BimmerFest BMW Forum banner

My e46 is shaking and blowing white smoke from exhaust ????????????

23K views 20 replies 8 participants last post by  protocol1 
#1 ·
MY E46 IS SHAKING WHILE STILL AND THROWING WHITE SMOKE WHEN I PRESS THE ACCELERATION. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME OUT???:dunno:
 
#2 ·
Do you know what a Caps Lock key is for ??????????????????

No need to SCREAM, we`re right here....

Is your car presently, or has it ever, overheated ?

How long have you owned this vehicle ?

Do you know anything about it`s service history ?

Any warning lights coming on ?

When the engine is running, where is the needle on the temp gauge pointing ?

Have you checked all the vital fluids ?
 
#4 ·
Or it's a good chance the crankcase vent is clogged. Does the smoke smell sweet like coolant or kind of burnt like oil?
 
#5 ·
nope its never overheated
I've owned the car for about 3 months now.
Service history- normal oil change when scheduled
some times as soon as i start the car. Oil light flickers for a bit, then goes off on its own.
the tempt is normal on the middle.
as for fluids. i think its leaking. Engine seems to have some oil dripped under it.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Aka oil (vapor) separator. Check it out in the e46 wiki. Valve cover gasket also will leak at higher mileage and will drop onto the exhaust manifold making a stink and or smoke from engine bay.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8014505

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app
 
#8 ·
To add to this most excellent advice, also be VERY SURE of the "smoke" color...

- "bluish" Grey = generally equates to oil burning & will smell like burnt motor oil (varies depending on oil type)
- darker grey/black = generally equates to unburnt fuel (rich condition) & will usually smell like raw gasoline (unburnt hydrocarbons)
- White = generally equates to water/antifreeze, but it isn't "smoke"... it's steam and will dissipate after 10-30 seconds (depending on ambient temp) and will not continue to float away like *smoke* & will smell "sweet"

There is a very fine line between all 3 colors and sometimes can be a combination of colors (like a blown headgasket that leaks between water jackets & oil passages), so it's smell is also helpful in determining the cause...
 
#11 ·
Picture was from your local machine... won't work. use a free photo hosting account (shutterfly, photobucket, etc.) and post the link

Your entire engine (exterior) could be dripping with oil and you may SMELL it under the hood, but that won't necessarily cause smoke or smell from the exhaust... you'll need to diagnose it a little further for us to be of assistance.
 
#21 ·
From the symptoms you described, suggest that there is a coolant leak into the cylinder with the misfires occurring. That would be consistent with the white smoke at start up, and the “shaking” from a misfire. A cylinder leak down test is not meant to detect failed head gasket or cracked head or block. For those faults, a cooling system pressure test, both cold and hot. Test for combustion gasses in the coolant, and test a sample of the lube oil for coolant contamination. Oil analysis lab can do both tests.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top