05 Mazda rx8 shinka manual
73008 miles
5k miles since oil changed
5k since filters changed
5k miles since radiator changed and coolant changed
1k miles transmission fluid changed
15k miles clutch changed
15k miles belts changed
No compression test numbers.

Okay so about a week ago I topped off my oil and gas tank, checked my coolant, etc etc. I drove home and everything was fine. The next day when I started the car, let it warm up for 5 minutes, and drove to the store, as soon as I revved to get to the end of my driveway, I look behind me to see billows of white smoke. It looks like I just seafoamed the damn engine there is that much smoke.

My first thought is I blew the water jacket or something and I'm dumping coolant. But the smoke doesn't have a sweet smell and the coolant is at the same level. Well I turn it off and check the oil, a little under the full mark but mostly where I left it. I took the air tube off and the maf out, blew on the maf to clear any dirt out, and wiped any excess oil from the intake overflow. Just a little oil.

When I start the car this time I get no smoke. So I think I fixed it with the maf/intake issue. Well fast forward to tonight. The exact same thing happened and I repeated the cleaning and it went away again. Could it just be doing it while the engine is cold and when it is fully warm it stops? Could the maf be causing an issue? I'm checking the plugs in the am but the plugs and coils were changed OEM about 15k miles ago.

Any direction y'all can give to look for let me know. Trying to avoid taking it to the dealer for another couple months.

 

All I can say is that the exact same thing happened to mine a few years ago on a very cold winter morning after my car had been parked outdoors a few days (normally it's in a garage). Huge amount of billowing white smoke, no loss of coolant and everything working normally.

I still don't know what caused it.

 

I'm reading a lot that says it might be condensation and the 2 times it's happened so far has been after I was driving in the rain and it's about ~60°f out. So I'm not sure if that is it. Imma pull the plugs to see if they are fouled up and go from there. Might drive it another week and if it does it again take it to the dealer to check out. I drove it for about 20 minutes before each occurrence and it didn't happen that first time but I let it sit for 8-10hrs each time. Not sure if the hot engine mixed with 90% humidity and rain would cause the kind of plumes of smoke I'm getting though.

Did you have any loss in power while it was smoking? Mine felt like it might have been hesitating a little but I wasn't getting on it, just trying to get it home lol.

 

Mine was billowing white smoke when I started the engine. It was only about 10 degrees F, so I let it idle for 5 minutes to warm up before driving, so I don't know if it lost any power while smoking. Car had full, normal power when I shoved off after 5 minute warm up.

 

Mine did this when starting yesterday (36 degrees ambient)after sitting in a cold garage for 2 weeks un-started.

Before this, it never smoked on startup even on cold days.

After 5 mins it cleared, but the idle was rougher then normal.