Thin white smoke even after engine warm from ehaust

Tiny
SON 1
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
  • 4.6L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 163,000 MILES
At start and after engine warm white smoke from tail pipe. No engine light comes on. No overheating. No coolant loss. No misfires. Drops of water from exhaust smoke is thin and wispy but lingers in air a few moments. Does not smell sweet, actually has no strong smell of anything. Car does not run rough. One odd thing is this started after I had new brake pads installed.
Wednesday, February 27th, 2019 AT 10:30 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello,

This could just be steam coming from your exhaust system. During the catalytization of the engine exhaust by the catalytic converters one of the intended by products is H2O. Water. A healthy, modern exhaust system should have water coming out of the tail pipes. Given that you have no coolant loss I believe that your vehicle is okay. Putting new brake pads on probably would have nothing to do with this.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Wednesday, February 27th, 2019 AT 11:13 AM
Tiny
SON 1
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Okay. But white smoke continues even after driving over twenty or thirty minutes. It is not cold outside either. But thanks for your quick reply to my question.
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Wednesday, February 27th, 2019 AT 12:03 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,640 POSTS
You could have a fuel additive that makes the exhaust turn white, have you fueled up in Mexico by chance?

This guide can help as well:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/white-smoke-or-steam-coming-from-the-exhaust-pipe

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Friday, March 1st, 2019 AT 2:20 PM

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