Help! Smoking!

[BELLE007]

MY 91' TOYOTA CAMRY JUST STARTED SMOKING...WE HAD THE WATER PUMP REPLACED A WHILE BACK AND ALL WAS WELL FOR A WHILE THEN THE CAR STARTED GETTING HOT AGAIN, AND NOW ITS SMOKING? BUT I DONT KNOW WHY! HELP!

[RIP]

It's either coolant or oil.

Coolant = thicker white smoke/vapor. Coolant level going down. Will likely see oil (black dots, heavy rainbow) in the coolant recovery bottle or top of radiator when you remove the cap. (probably the case since you're getting hot again)

Oil = Smoke has bluish tint and tends to stay visible ie, doesn't dissappear quickly like water vapor. Oil level going down. Oil in the coolant. Definate oily smell to the smoke.

Best case = you have an oil leak and it's dripping on the exhaust or it only happens during warm up indicating worn valve guide seals.

Worst case = Coolant leaking past the head gasket and into the cylinders or worn rings/cylinder walls letting too much oil in the cylinders.

What to do? >Look for clues above then drain the oil and look for milky whitish streaks or overall milky look. Indicates coolant in the oil. >A cylinder compression check could reveal troubles. Don't drive the car except to a repair shop. Coolant is a lousy lubricant. Continued driving will trash the engine.

[AccordCodger]

Now wait - smoking from where? (and please don't post in all caps - IT'S LIKE SHOUTING!!)

[BELLE007]

Thanks very much! very useful info ..i read somewhere about oil leaking on the exhaust but still wasnt sure....what are rings? some one told me it could be my rings...

[BELLE007]

It is smoking from the muffler but only when i am on the freeway when i got off the freeway it didnt smoke anymore...and when i opened the hood it was coming from somewhere underneath the alternator

[RIP]

One set of three or more rings are installed in each cylinder. They help seal the cylinder, aid compression and help distribute lubricating oil throughout the cylinder. For a more detailed explanation read this: http://www.totalseal.com/howdoo.html

If as you say "the smoke is coming out the muffler" and I'll derive the tailpipe at the back of the car from that, then there is an internal failure within the engine and the possibilities are as stated in my first post. However, seeing smoke rise from beneath the alternator indicates an oil leak through a failed seal dripping on something hot and creating smoke. Your best bet is to take the car to an auto shop and have some trained eyes look at it. They will give you more specific info than we can from hundreds of miles away.

[BELLE007]

Thank you again and yes i think i am going to take it to a mechanic. thank for all the info it was still very good to know a little bit about the problem

[RIP]

Good move. Please come back and let us know what they say.