85 325e white smoke help!

[NickAlero]

So coming home today my car was POURING out white smoke. There are a few catches to this, one its cold out and 2 my clutch may be on its way out. Any shot either of these are connected?


Any help is appreciated, thanks all.

Nick

[cormier]

White usually = coolant burning = head gasket. Check your fluid levels

[NickAlero]

There is no way its anything with the transmission? I'm obviously going to check fluids but I just want to make sure...

[unloadedak]

your transmission doesn't have an exhaust...

[NickAlero]

She also has a rough idle once warm. I'm starting to think head gasket since its only spits smoke when its cold and the problem goes away when the car warms up. But I'm confused as to the idle problem when the car is warm...

[jlevie]

You probably have several problems here. Dense white smoke from the exhaust that smells sweet is vaporized coolant and that means a failed head gasket or a cracked head. The rough idle could be intake leaks, misadjusted valves, tiny amounts of coolant entering a cylinder(s), aged ignition components, aged O2 sensor, fuel delivery issues, bad ICV, bad ECT, bad AFM, or even a bad DME.

Unless you are positive that the white smoke is coolant, have a shop diagnose the car before pulling the head. Once off the head needs to go to a machine shop to be checked for cracks and warp. It almost certainly will need to be surfaced and the valves should be ground and worn parts replaced.

[NickAlero]

I know for a fact it isn't the 02 Sensor (Replaced 2 months ago), but that still leaves a lot to be desired. The smoke goes away once the car warms up so I really doubt it a cracked head. How hard is a head gasket replacement?

[sofargone561]

atleast your E runs bro

[CHIF8008]

not that hard to replace head gasket if you have the tools

[JasonC]

Does the smoke have a sweet taste to it? And no i'm not joking lol.

[bme30]

Does the smoke have a sweet taste to it? And no i'm not joking lol.

+ 1.
OP, if you are not sure of the smell, just compare it to a fresh coolant scent.
Hope it smells like gas, which is better situation than a head gasket leak.

[NickAlero]

The colder it gets, the stronger the symptoms get. And it smelled HARD like gas driving home tonight.

So what should I suspect as the culprit?

[jlevie]

Long distance diagnosis is notoriously unreliable. Have a BMW shop diagnose the car and go from there.