White smoke when it's cold and rainy

Nissan 300ZX technical discussion forum: Maintenance, performance, installations, modifications, how-to's and troubleshooting.
Z32inJapan
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 4:36 am
Car: 1989 Nissan 300zx TT

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Ok, I have a 1989 Fairlady Z TT. During the summer if I cranked it and let it sit for a while at idle it would start smoking from the exhaust but go away once I started driving and not come back. Even once I parked and let it idle it was fine. Now it's rainy season in Japan and it's gotten pretty cold so it's started smoking at start up and while I'm driving pretty bad. It was finally sunny yesterday and it didn't do it nearly as bad and once I drove it, it went away for the most part. It smells like normal exhaust to me so I'm thinking just maybe some condensation from all the rain and temperature changes but I'm not sure. Any ideas? Also, some kind of fluid is leaking but I cant really tell what the smell is and if I can figure out how to post pictures I'll post them. Any help would be greatly appreciated


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PapaSmurf2k3
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Posts: 19003
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2002 3:20 pm
Car: 2017 Corvette, 2018 Focus ST, 1993 240sx truck KA Turbo.
Location: Merrimack, NH

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It might just be steam. Steam is much more visible during cold, humid weather because it condenses faster (before the humid air from the exhaust can dissipate), and especially when the humidity is already high.

You might have some water in the tank or something too... maybe run some ethanol/methanol/dry gas additive.
Check your coolant level too, just to make sure it isn't leaking at all.

Welcome to NICO! Let us know how you make out.


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