Clouds of smoke emitted from a vehicle exhaust system are critical in determining the engine's health.
The colour of the exhaust sends different messages to motorists prompting them to take different diagnostic measures to preserve the engine's health.
Popular smokes emitted by vehicles range from black, blue, white and grey exhausts.
Black Smoke
According to Road Sense Kenya, a non-profit organisation championing road safety, black smoke indicates the engine is not burning all fuel in the air-fuel mixture.
This car problem is caused by clogged air filters, dirty fuel injectors or a faulty exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system.
Motorists are advised to seek immediate intervention as the smoke irritates motorists and other road users and poses a danger to the general car's health.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) can a declare a car unroadworthy for prolonged emission of the black smoke, affecting other road users' visibility.
Blue Smoke
Blue smoke shows that engine oil is getting burned off. This is majorly caused by worn out or damaged piston rings which allow oil to enter the combustion chamber.
The oil entering the damaged piston rings then creates a blue tinge. This problem is noticeable during ignition but disappears after the engine warms up.
However, motorists are advised to visit repairers to replace the damaged piston rings.
White Smoke
A leaking coolant line makes a vehicle emit a cloud of white smoke. A blown head gasket would also lead to this problem in cars. This can damage the engine and lead to costly repairs.
Other possible causes of white smoke include a clogged catalytic converter, a leaking fuel injector, or a failing water pump.
Ignoring the white smoke would affect the engine's health and fuel use capacity.
Motorists are advised to take their cars to timely diagnostics to avoid costly repairs caused by heavy damages.
During mandatory car inspection especially involving public service vehicles (PSVs), such kind problems make vehicles to fail the test.
Grey Smoke
Grey smoke indicates that a car is running on excess oil. Besides running on excess oil, this would be a sign of a faulty Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve or worn valve seals.
Ignoring the smoke would damage the catalytic converter, which helps reduce car emissions, consequently affecting the fuel economy capabilities of a car.
