Causes of Blue Smoke from Exhaust When Accelerating and How to Fix | Vehicle Issue (2024)

Are you looking for the causes of blue smoke from exhaust when accelerating? Usually, Blue smoke is an alarming sign, and it indicates oil leakage in the engine. Most exhaust gases are not visible. However, when thevehicle engines face any problem, its symptoms are visible in different color exhaust smoke, noises, and car performance.

Generally, color emission from the exhaust indicates a different problem in the car engine. White, Blue and black color emission from the exhaust is not a good sign. Usually, Blue smoke indicates oil leaks inside the car engine and white exhaust smoke indicates coolant leakage. There are many ways to fix exhaust gas problems. Blue color emission from the exhaust requires an urgent fix.

This article will guide you onthe causes of blue smoke from exhaust when accelerating and how to fix it. Before going to more depth, let’s discuss whatblue smoke from exhaust indicates?

Causes of Blue Smoke from Exhaust When Accelerating and How to Fix | Vehicle Issue (1)

What blue smoke cloud indicates?

you notice odd noise and blue smoke coming from the exhaust, it indicates oil leakage in the engine. If an automobile is maintained properly, these problems don’t appear. Regular maintenance is important for the well-being of the car engine. If blue smoke appears from the exhaust, it should be taken seriously. If the problem exists for a long time, it causes permanent damage to the engine. Moreover, the quicker the diagnosis, the sooner the problem gets solved. Mechanics believes if blue smoke appears, you should stop driving at once.

Blue smoke appears from the tailpipe in two situations

  1. When engine starts
  2. When car accelerates

What causes blue smoke from the tailpipe when starting?

Blue exhaust smoke is the rarest smoke emitting from a car engine. The occurrence of blue smoke indicates burning oil. Generally, blue smoke is common when you start an engine in cold weather. In the cold season, the engine oil gets thinner and sometimes escapes into the cylinders of an exhaust system. The escaped oil burns in the combustion chamber, causing blue emission and glow red exhaust manifold.

Oil reduction or lack of lubrication causes wear and tear in different parts of the engine. Furthermore, these worn parts cause damage to the engine. The blue smoke on startup indicates three things.

  1. Oil leakage in the combustion chamber
  2. Damaged piston ring
  3. Worn out cylinderhead valve

Causes of blue smoke from exhaust when accelerating

If you notice color emission from a good exhaust pipe when you accelerate. It is a reason to worry about. Generally, color smoke indicates a serious problem with the engine. If you notice blue smoke coming out of your tailpipe when accelerating. These should be the reason.

  1. Crack in the ventilator valve
  2. Damaged piston rings
  3. Transmission fluid leakage
  4. Blown turbo
  5. Damaged valve seals

1. Crack in the ventilator valve

One of the reasons for blue smoke is a crack in the ventilator valve. Usually, the ventilator valve releases pressure in the exhaust manifold. If there is a crack in the valve, it will get stuck. This allows oil, air, and fuel to mix inside the engine. This mixing causes blue emission from the exhaust when accelerating.

2. Damaged piston rings

Blue smoke duringaccelerationindicates damaged piston rings. Generally, every car has a piston that moves in the cylinder. Piston rings prevent the piston from hitting the cylinder walls. These rings form a seal around the cylinder. However, the damaged piston ring cause oil leakage in the engine. Oil mixing causes blue smoke.

3. Transmission fluid leakage

Transmission fluid is responsible for the system operation and performance of the car. It lubricates the mechanical parts and prevents them from rusting. Generally, the TCM acts as a sensor and monitors the transmission fluid. If the automatic transmission fluid system is damaged. It causes transmission fluid to enter into the engine and burn like oil. Thus, it causes blue smoke from the exhaust.

4. Blown-out turbocharger

A blown-out turbocharger is also a reason for blue smoke. A turbocharger causes an increase in engine power and output. Typically, a broken turbocharger is identified by a damaged oil seal. If the seal is broken or damaged, the oil in the engine enters combustion chambers. The mixture of burned oil and fuel causes blue smoke.

5. Damaged valve seals

Generally,valves serve two main purposes. The first is to allow gasoline and air into the engine. Secondly, is to release exhaust gasses out. Frequent lubrication prevents valves seals from wear and tear and improves operations. However, when seals get damaged, the oil escapes and enters the combustion chamber. The result of oil and fuel causes blue smoke.

