Water in the exhaust, white smoke.

[nielshm]

It's a known fact, that the Corolla puts out a lot of white smoke if accelerated hard. 

In my 2.0 I can't see the cars in rear mirror if I really put my foot down. Some mechanics claims if the rear silencer is removed, some 500 ml of water can be drained from it.

I have never had a car that puts out smoke like the Corolla. It must be the water hitting hot parts inside the silencer, engine at high revs = heavy smoke. 

But can we risk corrosion or rust within our exhaust system? The water must be low PH value with gasses passing through. I've not changed a exhaust pipe due to corrosion the last 20 years, but can we risk it now in the years to come? 

[Gray86]

I think it’s partly down to the fact that the hybrid powertrains spend most of their life at 1500rpm so not a lot of exhaust pressure -and are very thermally efficient so don’t get as hot as conventional cars. 

it can be quite a smoke screen if you haven’t accelerated hard for a while 

will have to see about exhaust longevity as these cars get older. Not normally an issue these days as you say 

[Timh21]

Is this more of a 2.0 litre feature? Just been out in my 1.8 and for a laugh put it in Sport and floored it, didnt see anything coming out the back?

[TonyHSD]

All petrol engines that works fine does produce a lots of water from exhaust, the cleaner the work is the more moisture coming off exhaust pipe. , even though in winter times for cars that does not accelerate hard the amount of water in back silencer can change the sound of it, there were posts here before about that issue. Not something worry about rust, still new cars, once in a while can accelerate a bit faster and you will get all the water out of exhaust, there is nothing different because it’s a hybrid or new type engine, thermo efficiency and all that, it’s just a condensation. 

[TonyHSD]

36 minutes ago, Timh21 said:

Is this more of a 2.0 litre feature? Just been out in my 1.8 and for a laugh put it in Sport and floored it, didnt see anything coming out the back?

All engines, my old 1.8 is like a steam engine 💨🚙👍

[Timh21]

1 minute ago, TonyHSD said:

All engines, my old 1.8 is like a steam engine 💨🚙👍

Havent noticed any from mine as yet apart from when it first starts?

[TonyHSD]

4 minutes ago, Timh21 said:

Havent noticed any from mine as yet apart from when it first starts?

You definitely have plenty of steam too, colder temperatures and you will notice, yes usually comes when engine is cold in first start, you also drive outside town and you clear the exhaust pipes much better than if you drive in town mostly. The steam it’s not only produced by the condensation inside the pipe but as result of catalytic converter doing its job properly, older cars that smells like rotten eggs almost have no steam coming out of the exhaust., oil burners too, less steam more smoke instead 🤭

[frizzbee30]

I wouldn't worry too much about corrosion,  a stainless exhaust is probably going to outlive the car.

We have just scrapped a 15yr old diesel touran,  a section of the exhaust had fallen off, as a result of the brackets etc corroding through, combined with vibration,  wear and so on,the remaining front and aft sections still looked like new. 😉

[Timh21]

Cant remember the last time I had an exhaust replaced, might have been my Dads old Volvo 245 that I inherited when he departed back in the 90's, back floor fell out too in the end☹️

[Gerg]

In addition to all the above, if I remember correctly, the 2 litre Corolla has a petrol particulate filter (PPF), not least because of its part-time direct injection fuel system produces more particulates than a port injection system does.  I would imagine this takes some heat out of the exhaust gas, so perhaps it is condensing more in the exhaust system than earlier engines would on account of this?

The rotting of exhaust systems from the inside is less of an issue since leaded fuel was phased out (when catalytic converters were coming in), the leaded fuel carried an acid-scavenger that was necessary to prevent excessive lead deposits - this could rot the exhaust insides on shorter journeys.  Also, there is a widespread adoption of stainless steel, albeit of the cheapest, lowest grade (409 grade?) in exhaust manufacture of more recent times.  It doesn't seem to have stopped the rusting out of welded joints and brackets though.  And it is only rust-resistant, not rust-proof!

 

[AKLZ]

I’ve never noticed this, not even once (2.0L Excel TS)

Are you sure there’s not another cause? Too much oil? Something else?

[TonyHSD]

3 hours ago, AKLZ said:

I’ve never noticed this, not even once (2.0L Excel TS)

Are you sure there’s not another cause? Too much oil? Something else?

I am positive, the steam coming from exhaust it’s very different when caused of the mentioned reason and when it’s caused by the engine failure, head gasket will have pure white smoke and sweet smell, oil burning will have blue colour and strong rubber burning smell, black smoke with smell of unburnt fuel is another story too. Now you know to look for it will definitely notice if you start the car in cold days. Hybrids especially are like steam engines. 💨💨💨💨💨😂🚘

[Timmon]

I notice it mainly on cold days and when in traffic, with the engine firing up.  Clouds of white smoke. Not noticed it at other times, but it is probably not so visible to me when I am  moving at speed.

[Platy2]

Same in my 2.0 TS - lots of white smoke when flooring it. Both summer and winter. In my old Prius I had the cat. converter, silencer etc. replaced due to corrosion. It was incredibly expensive (authorized Toyota garage).

 

[Richo]

On 2/21/2021 at 3:20 AM, nielshm said:

It's a known fact, that the Corolla puts out a lot of white smoke if accelerated hard. 

In my 2.0 I can't see the cars in rear mirror if I really put my foot down. Some mechanics claims if the rear silencer is removed, some 500 ml of water can be drained from it.

I have never had a car that puts out smoke like the Corolla. It must be the water hitting hot parts inside the silencer, engine at high revs = heavy smoke. 

