What is your question?
·
·
Have an auto question? Local mechanics have answers.
Auto experts have answers.We'll send your question to trusted nearby shops.
What is your question?
When driving car smokes on and off I was told it could be valve cover gasket it gas been sitting for 2 months and now is hard to start
How long has your 2004 BMW X3 had this problem?
More than a month
1 Reply
Hi, I'm one of the auto experts on RepairPal's Car Genius team! Great question! On your 2004 BMW X3, I suspect that you may be dealing with 2 different issues. The intermittent smoking (if you mean there is smoke coming from the engine compartment) could definitely be a leaking valve cover gasket. However there are some other potential sources of leaks that could also cause smoke as the oil drips on to the exhaust or other hot surface. If the smoke you are getting is from the tail pipe, that is a different story all together and could be several different things. However, any of the possibilities are ones that are worth getting checked out sooner rather than later to keep the issue from getting worse. The vehicle having difficulty starting after sitting for 3 months is likely more do to it sitting than it is related to the smoking concern. It may be as simple as a weak battery. I would see if it takes a jump start, or get it towed to a qualified shop to get it inspected to isolate the root cause of your symptoms. If you need any further advice or would like help finding a trusted RepairPal shop in your area or even getting an appointment booked, please feel free to call us at 877-913-1554 or check out https://repairpal.com/certified