HELP!!!! My car won't start after white smoke.

Your description sounds like a blown head gasket. If you drove it while overheating, there's a possibility for a warped cylinder head too. Try this...with the engine COLD, take off the radiator cap, make sure the radiator is full and start the engine with the radiator cap off. If the coolant comes bubbling out of the cold engine, it's because some of the combustion gas is entering your cooling system, usually through the head gasket.

Hello There

White smoke when first started is normal. If white smoke continues you have an internal coolant leak, i.e., cracked head/blown head gasket.
Black smoke is caused by a rich fuel condition.
Blue smoke is caused by oil consumption.

You need to check your oil cap for yellow/white gunk on the cap if you have this then this is a sign your head gasket is cracked. Check to see if your radiator coolant level is down this is also another sign.

Hope this helps. Please don't forget to rate me.

Many Thanks

Sounds very much like a blown head gasket, could also have a cracked or warped head...

Hi Barbra:
1) I'd be suspicious of a bad head gasket with a possible leak between a cylinder and the water jacket.
If fumes smell like coolant that would be a confirming hint.
Check the oil (dipstick) and see if it has a milky colour or if there is any water visible. If the head gasket problem is only as in 1) above, it should be just oil.
- Temporary fix attempt????? - add aluminum sealant to coolant.
- Permanaent fix (expensive) - Off to the repair shop for a new head gasket.
Hope this helps.

This is a difficult one to diagnose over the internet.
It is possible you have a blown head gasket, and the "white smoke" is from water vapour.
Suggest you check your oil to see if it is milky because water is getting into the oil, and check the water to see if oil is getting into the coolant.
If you have either of these, you may need to have a new head gasket for the engine, and hopefully you do not have a cracked engine head.
This will require a fair bit of work to fix correctly. Your local garage or mechanic may be your next call.
If this is the case you can buy a coolant additive that will seal where a gasket is damaged, or even fix a cracked engine head, but it is only a temporary fix.

Hello! I agree with rsbwales... Guru....Saailer

I’m happy to help further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/david_6df67de3b14de867

You've blown a head gasket. the white smoke is from the coolant getting into the
cylinders thru the faulty head gasket. The fact that it won't run tells you that so much
coolant is getting into the cylinder(s) that the engine can't function properly.
Fix: buy a new head gasket, take the head off the engine, and replace the gasket.

Sounds to me like the head gasket is blown, but there may be sealant in the system which is making it intermittently leak antifreeze into the cylinders.

A bad cylinder head gasket will also cause a compromise in compression, which will cause a lack of power.

Time to overhaul or replace the engine's head gasket, or replace the engine with one that doesn't have a blown head gasket.

Good luck on this repair.

yes thats right. check the oil for water and the water for oil. you may not find any but still your coolant should low.

Sounds like head gasket leak into the combustion chamber or a cracked head which does the same thing.