But can we risk corrosion or rust within our exhaust system? The water must be low PH value with gasses passing through. I've not changed a exhaust pipe due to corrosion the last 20 years, but can we risk it now in the years to come? 

If there’s water coming out of the exhaust and lots of white smoke (probably mostly steam) could be a head gasket gone, or possibly a small crack in the block. 
 

do you have to keep topping up the radiator and/or expansion tank with water/coolant?

[Richo]

On 2/21/2021 at 9:13 AM, TonyHSD said:

All engines, my old 1.8 is like a steam engine 💨🚙👍

My 2004 avensis 2.0 you left that running for 10 minuets moved the car and you could go for a swim where it’s been parked by god best move I’ve ever made was getting rid of that car, I used to make bets with my cousin to see if we could hit 30 mpg in the last mile before home then over time it became could we get 25 then by the time it was can we get 16 I said to hell with this. 

[TonyHSD]

1 hour ago, Richo said:

My 2004 avensis 2.0 you left that running for 10 minuets moved the car and you could go for a swim where it’s been parked by god best move I’ve ever made was getting rid of that car, I used to make bets with my cousin to see if we could hit 30 mpg in the last mile before home then over time it became could we get 25 then by the time it was can we get 16 I said to hell with this. 

We are talking about new cars, but even old ones that steam out a lot does not mean problems, even opposite. When consume coolant the white is different and smells sweet like and obviously you will need to top up coolant. Petrol engines if they work fine they have to steam a lot when is cold outside. Just watch all Priuses in big cities how they do it, fairly new cars 👍

[Richo]

17 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

We are talking about new cars, but even old ones that steam out a lot does not mean problems, even opposite. When consume coolant the white is different and smells sweet like and obviously you will need to top up coolant. Petrol engines if they work fine they have to steam a lot when is cold outside. Just watch all Priuses in big cities how they do it, fairly new cars 👍

I know you are, I’m using the avensis as an example, I don’t remember it smelling sweet it smelled distinctive anyroad, just because it’s new doesn’t mean it can’t happen as I’m sure you’ll know. 
 

aye it’s when the thing is steaming a lot on a mild day and the engine and exhaust is hot then u think, hmmm I wonder 😂 I can remember the first time I drove that avensis and it was the bigges5 disappointment I’d had, no torque it got peak torque at 6k rpm and it was a screamer, my Ford anglia has more go about it 😂😂

Anyway, my gran got a Mercedes Benz slk280 and the water pump seized at 7,650 miles, for no fault of us it was maintained superb. It was a defective part. But I agree new cars don’t usually have head gaskets go but still possible like 

[Gray86]

Mine is brand new, and all fluids are full & clean. LOADS of white smoke when opening it up after a long period of gentle driving.  I did think it was GPF regeneration at first 

[TonyHSD]

Agreed, defective parts or manufacture defects are normal in any products no argument here 👍,  my point is only that water from exhaust is normal occurrence and a good sign most of the time not bad , even in a hot day when first start a car will produce some tiny bit of water however we are no able to see it unless you look at the exhaust pipe end. Japanese cars are steam engines not because of head gaskets but because are cleaner than many other cars. Mitsubishi colt 1.1 2005-2012 ultra steamer, even in winter changes its sounds because exhaust is full of water. Bmw diesels I have seen exhaust full of water but so clean looks like drinking one. When head gasket gone there are similar vapour coming from exhaust all the time, bubbles in coolant reservoir, excess pressure in cooling system, hoses swelling etc, smell of sweetness, loose of coolant in reservoir, misfire. In these cars here new Corolla it’s all about product left from petrol burning cleaned through the catalytic converter = water vapour. I had new Priuses before and they were proper steamers. 😂💨👍

[TonyHSD]

Forgot to mention MOT testers usually force the car engines high rpm few times before take them into the garage to clean soot in dirty and water in clean cars exhaust, and that was the answer from him why is he doing that. He said your car is full of water and I won’t be able to do emissions test and will fail you and was laughing. 

[Timh21]

After 2000 miles now I am yet to see this steam you talk about. Have they changed something on the 21 cars?

[TonyHSD]

13 minutes ago, Timh21 said:

After 2000 miles now I am yet to see this steam you talk about. Have they changed something on the 21 cars?

You don’t see it like on old banger or two strokes engine 😂, when you start the car in the morning just go immediately to the rear and stay and watch for the first few minutes and you will notice easily, have you never noticed that on other cars on the road, if you know lorries are the worst, my office next to the largest lorry services in uk and very often we go out together with track drivers 5:00 in the morning all vehicles cold and on the motorway, lorries are creating so much steam that you literally can’t see anything ahead until you overtake them, like driving in thick fog. , that’s the steam, water in exhaust pipes , no engine problems or anything. 👍 

[TonyHSD]

Ok, I made some videos today on my car, cold start air temperature around 4C°, car hasn’t been used for two days. First clip is from initial start and 1 min of running, then I waited for two minutes and then another 2 minutes. You can compare with your cars. Thanks for watching. 
 

 

[Timh21]

9 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

You don’t see it like on old banger or two strokes engine 😂, when you start the car in the morning just go immediately to the rear and stay and watch for the first few minutes and you will notice easily, have you never noticed that on other cars on the road, if you know lorries are the worst, my office next to the largest lorry services in uk and very often we go out together with track drivers 5:00 in the morning all vehicles cold and on the motorway, lorries are creating so much steam that you literally can’t see anything ahead until you overtake them, like driving in thick fog. , that’s the steam, water in exhaust pipes , no engine problems or anything. 👍 

Ah, yes, I see that first thing, but thats no different to any of my previous cars. You guys above are talking about in normal driving once warmed up you put your foot down and you cant see out the back window?