Causes of blue smoke diesel engine

Usually, diesel and gasoline engines have many similarities. However, they are some differences. One of them is a glow plug. In a diesel engine, a glow plug ignites the fuel. If the glow plug is damaged, it causes blue smoke while starting. In diesel engines, blue smoke indicates burning oil. It is caused by

  1. Increased engine oil level
  2. Damaged piston ring
  3. Damagedcylinder

How to fix blue smoke coming from the exhaust

Bluesmoke coming from exhaust means burning oil, and the reason is described above. Let’s see how to solve these problems.

1. Engine clean

Sometimes lack of regular maintenance causes oil to reach the combustion chamber. This causes clogged cylinder heads and valves. Deep cleaning of dirt in the cylinder head. Can remove the blue smoke problem. Moreover, cleaning of clogged valves and reassembly doesn’t require any professional help.

2. Replacement of ventilator valve

Fixing a ventilator valve or PCV Valve is easy and inexpensive. For replacement, search for a tube that connects to the Intake Manifold. At the end of the tube, you will find PCV Valve. Now replace the old PCV Valve and with a new one. Moreover, it will solve the problem of blue smoke.

3. Repair or Replacement Transmission Modulator

The first step towards the replacement of the transmission modulator is to identify its location. Secondly, replace the transmission modulator. Sometimes the vacuum line is damaged by transmission fluid. So, the whole line should be replaced. Besides, you should fix exhaust leakage if you notice.

4. Replace blown-out turbocharger

For replacement of turbocharger, professional help is required. Usually, broken turbochargers break into smaller pieces. These small pieces can enter the engine and cause permanent damage to the engine. Moreover, if the problem is a broken turbocharger, you should not drive the car.

5. Replacement of Valve seals

Replacement of the Valve seal is time taking process. However, someone with knowledge of engines can easily do it. Generally, Valve is attached to the spring and rocker arm. Remove the spring and replace the old Valve. For bringing the valve spring out, valve spring compression tools are available. When the valve spring is out, you can easily access the valve seals.

To remove the valve seal, pull out the top of the valve stem. Then replace the old with a new one. After putting the new seal on the top of the valve stem, reassemble everything back.

6. Replacement of piston rings

To access the piston ring, remove the cylinder head. The cylinder head is hard to disconnect because you have to disconnect many things like intake manifold, spark plugs wires, and distributor. After the disconnection of the cylinder head, clean the piston and remove the old piston rings. Install new piston rings and reattached the cylinder head.

FAQ (blue smoke from exhaust)

1. Is blue smoke from exhaust bad?

Yes, blue smoke from the exhaust is a bad sign. Generally, it indicates oil leakage in the engine. You should take it seriously, because it can cause serious damage to the engine.

2. Does Blue smoke mean blow head gasket?

No, blue smoke indicates oil leakage in the engine. Normally, white or grey smoke indicates a coolant leak in the cylinder. This leads to a blown head gasket. However, if there is oil leakage in the gasket the blue smoke is an indication.

3. How much does it cost to fix blue smoke from exhaust?

Blue smoke is due to oil leakage, and the reason behind this is damaged glow plugs, valve seals, piston rings, or PCV valves. Generally, if you know the engine, it can take time but it is cost-effective. However, it can cost between 80 $ to 500 $ depending on the problem if you don’t know. Moreover, if the problem is with the piston ring is can cost up to 7000$.

4. Can low oil cause blue smoke?

Usually, blue smoke is because of oil seeping into the engine. Leakage causes an engine to have low oil. Oil leakage can cause oil dripping in the exhaust system as well.

Conclusion

The problem of blue smoke from the exhaust when accelerating is serious. Generally, it is because of burned oil. The reason that causes oil leakage includesdamaged glow plugs, valve seals, piston rings, or PCV valves. However, it takes time to find the root cause of the problem this problem.

If you don’t have information about the engine, it is better to consult a mechanic before taking any step. Thus, it is essential to know the causes of blue smoke from exhaust when accelerating and how to fix the issues.

Causes of Blue Smoke from Exhaust When Accelerating and How to Fix | Vehicle Issue (2024)

FAQs

What causes blue smoke during acceleration? ›

Blue Smoke From Exhaust When Accelerating

When blue smoke is emitted from a car's exhaust pipe, this usually indicates that a leak in the engine's valve seals is allowing oil to leak into the combustion chamber where it is being burned along with the fuel. This may be due to natural deterioration or a faulty part.

