the throttle is opened abruptly.

Volts is for indicating the alternator charging and should show between 13.5 to 14.5 when engine is running.
With engine off it would show the battery voltage with ignition switch turned on.

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Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 AT 12:01 PM

J-CHOE