so i bought a 2004 type 3.0 with 62000 miles, now the car starts but there is white smoke coming out of the oil cap and the radiator reservoir. the oil is clean and there isn't any coolant in the oil. What do you guys think is the problem

 

You getting any white smoke out the tailpipe? Is CEL (check engine light) on? What's coolant level and what color is it?

 

The coolant is light green the normal type of color. The check engine light is on as well. The car starts normally and it maintains a normal operating temperature. But white smoke is coming out of the radiator the coolant lines and the oil cap.

 

The coolant is a normal green color. The engine starts normally but white smoke comes out of the radiator reservoir and the engine oil cap. The Chec engine light is on as well. But the car isn't over heating. I thought it could be a head gasket but the engine oil color is normal and it doesn't look like any coolant is present

 

Drain the oil to see what you get in the oil pan, Water might stay down the bottom check oil stick doesn't catch the water, it happen to mine.

 

Dal, a little bit of white vapor (aka, steam) can be expected when the motor is warming up as the oil is getting rid of what water has gotten in from the various openings in the engine. But, after about 5 minutes of driving, this should go away. Like others mention, drain the oil and see what that looks like. If you end up with a light colored chocolate shake, then that would kinda confirm a head gasket leak. Also, if you have the overflow bottle open, if you have a head gasket leak, you will normally see small air bubbles making their way to the overflow bottle and you will get an exhaust smell out of the overflow bottle (vice a sweet smell).

Granted, the ultimate check is to do a compression check of each cylinder. But, if you are maintaining coolant in the overflow bottle and not needing to add any, then odds are what you are experiencing is normal stuff. Keep in mind that cool, moist weather will make vapor much easier to see.

 

I'm gonna do another oil check. I was thinking of draining the system and putting in fresh oil. I just bought the compression test kit so I will be testing it later today. If it is a head gasket issue than I'll just replace the engine itself. I ended up getting an engine really cheap with 40k on it

 

generally...if you have a head gasket breach such that you can pressurize the cooling system, you're also going to suck coolant into the cylinder and burn it. Result is white cloud exhaust and it will SMELL like coolant.

 

Exactly. I hooked it up to a computer and all cylinders are misfiring and coolant temp alarms going off. Looks like I'm replacing the motor