Is white exhaust gas/smoke definatly a head gasket,as I can't see any oil in my coolant and I dont think theres any water in my oil(I'll let you know for sure tommorow as it needs service). Could it be because the car hasn't been used since september so it's got really old fuel in it, plus the ECU will have been re-set as the battery has been disconnected, the other thing is I'm not sure which spark plug gap setting I should be using as I'm not sure if I have the ECU update which changes the gap down to 1mm instead of 1.3mm. It doesn't do this when you first start but after it warm's up abit.

The car in question is a MK1 1.6 Zetec-SE Ford Focus on a 51 plate. Please let us know what you think, if it's the head gasket I'm not sure what I'm going to do as money is really short at the moment. Thanks in advance

P.S. I don't know how to use the topic tags so havnt done any

As you said, it could just be because it hasnt ben used for some time. It may have some moisture to burn off. If there isn't any mayo type residue in the oil filler cap chances are your head gasket is ok and the car just needs a really good motorway run.

to be honest for one it isnt warm outside exhaust gases are hotter than the air around the pipe so in these temps you will see what looks like white smoke its steam evident from the water coming out the pipe this is because the cat burns off the harmfull stuff creating water if the car doesnt drive far enough for long enough the water doesnt completely burn off then you switch off and the pipe cools and some water forms again i gaurantee you when the temps get to 14 degrees or more take it for a 20 minute run and there will be no vapour.

if you had water in youre oil you would know the dipstick would show you head gaskets on fords are not things that tend to go

It's wasn't ever so cold today where I am but granted not summer temp's. Once it's serviced I will probaly fill the tank as much as I can as I'm just under a 1/4 tank and put abit of redex in as it's been sitting.

If your head gasket had gone you would have no doubt, when it went on my Granada you couldn’t see up the road for steam, the local heritage railway would have been proud to produce that amount of steam.

As was said, give it a good run and it will probably disappear after a few miles.

youre worrying about nothing if it was a head gasket then youre coolant would go down the car would misfire the oil would be mily like a frothy cappucino and the oil cap would have white sludge its water from the exhaust the water on the ground under the tail pipe gives that away the smoke is steam as the exhaust heats up once hot enogh it will burn up the vapour and no steam

when i had my 2001 focus 1.6 zetec se, it always had visible smoke from the exhaust - pretty much like yours. didnt matter how warm or cold, always had it.

must admit my 1.8 was the same

Put you hand or a pice of kitchen towel in the fumes from the exhaust, you will soon be able to check if it,s smoke or steam.

Do you think I should change my fuel filter as it's been sitting there for so long even though I changed it last service(August 2010) and then stick in some 98 unleaded(as I think it will help the old stuff burn better) and some redex to clear the injectors

Hey guys, what is the torque for the wheel nuts,as I've had a look in the haynes and I cant seem to find it, also I can't remember what that site was that you type your ford reg in and it gives you all the details and service sheets, cheers

Hey guys, what is the torque for the wheel nuts,as I've had a look in the haynes and I cant seem to find it, also I can't remember what that site was that you type your ford reg in and it gives you all the details and service sheets, cheers

it will be about 100Nm

ford reg etc is ford etis

cheers guys