Smoke

[Annivette]

Does white smoke from the exhaust mean its running too rich or too lean? Is that even the problem?

 

[ArkShark]

Isn't white smoke water, blue smoke fuel and black smoke oil?

Are you going through a lot of antifreeze or oil?

Fill everything up, and whatever you keep having to add, thats probably whats leaking.

 

[AKRAY4PLAY]

white smoke is water, blue is oil, and black is fuel. sometimes if you're running a little rich and the motor is cool, you will create water in the exhaust from the combustion process. this water steams off and you get white smoke. it usually goes away after the exhaust system is up to temp. as mentioned, keep an eye on your fluid levels. Brian

 

[Paul T]

Does white smoke from the exhaust mean its running too rich or too lean? Is that even the problem?

If the white smoke continues after warm up and never decreases, you probably have a blown head gasket allowing coolant into the combustion chambers.

 

[goingballistic]

I ride snowmobiles and own 6 of them and this problem is common in older liquid cooled sleds. White smoke is a blown head gasket and allowing seepage of coolant into the combustion chamber. If it goes away after running there is not a LOT of coolant getting into the chamber hence the disappearance of the smoke at speed but seepage while parked allows a lot more smoke. You need to get this checked out ASAP before the whole gasket lets go.
If the head gasket is leaking externally you can check with a propane torch. simply run the open nozzle around the head gasket(s) ( don't light the torch, obvious huh?), the intake of gas into the combustion chamber will increase your idle, bingo you found your leak. If it's only internal, you'll need the head off.
Hope this helps.