Quick question to all who know about audi a3 2.0tdi quattro s line- I am considering purchasing this vehicle but am a bit concerned about white smoke coming from rear of the engine. The a3 has done 53,000, has a full audi dealer service history. (Last service 4000 miles ago) I have taken it for a test drive and everything seems fine, I have the air con a blast to make sure it was working and had a mosey round the engine. When I returned off a 6/8 mile drive there was a small amount of white smoke coming from what seemed to be the rear of the engine- the dealer mentioned that it could be the air con, but I have looked online and it could be something worse. That garage has stated that they will look at the issue before any potential sale. The car is in mint condition elsewhere, from a reputable garage. Just wondering if anyone on here has any advice/comments? Anything appreciated.
White smoke from rear of engine
- Thread starter Iwanjay
- Start date
No leaks that I could see, but admittedly it wasn't a thorough look- engine temp was stable also-
Artimus
Shortback
White smoke is usually burning coolant (or maybe air con fluid)! So it could be a heater hose leaking onto the exhaust, a cracked head, head gasket failure or an air con system leak.
I'd be very careful if I were you.
I'd be very careful if I were you.
Behind the engine is th egr cooler which is known to crack and leak. Usually the coolant goes into the exaust and you can see the white smoke behind the car.
Also, the pipe between the exaust manifold and the cooler has a flexible part in the middle which also may leak ehaust gases but in this case the smoke would be blue.
Give the car another run and check it properly with a flashlight or something to be sure where the smok comes from.
A new cooler from store is expensive but I saw a lot at brakers quite cheap, without warranty though.
Also, the pipe between the exaust manifold and the cooler has a flexible part in the middle which also may leak ehaust gases but in this case the smoke would be blue.
Give the car another run and check it properly with a flashlight or something to be sure where the smok comes from.
A new cooler from store is expensive but I saw a lot at brakers quite cheap, without warranty though.
Thanks for all your help- much appreciated- in terms of a decent inspection , if I was looking for damaged head gasket then typical problem is gunk under oil filler cap am I right? Leaking coolant hoses would show as water marks on the floor underneath vehicle? I'm hoping it is just a hose because the rest of the car is mint- would this sort of thing be covered under a garage warranty if it did cause issues later on? Is there anything else I should be looking for? Any other signs that might help diagnose issue if it is serious?
I doubt that it is a hose. In order to see the white smoke it would have to leak a lot. You would immediately see the low coolant level.
Otherwise, yes, check the oil cap, oil level, coolant level and coolant itself for oil or debris.
Regarding warranty... ask the seller.
Otherwise, yes, check the oil cap, oil level, coolant level and coolant itself for oil or debris.
Regarding warranty... ask the seller.
