What the Color of the Smoke Coming from Your Tailpipe Means

February 15th, 2022

Not all the smoke that comes out of your tailpipe means the same thing. There are different colors, indicating different issues, that can visibly emit from your tailpipe when something is wrong. Observing the color can indicate what the problem is. Be sure to let your service technician know, and schedule an appointment with Capitol Chevrolet today to have your car, truck, or SUV taken care of. Read on to find out what the differing colors of smoke might indicate.

4. IS IT REALLY SMOKE?

One of the first things you want to do when you see something emitting from your vehicle is confirm that it is smoke and not steam that you're seeing. Steam is completely normal when you first start the engine if your Chevy has been sitting out in the cold. As condensation builds up in the exhaust, it begins evaporating as hot vapors warm the pipe, and this can be mistaken for smoke. Steam is typically not huge or billowing, and usually dissipates as your engine warms up.

3. WHITE OR GRAY SMOKE

Once you've determined that the emission isn't steam, check the color. White or gray-looking smoke is bad, typically indicating a blown or leaking head gasket. This happens as coolant combines with the fuel and air mixture in your engine's combustion chamber. A blown head gasket could destroy your engine if left untreated.

2. BLACK SMOKE

Opposite of the white smoke is black. When there is a fuel and air mixture that's too rich, black smoke can emit from your tailpipe, meaning that too much fuel is entering into the cylinders and not enough air. This smoke usually smells bad and can cause damage to your engine. Our technicians check for components like the fuel pressure regulator, fuel injectors, and the engine air filter when you bring in your Chevy due to black smoke.

1. BLUE SMOKE

Blue smoke can be the trickiest of the three, and is sometimes mistaken for gray smoke. Look closely and see if you can detect a blue tinge. If so, this means that a lot of oil is being burned in the engine; small amounts of burning oil won't make smoke, so there's typically a good amount of oil in the combustion chamber(s) if blue smoke shows up. In a situation like this, piston rings, valve seals, and PVC valves are likely at fault.