I just bought an RL the other day so of course my TL has been sitting outside and not in the garage this week.

When I went to start it today, i had to pump the gas a few times to get it started which i never do and now white smoke is coming out the tailpipe. I let it run for about 30 minutes and the white smoke is still coming out but the car is not overheating.

The car had been running perfectly and I've just had the timing belts changed.
Someone suggested that a sensor might of blown since the car is not used to sitting outside. Or does anyone think that the gasket has just blown?

Any assistance would be appreciated?

97 2.5TL
118k miles
MD

 

i heard white smoke is a sign that there is water involved somewhere...? Can someone confirm this?

For future reference, if your not planning on driving your car for awhile it is a good idea to start the car once in awhile.

 

If outside temps are cold, engine will produce a lot of white smoke while engine is cold. I would drive the car till fully warmed, stop and observe again. There should be much less steam now when combustion is complete.

Generally, a pure white smoke is steam which can only come from coolant water. If coolant level is decreasing, you likely have a damaged head gasket. There is a coolant chemical test which detects combustion products in the coolant. This is considered to be the definitive test for blown head gasket. You can also pull the spark plugs and look for water on the plugs. Usually water will cause one cylinder ot miss occasionally at idle. Another bad sign.

good luck