hanscan

1966 sl500
Water from exhaust at first start up in the morning ?


Help, anybody ?
Thanks

FalconChief

You would need to supply some more information:

When was the vehicle last driven prior to your morning start?
Where is the vehicle parked overnight? (Inside, outside, on concrete, packed earth, lawn)
What are the weather conditions overnight and in the morning when you start?

It could be as simple as condensation in the exhaust being expelled when you start eh.

hanscan

Thank you falcon !
The SL was in the garage over night at operating temperature.
Parked hot the night before on concrete, cool in the morning.
First shift to reverse with a clunk, ok after that.
Outside temp. 30+ inside about 35+.


Thanks for your reply

hanscan

Sorry its a 1996
hanscan

FalconChief

Still can't bee 100% but it sounds like you have condensation in the exhaust. Concrete does not allow moisture to be absorbed. (This is why it is better to park a vehicle in a building with a dirt floor if the building is not climate controlled) If it is very humid you can get condensation in the pipes as the vehicle cools. (Pipes will cool faster than the concrete)

Worst case: Are you sure it is water and not coolant? If you have a cracked engine block coolant can get into the exhaust. While the engine is running this can burn off as fast as it leaks in. Once the engine is shut off additional coolant could leak into the exhaust until the pressure is reduced. This would come out the exhaust pipe when you start the vehicle.

hanscan

Thanks Falcon,


At start up this morning it dripped, same after warm up.
I went for a run on the highway, it did not overheat.
Back in the Garage I kept it running to cool it off.
Everything is all good and dry.
With the Engine running the Coolant looked good, no Oil or Bubbles.
But like you said not a 100%.
Thanks again !

cliffyk

There is a good deal of water vapour in exhaust gas, about 13% from a hot engine and more from a cold engine. At temperatures as you describe (unless those are °C temps in which case there may be a problem) that water vapour will condense in the exhaust system and be blown out the tailpipe; this will occur until the exhaust system gets hot enough that the vapour no longer condenses.

If they are Fahrenheit temps where are you that is getting that cold this time of year?

hanscan

Sorry, The temps are in Celsius.
Right now we have 38c in the shade.
I am in Kamloops BC. CA


Now I am worried, the car is hot, I smell steam, there is condensation
on a mirror at both pipes. Are the dual Pipes connected ?


Thanks for your reply

cliffyk

I did not realise it got that hot "up there", 38 °C (100 °F) is about the highest we see here in Northeast Florida (we are near the Atlantic coast).

Unfortunately that leaves a possibility of a leaking head gasket...

hanscan

At noon today it was 45c in the Sun, we have had 50c. Humid-ex 12-14.
We are in the northern remnants of the north American Desert.
Bunchgrass, Tumbleweed, *****ly Pear Cactus and Rattle Snakes.
And Convertibles !
My Gasket is about to blow !

cliffyk

Here it's the humidity more than the temp. 105 °F @ 60+% RH (heat index of 150 °F, 65 °C) is not unheard of but on average we see mid 90s (°F) and 50 to 60 % RH as the "worst case".

I am a 110% convertible fellow, unless it's raining the top is down...