White Smoke Mystery After Highway Pull

[Diegosuave]

I have a 2016 Mustang GT auto Non-PP with suspension upgrades and a new FRPP by Borla Touring axle-back but no power upgrades. During a highway pull, I noticed white smoke under the hood after exiting the freeway. Thankfully, there was no fire, just smoke. I initially thought it was oil dripping onto the exhaust as I had prior issues with a cracked head gaskets, but this time there was no signs of that. Then I assumed it might be the oils from the detail dressing I used on the engine bay. After parking, I noticed some liquid near the radiator, but nothing was dripping. I took pictures and plan to visit my mechanic this weekend. I’d appreciate any insights from the community. Thank you!

Sponsored

 

[ORRadtech]

Did the smoke have any odor?

 

[MiamiGT350]

Was it smoke or steam? Any chance the water came from your radiator reservoir cap?

 

[Diegosuave]

Did the smoke have any odor?

Thank you for response. Yes there was an ordor of almost sweet or rubbery smell.

 

[Diegosuave]

Was it smoke or steam? Any chance the water came from your radiator reservoir cap?

There was more steam than smoke. The radiator reservoir cap was dry, and the coolant levels were below minimum. Thanks for helping me diagnose the issue.

 

[robvas]

Pressure test the cooling system and see if it leaks

 

[Goterr0r]

Manual or Auto? Do you know what burnt clutch smells like? Once you smell it once, you know....

 

[Diegosuave]

Manual or Auto? Do you know what burnt clutch smells like? Once you smell it once, you know....

It’s an auto. I forgot to include that in the original post, but I have updated it. Thanks for your help.

 

[526 HRSE]

I have a 2016 Mustang GT auto Non-PP with suspension upgrades and a new FRPP by Borla Touring axle-back but no power upgrades. During a highway pull, I noticed white smoke under the hood after exiting the freeway. Thankfully, there was no fire, just smoke. I've had issues with a cracked head gasket before but found no signs of oil. I initially thought it might be from the detailing dressing I used on the engine bay. After parking, I noticed some liquid near the radiator, but nothing was dripping. I took pictures and plan to visit my mechanic this weekend. I’d appreciate any insights from the community. Thank you!

You had issues with a cracked head gasket but found no oil? Head gasket works for both water and oil. Check your oil for bubbles after running the car for a few.

 

[ORRadtech]

Thank you for response. Yes there was an ordor of almost sweet or rubbery smell.

Pressure test the cooling system and see if it leaks

Coolant has a sweet smell in smoke/steam.
Pressure testing the coolant system will tell you if you have a leak but may not show where. If you've had head gasket problems in the past you might try one of the exhaust gas testers for coolant systems.

 

[Paddles]

How's the water pump look? Any wierd sounds while it runs?

 

[ice445]

I'm sure it's just a minor coolant leak

 

[coffeehound]

Coolant has a sweet smell in smoke/steam.

This was my thought as well.

 

[Aonarch]

Thank you for response. Yes there was an ordor of almost sweet or rubbery smell.

That is coolant.

Inspect coolant system, look for leaks. Pressurize system. Add UV dye if you can't find it. Worst case perform a leak down test of heads.

 

[Diegosuave]

I topped off the coolant slightly above the minimum and drove home without issues; temperatures stayed consistent and I didn't notice any leaks. I inspected the water pump and found signs of dried liquid, but I'm unsure if it's from the weeping hole or splashing. I had a grinding noise at startup for a couple of months, but it has recently gone away(see video at 10sec mark). I suspect it might be a bad water pump or a coolant leak. I have an appointment with my mechanic this morning . My odometer is at 116k, and since I haven't had premature failure, I'm leaning towards an OEM water pump replacement. Also should I replace the thermostat whole it’s at it? I haven’t had any over heating issues. Any thoughts?

Sponsored