Understanding Your Vehicle Exhaust and Fluid Colours

Car owners are well familiar with the various problems they might have with their vehicle. Some of the common problems with your vehicle include warning lights coming up when you least expect it, a sputtering engine, steering wheel issues or even overheating, etc.

One of the methods of ensuring a vehicle runs smoothly is to have it serviced on a regular basis at a good service station like Foxman Auto services, as per guidelines of a manufacturer.

A warning light on your dashboard offers some help as to what the issue might be, however, it is quite common for one to be clueless as to what the issue is. This article explains how to decipher what different exhaust colours means as well as the fluid leaks which also happen to be different colours.

What do Various Exhaust Colours Mean?

In a normal state, your vehicle is not likely to have visible emissions from your exhaust. Spotting smoke coming out of your exhaust is a big cause for worry, however, the colour of the emissions tells a lot about the problem with your vehicle. Here is a list of different colour exhaust smoke and the reason:

Blue Smoke

In the case where there is blue smoke it is likely to be an oil leak. This happens when oil leaks into the combustion chamber. One of the reasons this might happen is due to a damaged piston ring. Worn out cylinder walls and value seals can also lead to such an issue.

Grey smoke

Grey smoke is also not a good sign and is something that you should have checked up immediately. Persistent smoke is a sign of something seriously wrong with a vehicle and might mean either an internal leaking head gasket, damaged engine block or even a cracked cylinder head.

What this means is the engine will overheat very quickly especially in summer, you will want to look at it soon, to save your money from bigger problems. A damaged cylinder head might also cause such an issue. It is best to consult an expert car mechanic in this case since it can lead to a total engine failure.

Black smoke

Black smoke is an indication that the air filter might be blocked or manifold is blocked. It might also be that the fuel injection system is not functioning in the right manner. Black smoke combined with a bad fuel economy is likely to mean that the vehicle is burning more fuel resulting in bad fumes of black colour.

White Smoke

White smoke is usually not a cause of big worry especially if it happens on a cold winter day. This is most likely to be vapour due to the combustion. On the other hand, if smoke persists after a car is sufficiently warm and you have been driving for a while, it might be a vehicle exhaust sign that something has gone wrong with a vehicle. In such a condition, it would be highly advisable to consult a mechanic since continuing to drive it would result in an expensive repair bill.

Reason for Car Fluid Leak Based on the Colour

Fluid leaking from a car is also a sign that there is something wrong with a vehicle and it is important to consult mechanical repairs in Randwick to fix the problem. One quick method of deciphering the issues is to check the type of fluid leak you have. This can be done by placing cardboard under the car where you notice a leak is occurring. It is best to do this overnight and check the cardboard the next day morning.

A quick check of the fluid colour can explain the issue to some extent. If it is red, it is likely to be either steering fluid and automatic transmission fluid (hydraulic fluids). The orange fluid is either an indicator of the presence of rust in the cooling system. It might also mean that the automatic transmission fluid requires changing. Green, yellow or pink could be to do with the coolant while blue might mean the windshield washer fluid. A brown fluid leak is most likely to be engine oil.

About the Author

Daniel Clark is a professional writer, and you can follow him on Twitter.

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