A small amount of smoke coming from the exhaust is normal, but when the amount of smoke increases or the colors change, it’s time to think twice about your Porsche’s exhaust and service needs. Other indicators that you might initially notice is slow evaporation and an acrid smell associated with the smoke.
The key to knowing why your Porsche’s exhaust is smoking is determining the color of the smoke, which then indicates what could be wrong with your Porsche.
White Smoke
White smoke can be quite harmless, simply indicating that there is some condensation within your Porsche’s exhaust system. White smoke in this case is actually just steam. That said, white smoke can sometimes be a sign if it persists or is thicker than usual.
If you notice white smoke coming from your Porsche’s exhaust for an extended period of time or if it is a thicker smoke this could mean that your engine is burning coolant, a result of a blown head gasket, a cracked engine block or a damaged cylinder head.
We don’t need to tell you that these are serious issues – issues that should be attended to as soon as possible to avoid further damage and further costly repairs.
What you should do: After noticing some initial white smoke, keep an eye on it. If the white smoke is thin and eventually goes away, you are likely okay to keep using your car as normal. However, if the smoke is more significant and persistent, take it to an auto service shop that you trust.
Grey Smoke
Grey smoke is harder to nail down to a particular cause, unlike other shades of smoke.
Grey smoke can indicate similar issues to blue smoke are present in your Porsche. Some causes for grey smoke include:
- A faulty turbocharger
- Burning oil
- Burning automatic transmission fluid caused by a faulty transmission vacuum modulator
- Stuck PCV valve
What you should do: Keep an eye on the oil consumption levels of your vehicle. The best course of action, however, is to take your Porsche in for a detailed auto service so our team can determine what repair is necessary to get it back up and running as it should.
Black Smoke
Noticing thick black smoke coming from your exhaust?
Black smoke means that your engine is burning too much fuel, which can be caused by a few different things happening in your Porsche. As with any significant smoke coming from your exhaust, black smoke is an issue that should not be ignored.
What you should do: Check your Porsche for the following:
- Check your intake components, including the Porsche’s air-filter, sensors, fuel injectors, fuel pressure regulator.
- Check your fuel return line
- Take your Porsche in for a detailed inspection
Luckily, black smoke is one of the easier types of smoke to diagnose and fix, but you will certainly notice a decrease in fuel economy if your Porsche is emitting black smoke since it is directly tied to the burning of too much fuel.
Blue Smoke
Blue smoke is a sign that your Porsche’s engine is burning oil. The primary cause for this is that the valve guide seals or piston rings are worn out, leading your engine to leak oil into the combustion chamber of the engine, leaving much less lubricant than is necessary for all the moving parts in your engine.
If left too long, burning oil can lead to rough starts and damage to the car’s spark plugs.
What you should do: If you notice blue smoke coming from your Porsche’s exhaust, check your oil regularly and watch for consumption issues. If the issue persists, it’s best to take your Porsche in for a service, where an experienced technician can take a closer look and decide what the best solution would be.
Porsche Exhaust Service and Repair
White, grey, black or blue, the presence of abnormal smoke is a sign of neglect in many vehicles. If you often leave your auto service for a little too long or you only do the bare minimum when you take it to the shop, yu may eventually notice issues with smoke coming from your Porsche’s exhaust.
At AutoScope, we deliver industry-leading auto service and repair for European and German cars. Our focus is on Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, MINI Cooper, Bentley, Jaguar, Audi, Land Rover, and Rolls-Royce vehicles, serving countless car owners in Dallas, Plano, Frisco, Flower Mound, and Irving.
Schedule your appointment at one of our three locations today! Contact us online here.