Q: Thick white smoke from exhaust, change thermostat, fan doesn't come on, top hose stays cold,

asked by on September 04, 2016

Thick white smoke from exhaust, change thermostat, fan doesn't come on, top hose stays cold, opened radiator cap and saw coolant get lower. some white smoke or something similar comes off the exhaust manifold pipes.. temperature gauge in car is not moving from cold. I did remove some coolant from radiator to remove the thermostat but problem was happening before I change the thermostat. any help would be great.

My car has 13100 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Smoke from engine or exhaust Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

Hello, thanks for writing in about your Geo Storm. If you are getting white smoke from the exhaust then you have a blown head gasket or cracked head. I suggest having a certified mechanic, like one from YourMechanic, diagnose the smoke firsthand by pressure testing the cooling system to see if the head gasket is blown.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Transmission gears slipping when I’m driving
The transmission on your Santa Fe has over 15 technical service bulletins (TSB) that could be the cause of your transmission issues. The first thing you should do is have YourMechanic scan the transmission computer (https://www.yourmechanic.com/book/?mktg_jid=417) for recorded codes and...
Engine RPMs drop suddenly from 2500 to 500-1500 RPM on 2013 BMW 650i
Thanks for writing in about your 2013 BMW 650i. The symptoms sound similar to a vehicle with a throttle position input error (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/throttle-position-sensor-replacement) or a major boost leak in a forced induction vehicle. To verify this, I would recommend having...
Pop Sound When Jacking Up Car
At first glance, I wouldn't assume you damage a CV joint during a tire change, however, if the tire blew out and was driven on for a while, that may have caused some damage. The clunking sound may have been...
Car tries to pull forward after coming to a stop.
Hi and thanks for your question. Check the brakes to ensure that they are adjusted and are in good condition. The brakes should be 3 times more powerful than the engine. For the engine not having any acceleration, there could...
car wont start
In this case, the problem is either the range selector which tells the transmission which gear has been selected, or the park/neutral switch, which will cut power to ignition if the selector lever is in any position other than park...
Intake valve control solenoid
Hello - these 2 components mount on each cylinder head, and are partially visible at the "nose" (accessory belt end) of the engine. They use engine oil pressure to vary cam timing relative to the static cam/crankshaft timing relationship. Here...
p0894 transmission code
Hi there: The P0894 code is an OBD-II trouble code (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/p0894-obd-ii-trouble-code-transmission-component-slipping-by-brady-klopfer) signaling a problem with the transmission component slipping. The powertrain control module (PCM) is responsible for altering the gear rations of the automatic transmission, as this helps control the...
Melting spark plug wire boots
If you have had to replace spark plug wires due to melting them then you need to use a stethoscope to check around the burned plug wires to see if there is exhaust leaks from the manifold gaskets and replace...
My car steering wheel shakes
What you are describing sounds like a problem with the rack and pinion gears. The rack and pinion gear set does two things: It converts the rotational motion of the steering wheel into the linear motion needed to turn the...

Related articles

How to Buy a Good Quality Intake Manifold Gasket
One One of the key parts of the engine is the intake manifold, whose main role is to ensure that the right air-fuel mix arrives on time at each of the engine’s cylinders. This small part has a big boost...
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Coolant Temperature Switch (Sensor)
Common signs include poor fuel economy, black smoke coming from the engine, engine overheating, and the Check Engine Light turning on.
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Oil Cooler Adapter Gasket
Common signs include oil leaking from the oil cooler adapter, engine block, and oil filter. Prevent damage to your engine by getting the gasket fixed.