is it normal to see lots of condensation smoke from the exhaust?
 

i've noticed that my 97 E420 produces a ton of white smoke from the exhaust pipes. when i'm driving and look in the rearview mirror, it's quite a scene!! i look around and none of the other cars on the road are like this.

my car is not burning any oil or having bad gas mileage. is this normal for a mercedes engine..? it's been really cold around here, could that be the cause?

it should be about like other vehicles with a similar sized engine.

too much could be the sign of a head gasket leak or cracked head.

i would monitor the water level and check for oil there. also i would look for water in the oil.

tom w

No its not normal. You may get a small amount in the morning, thats condensation, but it should clear after a minute or two.

You have a problem that requires investigation.

thanks guys, i took some time this morning to carefully observe what's going on with my car, and it was nothing to worry about. same amount as other cars on the road. i was too paranoid or something!

If you blow a head gasket, you will know it. I did, on my previous car, and did not even realize it at the time.

I left a car wash, which took a long time and made the engine hot. After a short while in traffic, I was suddenly envoloped in a cloud of white smoke. It was like a cloaking device.

Because the car had been sitting for three weeks while I was travelling, and because I had added a fuel additive, I assumed I was buring off some additives & contamination and ignored it. The smoke -- steam actually -- diminished after a while, and was gone by the following day, and I drove the car for 5 years without realizing the gasket had blown. (I was, however, always curious about the bit of steam that would come from my oil fill cap, and the peculiar, slow disappearance of coolant).

Evidently, they can partially reseal themselves after the initial gasket blow-out, but not totally.

Ha, ha, ....have you ever observed condensation coming out of the tailpipe when the temperature is well below freezing?
ProV1 lives in Michigan and I know it can get stinking cold there.
But not quite as cold as it does here. ;)
Two weeks ago, daytime high temperature - 31 degrees.
You could hardly see the other cars around you for condensation " fog ".

Yup, kinda like this picture at -40?

Smell the exhaust, by cupping your hand and then pull a handful of exhaust to your nose. Do not stick your face into the exhaust. If you smell antifreeze, you have blown the head gasket.

Bloody hell. I take it back! The coldest weather we've had so far is about -1'C!

You're not the only one that's paranoid ProV1. I was noticing the same thing - tons of white smoke from me and not much from anybody else. Then I started to think about it - the engine in my 420sel is probably 50-100% bigger than most cars around me so if I was to double their exhaust output they would be pumping out the same as me.:idea2: Hope I'm right

Well, it does not get all that cold here either, as the coldest "average" winter lows are in the 20s, but we can occasionally drop into the 10s during an "artic" blast. I have noticed however that my Mercedes seems to put out more "steam" when its cold than say, my older cars. Some cars seem to "steam" more than others when cold. I think alot has to do with how well the exhaust system is "sealed", or how many mufflers are incorporated into the system. I guess some systems holds in more moisture than others. Alot also has to do with the outside humidity.

My dads work truck- 88' Nissan steams almost constantly when it is below 40° outside when it idles, but there are no HG issues..... it has done that since 1988 when it was brand new. I have noticed that alot of Ford Motor Company cars (especially the full-size cars of the 90s) tend to steam alot when it is below 40°, even after the engine warms.

If your car steams constantly even after the engine warms up, then there may be cause for concern, but I doubt it.... like someone said, you would have known by now.

Just pretend you're Thomas the Tank Engine and enjoy it
 

You can even put in a Thomas CD to set the mood.:idea2:

-17 F here today! and i washed my car and cleaned the driveway this morning. :laugh2:

Well, it is supposed to be 15° here in the morning.... about 11° BELOW average..... I will really see the steam in the morning. :P