Yesterday I had to accelerate fast. I look in the rearview mirror to see a gigantic white smoke cloud. It completely covered the vehicles behind me.

What is going on? What should I do to fix?

(2004 XJ8 with 56,000 miles)

 

Sounds like a coolant leak into the motor. Check the level of the coolant reservoir is it way low? Is this the first time you have noticed this?

 

it happened once last year but no nearly as much. I had to take a fast turn and it blew some white smoke.

when diving normal taking it easy it doesn't happen. Only when I have to accellerate very fast.

After it happened yesterday I did some more fast acceleration runs, thinking i would burn off whatever had accumulated in there. It seemed to stop. My engine light flashed for a bit and then went out.

Could something be accumulating in the chamber and when I accelerate fast it burns out?

Am I in for a big repair bill?

 

People often are confused with the smoke color. If a coolant leak you would know. The white smoke problem there will not go away.
Smoke from dumping fuel, by the time you see it in the rear view mirror often looks white. The fact that your cel was flashing indicates a misfire. The smoke you saw was unburned fuel coming through the pipes. Likely your car needs an injector cleaning and probably a software upgrade for ECM. Smoke from the 4.2 is common.

 

Thank you factoryjagtech.

 

I remember in the olden days..the automatic transmissions was hooked to the engine's vacuum system and the modulating valve diaphram would spring a leak and tranny fluid got sucked into the intake.....talk about white smoke...

 

those days still happen.. deflooding cars.. we put trani fluid in the cylinders.. to bring the compression up.. then test drive.. smoke show !

 

Add a can of BG 44k to your gas tank, preferably on a good long run. It will clean the injectors. Many auto shops use it. eBay is a good source to find it. Shure helped my XKR!!