What common faults could cause blue smoke? ›

Blue smoke from the exhaust: Oil is being burned. There are a number of potential causes, with the more severe being worn valve seals, piston rings or turbochargers. Grey smoke from the exhaust: This could be excess oil, a PCV valve failure or a transmission fluid leak on automatic cars.

Can you drive with blue smoke from exhaust? ›

Blue smoke from a car exhaust is generally a bad sign, and the cause of it will need to be repaired as soon as possible. It's either a problem to do with the oil, or internal engine components.

Can spark plugs cause blue smoke? ›

On the other hand, if blue smoke happens during deceleration, you are usually looking at a cylinder head valve guide issue. Other signs that your oil is leaking into your fuel and burning are misfiring spark plugs and rough vibrations while idling, but the blue smoke is an unmistakable, tell-tale sign of this issue.

How do I stop my engine from smoking? ›

Car Maintenance : How to Make a Motor Stop Blowing Smoke - YouTube

Can faulty injectors cause blue smoke? ›

This can be caused by worn/leaking injectors or restrictions in the air intake system. Blue smoke is normally the result of engine oil entering & burning inside the combustion chamber. This is most often caused by low compression, or worn piston rings.

Can low oil cause blue smoke? ›

Oil leaking into the cylinders can cause a rough idle, misfire and fouled spark plugs. In addition, a reduction in power and oil loss can be indicators that the blue exhaust smoke is caused by an internal engine oil leak.

What happens if you put too much oil in your car? ›

When too much oil is added, the level in the oil pan becomes too high. That allows a fast-moving lobed rod called the crankshaft to come into contact with the oil and essentially aerate it. The result is a foamy, frothy substance that cannot properly lubricate the engine.

Why does my car smoke when I accelerate hard? ›

Smoke often leaves car engines as a result of overheating. This can be caused by faulty wire casings, heated residues on the engine block and overheated liquids including oil, transmission fluid and brake fluid. There may also be a fault in your coolant system, or your engine may not have enough lubricant.

Can o2 sensors cause blue smoke? ›

Blue Smoke From Tailpipe - YouTube

Will a blown head gasket cause blue smoke? ›

Blue Exhaust smoke & White Material in Your Oil

If your car looks like a rocket ship with blue smoke streaming out of your exhaust, chances are this is a head gasket problem. Oil is probably leaking into the cylinders and burning there.

Can low oil cause smoke exhaust? ›

So Can Low Oil Cause White Smoke? A. No, it cannot. Unrelated to the fluid's level, if oil does make it into the combustion chamber, you could see blue-tinted smoke coming from your exhaust.

Will too much oil cause smoke? ›

The symptoms of too much car oil

If it is overfilled, the following may occur: Dense white smoke – If you drive your car and see plenty of thick, white exhaust smoke, excess oil may be burning within the engine block, although fluids such as antifreeze may also be the culprit.

Will a bad valve cause smoke? ›

In a faulty valve seal situation, when you begin to accelerate again, this oil can end up getting sucked past the seal an into the valve guide. This causes more of this blueish smoke, due to the burning of oil, to come out the tailpipe.

Can oil on spark plugs cause smoke? ›

While coolant in your compression chamber is what most people associate with a blown head gasket, another fluid that could be leaking is oil. When that happens, it's common for oil to get into the combustion chamber. You'll notice excessive smoke, and there will be some oil on the tip of your spark plugs.

Can spark plugs cause smoke? ›

Can faulty spark plugs make your car blow white smoke out of the exhaust? Yes, they can.. Craig Nicol has it right.. Unburned fuel entering the exhaust can light off in the catalytic converter resulting in white, extremely acrid smoke..

Will a loose spark plug cause smoke? ›

That said, a loose spark plug isn't one of the things that comes to mind when grey (burnt oil) smoke comes out the exhaust. The usual culprits for that are flooded/leaky turbos, bad valve guides/seals, and bad rings.

What is the best product to stop an engine from smoking? ›

JLM Stop Smoke Oil Treatment is the best engine stop smoke additive around. Our stop smoke oil simply reduces smoke from the exhaust caused by burnt oil.

