PaulyWally

Hello

I just bought a 2008 Lexus ES350 with 79,000km. I noticed a lot of white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe at the start, and even after 25 mins of city driving (although less smoke). Temperature outside was 12-17C. I worry I might have a damaged engine gasket or worse. Took the car to Service at Lexus, and it passed a combustion leak test and a misfire counts test; they recommended 'good highway drive to clear exhaust'.


Anyone has the same experience or advice?
I'm considering buying a Third party warranty, and I've been advised it's a waste of money, any thought?

oldgrump

As you appear to be in BC I think that you are seeing nothing but water vapour (a product of combustion) from the exhaust especially at our temps here along with the high humidity. Plus, the mufflers (particularly the right side) take a long time to get hot and they do not have a drain hole at the rear which can allow water to collect in the mufflers. I found this out just after I bought my car, new. I always drill a small drain hole in the bottom if each muffler in all my cars if they don't already have one (the ES350 doesn't), and when I "broke through" with the drill quite a lot of water drained out of both mufflers. You very often see cars "spitting" water out the tailpipe/s at times. BUT, check and note the coolant level in the expansion tank (it should be between the marks) and then recheck it again a week or so later (at about the same coolant temp). The level should not have changed. Coolant that gets into the exhaust will have a very distinct odour at the tailpipe and is usually indicated by an obvious white smoke that will usually be always present. Do you have the "Owner's Manual"? If not you can get one here: http://www.lexus.ca/lexus/en/owners/manuals I urge you to read the "important" stuff, at least. The checking of the coolant level is one of those really important items with these cars.

PaulyWally

Thank you very much for the reply! You definitely have put us at ease now, as you have explained very well the issue. I will keep an eye on the coolant level.
I just wonder though: how does coolant get into the exhaust? And what does it do to the engine in the long run?
By the way,thanks for letting me know about the electronic copy of the manual. I do have a paper one.

oldgrump

A common way that coolant can enter the exhaust is via a "blown" cylinder head gasket whereby coolant gets sucked into a cylinder/s (on the intake stroke of the piston) and then on the exhaust stroke the coolant (now pretty much in vapour form) gets exhausted out of the cylinder/s along with the combustion gases. The coolant from a leaking head gasket can also show as an external leak as well, and may also allow leakage of oil (particularly from a pressure oil passage from the block to the head) that can also get sucked into a cylinder, or show as an external oil leak. "Blown" head gaskets are very rare. It may occur (particularly with engines that have an aluminum alloy block and heads, such as the ES350) after an engine has badly overheated. The overheating can cause the head/s and possibly the block to "warp" whereby the originally flat mating surfaces of the block and head/s become distorted to the point that the head gasket can no longer seal properly.

ellocovg

iTrader: (1)