Hi

Im really hoping it isnt the Head Gasket on the way out (just in case it is how much would I be looking at for it to be replaced)

Ive just noticed this morning that there is a reasonable amount of White Smoke coming out my backbox, especially when I rev the car up to about 4k

I got my Neighbour to take a look (own garage for 15 years) and he isnt too familiar with Scoobs, he said it could be the start of the head gasket going, and said there was quite a bit of water coming out too, when we revved the car, but said it was idling like a dream

The car is a MY00 EU Import, with mods being Magnex Full Decat, Dawes Device, ITG Panel Filter, AE800 ECU, car was 3 years old a few weeks ago, and has done 28k miles, and rarely been booted

The last 2 weeks I have been doing 15 miles a day, I have done 16K miles since December with the above mods, cept Dawes (3/4 weeks) and Magnex Twin Dump D/P (about a month)

Oil Pressure is fine, water temp seems fine, AFR is fine (new lambda recently) boost seems fine too (running 16PSI peak, 15 PSI held)

Oil levels seem fine too (admittedly due a change now)

Any help would be appreciated

CHeers

Steve

was this when the car was fully warmed up?

no this was from cold, I nipped to the garage and back this morning (about a mile and a half)

It must have been about 28-30 degrees outside too when I started the car, I only noticed the smoke when I got home, as I left the car ticking over whilst I put some rubbish in the bin

Cheers

Steve

YHM

Thanks Xtreme

Ive just fell off the chair ! yikes, I really hope it isnt the Head Gasket

make sure it's well up to temperature before you pannick.

Condenstaion in the exhaust (white smoke and water) only clears when the car is hot, if it does it after a good warm up and the car is warm, then worry.

Watch your coolant levels closely mate

Thanks I will keep my eye on it once its warm

One thing I have noticed (prolly more cos Ive had my head under the bonnet fitting gauges etc recently) is that even if I only drive for a short distance ( a mile or so) the engine bay is very hot, and seems to stay hot for quite some time, and you can see the heat haze above the scoop

Steve

Well just driven back from my folks (about 2 miles) and not a single sign of any smoke,

although I stuck my face in front of the backbox, and it was very hot :) and stunk, almost burnt my nostrils with the fumes (this was only for about 2 seconds)

will the decat make it smell more than a catted car?

Steve

thats good news then..

mate, inhaling fumes direct from behind the backbox is gonna stink;)

I wouldn't worry about it. Mine was quite pungent on idle, since replacing my lambda sensor the other day it smells a lot cleaner.

hehe yeah I should have known it was gonna stink (and burn too :))

when it was smoking earlier on, i couldnt see it whilst I was driving, only whilst I was sat on my drive as I rev'ed the car I could see the smoke coming past

Im wondering if the water (it wasnt trickling out the back of the pipe, more if you held your hand against the backbox and revved the car up) was moisture from the cool night, as it was 30 degrees outside when I started the car this morning (bout 11am)

I'll see how it is in the morning again, and take it for a 10-15 spin to warm it up, and then see how it is

I remember my old Montego (many years ago) the head gasket went, and I used to have plumes & plumes of white smoke trailing behind (akin to when an F1 Engine lets go, or James Bond being chased)

It definatly isnt that

yeah, as I said earlier, it's prob condensation:)

sounds to me like condensation mate. like the above post just check the coolent levels.
take it for a decent run ie up to temp for a while. if it doesnt smoke after that your in the clear!!

well it hasnt smoked at all today, at least not that I could see

It does seem to be running a bit lardy, but then its 30 degrees plus ouside, so it could be hot weather making it feel lardy

I blipped the throttle earlier, after a bit of a drive (an hour) and it was either a misfire, or a pop (full decat)

Sounds like you need to move to a warmer climate