How do you install Blue Devil stop smoke and engine repair? ›

How to Install BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak - YouTube

How do you use Blue Devil stop smoke and engine repair? ›

Why is My Exhaust Smoke White? | BlueDevil Products - YouTube

Can overfilling oil cause blue smoke? ›

In the case of bluish white smoke, the sump may have been overfilled with oil, and the excess oil is being dragged up the cylinder wall and into the combustion chamber by the overpressurizing of the crankcase.

Can low oil cause blue smoke? ›

Oil leaking into the cylinders can cause a rough idle, misfire and fouled spark plugs. In addition, a reduction in power and oil loss can be indicators that the blue exhaust smoke is caused by an internal engine oil leak.

Can o2 sensors cause blue smoke? ›

Blue Smoke From Tailpipe - YouTube

Will a blown head gasket cause blue smoke? ›

Blue Exhaust smoke & White Material in Your Oil

If your car looks like a rocket ship with blue smoke streaming out of your exhaust, chances are this is a head gasket problem. Oil is probably leaking into the cylinders and burning there.

What happens if you put too much oil in your engine? ›

Engine damage – Too much lubricant in the system can cause pressure on the crankshaft to increase. This can result in oil entering the crankshaft exhaust pipe, running through into the combustion chamber, blocking the suction hose with oil soot and potentially leading to engine overload.

What does blue smoke indicate? ›

What Does Blue Smoke Mean? Blue smoke means oil has mixed with your gas in the combustion cycle, and that oil is being burned up and sent out your exhaust pipe with the rest of the partially burned fuel.

How do you know if you have too much oil in your engine? ›

Overfill Engine oil symptoms
  1. The smell of burning engine oil. ...
  2. Oil puddle underneath your vehicle. ...
  3. High oil pressure. ...
  4. Engine misfire, Rough Idling, and stalling. ...
  5. Fluctuating Oil gauge. ...
  6. Overheating Engine. ...
  7. Noisy Driving. ...
  8. Poor acceleration or weak acceleration.
12 Jun 2022

Why does my car smoke when I accelerate? ›

Smoke often leaves car engines as a result of overheating. This can be caused by faulty wire casings, heated residues on the engine block and overheated liquids including oil, transmission fluid and brake fluid. There may also be a fault in your coolant system, or your engine may not have enough lubricant.

Can faulty injectors cause blue smoke? ›

This can be caused by worn/leaking injectors or restrictions in the air intake system. Blue smoke is normally the result of engine oil entering & burning inside the combustion chamber. This is most often caused by low compression, or worn piston rings.

Will a bad valve cause smoke? ›

In a faulty valve seal situation, when you begin to accelerate again, this oil can end up getting sucked past the seal an into the valve guide. This causes more of this blueish smoke, due to the burning of oil, to come out the tailpipe.

Does a bad oxygen sensor make your car smoke? ›

If a bad oxygen sensor disrupts the air to fuel ratio mixture, or too much fuel is injected into the engine, your vehicle's gas mileage will be reduced. This excess fuel in the engine can produce a sulfuric, rotten egg smell, and may even produce black smoke from the exhaust.

Will a bad o2 sensor cause smoke? ›

Another symptom of failing oxygen sensors is black smoke production at the exhaust because of the low fuel economy. Always keep tabs on the amount of fuel you fill at the station and its consumption rate to notice whenever your oxygen sensor has problems.

Can a blocked EGR cause smoke? ›

Dirty EGR valve. The EGR helps to re-circulate the engine emission by returning them to the combustion chamber and not sending them directly to the exhaust emission system. The carbon chucks could clog your EGR valve, which will result in loss of power, fuel inefficiency and emission of black smoke from your exhaust.

How do you know if you have a blown head gasket? ›

Bad head gasket symptoms
  1. White smoke coming from the tailpipe.
  2. BUBBLING IN THE RADIATOR AND COOLANT RESERVOIR.
  3. unexplained coolant loss with no leaks.
  4. Milky white coloration in the oil.
  5. Engine overheating.

Can low oil cause smoke exhaust? ›

So Can Low Oil Cause White Smoke? A. No, it cannot. Unrelated to the fluid's level, if oil does make it into the combustion chamber, you could see blue-tinted smoke coming from your exhaust.

How long does K Seal take to work? ›

Run your engine for 20 minutes (since it takes longer through the overflow tank). It'll take 5 minutes for your engine to reach operating temperature. After that 5 minute mark, run your heat with the A/C on full go for 10 minutes (if it's getting too hot in there, you can always step outside.

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