White smoke

[B.K.]

After washing my car today there was a plume of white smoke that came out after the start up. It was not the first start up after the washing but the second one, so I doubt it has something to do with water. It was the first time I saw smoke coming out of the car and I'm a bit worried. It seemed to me it was coming only from the right hand exhaust but I could be wrong. When I got out of the car to check it already almost stopped smoking. When listening to the engine I heard some clunking noise, like some piece of metal would be off. The noise was not loud though. Any ideas?

[Davey_Dee]

I'd recommend reading this thread Massive Engine Failure In My R8

Not sure how much help it will be to you but its all i can find...you should contact your dealer and talk to them about it.

[willyjp]

After washing my car today there was a plume of white smoke that came out after the start up. It was not the first start up after the washing but the second one, so I doubt it has something to do with water. It was the first time I saw smoke coming out of the car and I'm a bit worried. It seemed to me it was coming only from the right hand exhaust but I could be wrong. When I got out of the car to check it already almost stopped smoking. When listening to the engine I heard some clunking noise, like some piece of metal would be off. The noise was not loud though. Any ideas?

important distinction would be nature of the "smoke": was it truly smoke, thick and maybe a little blue or oily? if so, for some reason you got some oil in a cylinder or cylinders on the right bank (a drop from a valve guide or something, shouldn't happen but occasionally does)....

but if it was a one time thing and doesn't repeat, I wouldn't necessarily worry....though abnormal noises are a different matter; persistent noises or smoke should be promptly checked out

the second start thing is a little unusual: R8's HAVE been reported by some to emit a little oil smoke on initial start-up after sitting for some time...dripping from the valves the likely cause of that

but if it was pure white, thin and quick to disapate, it was probably steam from some water that got up into the exhaust system somewhere....if you started briefly, it may not have gotten hot enough to vaporize, but the second time you started, it got to a higher temp and vaporized a little bit of water standing in there somewhere

just my thoughts on the spur of the moment

[R8 England]

It is normal, a lot of us have had white smoke (NOT steam) on NEW cars. It will gradually disappear over the first few thousand miles/km.

I did ask the factory during a recent production line tour about this. They said it was sealants and lubricants on (in ?) the engine and joints from manufacture. Excess material gradually vaporises as the engine is used.

Nothing to worry about. It should stop when the engine has been running for a few minutes.

[swansailor]

It is normal, a lot of us have had white smoke (NOT steam) on NEW cars. It will gradually disappear over the first few thousand miles/km.

I did ask the factory during a recent production line tour about this. They said it was sealants and lubricants on (in ?) the engine and joints from manufacture. Excess material gradually vaporises as the engine is used.

Nothing to worry about. It should stop when the engine has been running for a few minutes.

I experience a similar white smoke effect once when my R8 was very new.

[B.K.]

Thanks for your thoughts. It didn't happen again so it's probably nothing. The car is not that new anymore, 10k km on the clock. It was not steam, but smoke for sure. It could be that oil got in the right bank of cylinders because the car was a bit inclined to the right side if that matters. Will not call the dealer for now... I think I can find more answers on this forum

[mngolfer]

My car has not been driven for two weeks. I started it today and I had the same white smoke as when it was new. It only lasted one minute. I have ~4700 miles on the car. It surprised me, but did not concern me.

[ianerrid]

two weeks without driving my R8 = hell!!!!

[mngolfer]

Amen. I was on a 5,000 mile drive in my A8L across IO, MO, KS, OK, TX, back to OK, AR, TN, KY, GA, FL, back to GA, AL, LA, TN, KY, IL, WI and finally home to MN. Can you say sore butt? I had to stop in too many places between large cities to fly. :0( I think this is my last long journey driving. I hope this trip was as good for sales as I think.

When I got home the first thing I did was take the R8 for a ride. I was going through withdrawal. )