What are the different colors of smoke?

Training Bulletin: Reading Smoke

Smoke Color	Condition
White	Incipient stage/Smoke with fewer carbon particles/extinguishment
Gray	Plastics/ Painted/stained surfaces in initial stages of burning
Tan/Brown	Wood product in initial stages possible structural involvement
Black	Hydrocarbons/Materials in the later stages of burning

What does color of smoke tell you?

The color of the smoke depends on the material that is burning. Natural materials such as unfinished wood will change to tan or brown colored smoke, whereas plastics and painted surfaces appear to be grey in color. However, black smoke can appear grey when it is mixed with moisture from other heated materials.

Which Colour of smoke indicate the engine is healthy?

Black Smoke Gas engines are designed to run with just the right combination of fuel and air to create the most efficient conditions for combustion when spark is introduced. When the fuel-air ratio skews to too much air, it is said to be lean. When there is more fuel than is optimal, it is called rich.

What does white smoke represent?

White exhaust smoke means fuel is not burning properly. This could mean: The engine is too cold.

What is the difference between white smoke and black smoke?

White smoke can often mean material is off-gassing moisture and water vapor, meaning the fire is just starting to consume material. White smoke can also indicate light and flashy fuels such as grass or twigs. Thick, black smoke indicates heavy fuels that are not being fully consumed.

What does GREY smoke mean?

Blue/gray exhaust smoke means there’s likely an oil leak and your engine is burning oil. Time to have a qualified technician check things out. The leak could be caused by several issues like leaking valve seals, damaged piston rings, or worn cylinder walls.

What color is fuel smoke?

PCV System: A stuck closed PCV valve causes excessive crankcase pressure, resulting in blue/gray exhaust. Black Exhaust: Black exhaust smoke is an indication of a rich fuel condition. These are possible causes: Fuel Injectors: A leaking or dripping fuel injector will cause a rich fuel condition.

What Colour is unburnt fuel?

White smoke
White smoke is caused by raw, unburnt fuel passing into the exhaust. White smoke smells and will often sting your eyes, which is the effect from raw diesel.

Is white smoke bad?

In general, thin white exhaust smoke (similar to water vapor) could be nothing to worry about. Thick white exhaust smoke usually indicates a coolant leak, which could cause overheating and put your engine at a serious risk of damage.

What color is diesel smoke?

SMOKE COLOR .. There are usually 3 common types of smoke emitted from a diesel engine .. black, blue and white. Basically, smoke from a diesel engine indicates that something is not right.

What causes gray smoke from the exhaust?

Because “grey” is a colour that can be interpreted differently, seeing a cloud of smoke coming out of your exhaust in that shade can mean a lot of things. However, truly grey smoke is most frequently caused by burning transmission fluid. Put simply, when it comes to grey smoke, diesel cars tend to emit it when they lack enough oil.

What is the meaning of black smoke?

Thick, black smoke indicates heavy fuels that are not being fully consumed. At times, black smoke can be an indicator that a manmade material is burning such as tires, vehicles or a structure. As a general rule, the darker the smoke, the more volatile the fire is.

What are the different colors of smoke? Training Bulletin: Reading Smoke Smoke Color Condition White Incipient stage/Smoke with fewer carbon particles/extinguishment Gray Plastics/ Painted/stained surfaces in initial stages of burning Tan/Brown Wood product in initial stages possible structural involvement Black Hydrocarbons/Materials in the later stages of burning What does color of smoke tell you? The…