Low coolant and oil smells like gas. No white/blue

Make sure that none of the coolant lines are connected to the engine by mistake. Whitish exhaust is usually coolant in the exhaust system. If the engine seems to be running smoothly, try running in a little to see if the smoke will clear up. Also see if the transmission has an external modulator. If it has, make sure it is not bad sucking transmission fluid into the engine.

Dense white smoke often indicates coolant in the exhaust. Check for water in the crankcase by inspecting oil on dipstick. Milky coloring indicates water. Check the coolant reservoir, or under radiator cap (wait until engine is cooled down!), for oil in cooling system. If you see evidence of either water in oil or oil in coolant, you may have a blown head gasket, or a cracked cylinder head or block.

Not knowing the age and mileage of the car my answer can only be a general one and as always if you are in any doubt get a good mechanic to look at it. Keep checking both the oil and coolant. The loss could be two separate issues.
You will need to check the smoke in a bit more detail. Does the smoke linger or does in disappear quickly? Thin smoke that disappears quickly is not something you need to worry about unless it gets worse and cold weather makes exhaust fumes more visible.
"White" smoke can actually be one of three colours. White, blue or grey. Get a helper to sit in the car and gently press the accelerator pedal steadily for 2 to 3 seconds then release. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Watch the smoke to see if has a blue or grey tint, or whether it is white. Each colour suggests a different problem. See the photo below.

Has the vehicle been overheating or losing coolant? The symptoms you describe could point towards head gasket trouble (and other faults). Often, the exhaust fumes from a car with a failing head gasket will smell 'pungent' and 'sharp'.

Check the oil on your dipstick. If there's a greyish/cream sludge - sometimes referred to as 'mayonnaise' - this points towards coolant entering the oil system via a leaking head/head gasket.

Also check your coolant - is there any evidence of engine oil in it? Although the mayonnaise on the dipstick is usually the tell-tale sign of gasket problems.

If you suspect the head/head gasket try a special sealant such as:

You don't mention what that smell is reminiscent of?

You don't mention the colour of the "smoke" and you didn't say whether the engine is petrol or diesel?

You don't mention whether the road behaviour/performance is normal?

White smoke is almost always steam or in the case of a diesel it could be an unburned fuel mist, grey/black is excess fuel and blue or grey/blue is burning oil.

Some steam is fairly normal until the engine and exhaust system is hot but excessive amounts could be one symptom of head gasket trouble. If the engine is drinking coolant and sending it through the exhaust as steam it will sometimes smell spicy.

Burning oil smells a bit like burned eggs in the frying pan.

If the car hasn't ultra-low sulphur oil and fuel the catalytic converter will convert sulphur traces into hydrogen sulphide - the bad egg gas...

Blue smoke is oil burning, white steam/smoke is coolant burning, it will be a sweet smell.
You have a choice, repair the head gasket (if there is coolant in the oil, the bottom end needs rebuilt also) which is around,$300-$1000 depends if a garage or you do it, the problem with doing a head gasket is there is no garantee, if you replace the engine with a used engine you have a 90 day/ 1 year warantee, your choice. about the same cost.

You have a bad head gasket. So far the leak is not so bad but will eventually reach the oiling openings in the gasket so watch out for that. Change them as soon as you can

Black smoke is fuel.
Blue is oil.
White is coolant / water.

Fuel is caused by timing and cold start system and requires some discussion to clarify.

Oil burning only on start is caused by failing rings on your cylinders. Oil then enters the combustion chambers and burns when you start the engine. If it continues to burn when running in particular when you accelerate it will also indicate ring/cylinder failure. It can also be from a failing head gasket where oil travels from the lubrication system into the combustion chamber. Some of the anti smoke additives available at the auto supply store do help.

I doubt you are seeing white as you say is smells like exhaust. White is coolant in the combustion chamber or exhaust system.


Hope this helps you.

You need a new heater core.

White smoke is caused by coolant or water coming out the tail pipe. There is a chance that the white smoke was caused by water splashing up from a puddle onto the exhaust pipe. Keep an eye on the coolant level in the radiator in any event. If its less then there leak coolant leak in the car engine which is causing this problem....