Dear Tom and Ray:

I own a 1985 Honda Accord five speed with 132,000 miles. I change the oil every 3,000 miles and monitor all other vital fluids. The car gets good gas mileage and runs fairly well, but I have a problem with white smoke that comes out of the tailpipe when I start the car, and when I accelerate after idling in traffic. I've had the engine looked at, but no one seems to have a clue. Any ideas? Jim

Tom: Well, Jim, a good mechanic can often diagnose a problem simply by looking at the color of the exhaust that comes out of the tailpipe. For instance, black smoke means that the fuel/air mixture is too rich.

Ray: Blue smoke, on the other hand, means that oil is getting burned in at least one of the cylinders.

Tom: And white smoke generally means that a new pope has been elected.

Ray: Actually, Jim, white smoke means that coolant is getting into one of the combustion chambers. The white smoke you see is vaporized antifreeze coming out the tailpipe. And antifreeze is probably getting into the combustion chamber because you have a cracked head gasket.

Tom: A new head gasket is going to cost you about $400 bucks. So if you don't mind spending $400 bucks on a car with 132,000 miles on it, go ahead and do it. But on the other hand, if you're not losing very much coolant, another option is to just keep driving. Just make sure you keep an eye on the coolant level, and don't let it run out. That's what I would do.

Ray: That's what we're doing with my brother, too. He's got high mileage and he's falling apart. So we just keep giving him plenty of fluids, and an occasional jump start in the morning.

It's amazing how many bad driving habits and wacko theories have been passed down from generation to generation! Tom and Ray set the record straight in their booklet "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1992 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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