Guys, i just recently installed a new cat back exhaust on my Scion TC. Its a 2005 manual. After i finished everything, on my drive home today from the shop, I noticed some really thick white smoke comeing out. Its thick enough that i could put my hand close enough to the exhaust that my whole hand was wet afterwords? Ive spent the last hour looking at reasons for why this would happen, and everything im comeing across is saying a broken head gasket. But nothing was wrong before i replaced the exhaust and now its doing this. Please help guys.

Thanks, Travis.

 

Did you only install the catback? Is it a brand new exhaust? Maybe something in it from the manufacturing process causes smoke. See if it continues after awhile. Usually exhausts, especially new ones can do this upon start up. Is it cold where you are?

 

Yea its about 43 deg. F. outside. Yea its brand new just got it two days ago. I did leave it outside over night yesterday. Could condensation build up cause this to last for bout 3 miles? And my car had not really went anywhere in about two days, cause i had a small complecation when putting on the full catback.

 

Hmm, leaving it outside could have done the trick. 3 miles seems kinda long but it might have had a lot of condensation. Indiana has been getting hit by some rain lately. If it just feels like water, then it should just be water. Of course with the full catback it will smell like unburnt fuel too.

 

Yea it has an odd smell to it. Not a sweet smell, but like something burning. Now to tell you about the small complication. When removing the exhaust i managed to strip a bolt attached to the y pipe. So i had to grind down the bolt, and then remove the rest of the exhaust from the y pipe. After doing this i found out that the nut is actually welded to the y pipe. So i had to take off the y pipe attached to the manafold (if thats how u spell it lol). In order to do this i had to drive to my father in laws shop down the road. Could driving my car bout 3 miles of hurt the car w/o the rest of the exhaut pipe on there, and just the Y pipe attached to the manafold?

 

leaving it outside? lol exhausts stay outside

 

a burning smell from a brand new exhaust is quite normal

 

You're burning off what little moisture is in there, along with whatever oil is put on the metals to prevent rusting before the exhaust is built. You're basically tempering the exhaust...nothing to worry about. I would guess it'll be gone in a weeks worth of driving.