Car Blowing White Smoke After Oil Change [4 Common Causes]
The only way a car can expel white smoke after an oil change is if that oil somehow found its way into the combustion chamber and got burned by the fuel-air mixture. However, there is more than one way motor oil can get into the combustion chamber and burn. In fact, in this blog post, I’m going to talk about the four most common causes of white smoke from cars after an oil change.
The most common causes for a car to smoke white after an oil change is because you overfilled the engine with motor oil, switched to a different type of oil, damaged piston rings allowing oil to enter the the combustion chamber (usually present in high mileage engines), or a blown head gasket.
Main point
Car Blowing White Smoke After Oil Change [4 Common Causes]
You overfilled the engine with oil
Has switched to synthetic motor oil
Damaged piston rings (usually present in engines with high miles)
blown head gasket
Car Blowing White Smoke After Oil Change [4 Common Causes]
If your car is smoking white smoke after an oil change, it is most likely due to one of these four common causes:
1. You overloaded the engine with oil
Car owners know that routine maintenance is important to keep their vehicles running smoothly. One of the most important tasks is to check and change the engine oil. Motor oil helps lubricate the engine and prevents parts from overheating. However, too much of this important fluid can cause more harm than good.
When there is too much oil in the engine, the oil is likely to overflow through the piston rings and valve seals into the combustion chamber, where it will mix with the fuel/air mixture and then burn and produce White smoke.
But how do you actually check the engine oil level? Actually, it is quite simple. First, make sure your car is parked on level ground. Next, open the hood and locate the dipstick. The dipstick will have a picture of an oil can next to it, making it easy to find. Once you have located the dipstick, pull it out and wipe it with a clean rag.
Then reinsert the dipstick into the tube and push it all the way in. After a few seconds, pull it out and check the oil level on the dipstick. If the oil is below the “full” line, you will need to add more oil. However, if the oil is above the “full” line, you should remove some of the oil to avoid overfilling the engine.
Knowing how much oil to add can be tricky, since different cars have different oil capacity requirements. The best place to start is by consulting your car’s owner’s manual. This will provide you with the specific oil capacity requirements for your make and model of car. You can also find this information online at websites like carfluidguide.com.
2. You have switched to synthetic motor oil
Motor oil is essential to keep your car running smoothly. Helps lubricate engine parts, dissipates heat, and prevents corrosion. However, if you’ve been using conventional motor oils, they can get dirty and thick, reducing their ability to do their job.
Switching from conventional motor oil to synthetic motor oil can cause your car to start expelling white smoke after an oil change. The reason behind this is the strong cleaning ability of synthetic oil. All the soot and varnish that has settled on the valves and cylinders clogging them will be cleaned by the synthetic oil and burned in the combustion chamber.
Synthetic oils are designed to resist breakdown and maintain their performance longer than traditional motor oils. They can also withstand higher temperatures without breaking down, making them ideal for use in high-performance engines. Also, synthetic oils often have better cleaning abilities than traditional motor oils, which means they can help keep your engine clean and running smoothly.
So should you go back to conventional motor oil? Of course, no. You just have to let the synthetic oil do its job and clean the engine of dirt and debris. However, you will need to be aware that cleaning synthetic motor oil could expose some bad seals and cracked surfaces that have been held together by dirt and debris.
