Your car's exhaust system is a key part of your vehicle, as it is what vents all of the gases that your engine generates. This also means that if fluids from other systems in your car enter your engine or your exhaust system, the color of the smoke that is vented will change. Knowing the various types of colors that your car's exhaust smoke can take, and what mechanical issues that they indicate, can help you diagnose mechanical problems as they arise. This gives you the chance to treat them early before they can grow more serious and complicated to fix.

Blue Exhaust Smoke

Perhaps the most common alternative color that you are likely to spot coming from your exhaust system, a blue tinted haze means that oil has leaked into your engine. Unfortunately, oil leaks can happen in multiple different places throughout your engine, which means that a comprehensive inspection by a professional is necessary to determine which part – or parts – need to be replaced. In addition to being one of the most common types of leaks that can affect your engine, they are also one of the most dangerous, as oil works as a lubricant for the pistons of your engine. A lack of lubrication increases friction and drastically increases the chances of physical damage to your engine.

White Exhaust Smoke

While exhaust smoke is generally a whitish hue, especially during the winter months when the cold temperature makes the vapor in the gas condense rapidly, you should be conscious of extremely white smoke coming out of your tailpipe. This happens when coolant from your radiator leaks into your engine or exhaust system and is burned off. A constant leak of coolant can cause your engine's operating temperature to skyrocket, which will likely be reflected on your dashboard. This is a serious concern, since a hotter engine will burn more gas and runs the risk of overheating. While topping up your coolant levels can help in the short term, you'll have to have the leak fixed to restore your engine's efficiency.

Black Smoke

A deep, black smoke coming out of your engine indicates that your fuel pump is malfunctioning and is pumping too much fuel, or your air filter is completely clogged. Both mechanical issues mean that your engine has too much fuel in its combustion chambers and not enough air, leading to the deeper and darker color of your exhaust gases. Air filter replacement is a relatively simple fix, while fuel pump repair or replacement can be more involved and expensive.

For more information about auto repair, contact a local company.