If its white smoke its burning coolant(anti Freeze). Head gasket, or coolant
is getting into the intake manifold.

Is the coolant level where its supose to be?

Tom


"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in message
news:6u6dnYBTRZIIwi3cRVn-pg@sedona.net...
> "cavetrekker" <cavetrekker@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:BDD547CD.588E%cavetrekker@yahoo.com...
>> We have a 97 civic coupe that we passed on to our daughter. It has a
>> strange
>> problem I can't figure out. Last night we replaced the battery and it
>> wouldn't start today. I came home and after spending about thirty minutes
>> checking stuff out while she tried to start it I got in it and tried to
>> start it giving it a little gas and it sputtered a little and a cloud of
>> white smoke came out of the tail pipe it and it missed a little and
>> within
>> 10 seconds it was running fine. After I got to thinking I remembered when
>> we
>> put the battery in it she started it and let it run a few seconds and
>> then
>> shut it off. I also remembered a couple of times before when I had
>> started
>> the engine for a few seconds and then let it set overnite it did the same
>> thing. I can't decide if the engine is sweating and getting moisture in
>> it
>> or if it is some kind of fuel issue? Any ideas?
>> Thanks,
>> Patrick
>>
>>
> I'm new to cold country (I came from Phoenix) but the locals warned me
> about a phenomenon that matches your experience. If the engine is started,
> run without warming up and shut off, the water vapor from combustion will
> condense on the plugs. In cold weather the water will freeze onto the
> plugs and the car won't start in the morning.
>
> Mike
>