# White smoke at low rpm

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/white-smoke-at-low-rpm/44775>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** smoke, exhaustsystems, rpm, loyale, subaru\
**Created:** [February 20, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/white-smoke-at-low-rpm/44775 "2010-02-20T02:42:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mauricecbaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@mauricecbaker](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mauricecbaker)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/white-smoke-at-low-rpm/44775/1 "2010-02-20T02:42:41Z")

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I own a 94 Subaru loyale, just recently it has begin to smoke. well its white smoke out of the exhaust pipe, but only when Im at low rpm’s for example if im in 3d gear and slowing for a speed bump or turn and my rpm’s are at 2,000 or a little lower. when I speed up it stops. in case it helps I go throw about a quart of oil every tank or two. depends on if im in the city or freeway. freeway every tank.

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**Author:** ![Diamond-Chevy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/diamond-chevy/32/1244_2.png) [@Diamond-Chevy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Diamond-Chevy)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/white-smoke-at-low-rpm/44775/2 "2010-02-20T03:01:22Z")

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I couldn’t tell you what’s causing your problem, but I can say that white smoke is usually water, not oil.

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**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/white-smoke-at-low-rpm/44775/3 "2010-02-20T03:18:51Z")

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How much coolant are you losing? White smoke is water being burnt. Blue smoke is oil, and black smoke is way too much gasoline.

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**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/white-smoke-at-low-rpm/44775/4 "2010-02-20T19:54:09Z")

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Check your coolant level. White smoke usually signals a blown head gasket.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/white-smoke-at-low-rpm/44775/5 "2010-02-20T20:10:16Z")

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Do a compression leakdown test of the cylinders. White smoke is water.

When you slow down using the engine, like for that speed bump, the vacuum in your cylinders spikes. The pistons are still trying to pull in the same amount of air as when you were cruising along, but now the path is blocked by the throttle plate. That high vacuum can pull coolant in through a breech in the headgasket and it’ll get pushed out the exhaust as vaporized water.

Until you check it out, monitor your coolant level as already recommended. Running out of coolant and overheating will only make the problem much worse.