The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Water coming out of exhaust

My 235 has some water that drips out of the exhaust when I first start the engine. It will leave a puddle about the size of a softball and you can see droplets clinging to the tailpipe and blowing out due to airflow. After it's up to temp it doesn't have any water or smoke out of exhaust. The oil looks clean with no signs of coolant and it doesn't seem to be losing any coolant. I do have a short tailpipe that turns out in front of the left rear tire, so there is no hump going over the rearend that could potentially trap any water buildup from making it out of the system. Is this a normal amount of water due to condensation from the cool exhaust system condensing moisture in the exhaust gases on startup, or do I need to start thinking bad thoughts?

Sounds normal to me, water or steam is a byproduct of combustion.

If it smelled like antifreeze that would be cause for alarm.

Excerpt for SLATE:
"The carbon from the gasoline mixes with oxygen from the air. Gasoline consists mostly of hydrocarbons–chains of carbon encircled by atoms of hydrogen. When the hydrocarbons burn, they break apart and recombine with the air. This reaction produces heat, as well as two chemical byproducts: water and carbon dioxide."
Complete article:
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/11/how_gasoline_becomes_co2.html

dg

Another possible cause, also under the 'normal' banner, is condensation in the muffler. When you shut off a hot engine and the exhaust system cools, moisture condenses inside the muffler and low areas of the pipe. That's what causes your muffler and piping to rust over time. When you start it up again the rush of exhaust gasses blows some of the water out the end of the pipe. That moisture boiling off is what causes the mist/fog/steam that comes out the tail pipe in cold weather.

Byproduct of combustion is condensation (water). Basic combustion theory 101-

I had a customer years ago saw water coming out the tail pipe like that. He started cussing the gas station saying they put water in the gas.

The better tuned/more efficient the engine is running, the more water is produced.
If the muffler isn't stainless and doesn't have a drain hole, I always drill a 1/16-3/32 hole in the bottom lowest edge to let the condensation out. Mufflers last a lot longer.

I have seen brand new cars with water pouring out like a leaky faucet.

There is 1 gallon of water produced by using 1 gallon of gas.
Most of it comes out as vapor.

Depending on temperature the amounts of "water" will vary. If I start an engine up I always let it run until its up to temperature and let it run for a little. This heats up the exhaust system and dispenses of a lot of the moisture. Otherwise, an engine that runs just for a little not only "sweats" in the exhaust system but also in the engine.

....once tore down an engine where a lady only drove it to work which was 2 miles. You should have seen the "brown milky" stuff that was in that engine and accumulated over the years.

If you gonna start it up....let it get hot.

Thanks for all the responses. I know water is a byproduct of internal combustion, I was just concerned that there was a bit too much water in this case. Some of the responses make me feel a little more comfortable now though. I'll see how it goes this coming summer!

Taste it, if it is sweet you might have a coolant leak.

I'll pass on that taste test:)

My old wind broke 49 216 has all kinds of stuff blowing out when I 1st start it up, especially when it's cold out.

Oil, soot, condensation, water and vapor, it looks like it's doing #1 and #2 simultaneously LOL. Then once it warms up theres hardly a wisp of anything, except the slight smell of oil burning.... I don't mind it as it keeps the tail gaters back.

As said, it's probably just condensation and the byproducts of combustion. But keep an eye on your coolant level just in case.

Dave

you see water dripping from any/every car on cold mornings. At least I have seen it. My truck usually has a little puddle that has dripped out when it first starts, my new cars as well. But that doesn't necessarily preclude some other problem, particularly if it is green....