Mitsubishi Repair: SMOKE PROBLEM ON THE MOTOR, coolant leak, head gasket

Question
Hi,
My uncle just bought a Mitsubishi 97, with an engine DGI. The problem is that there is white smoke coming out of the engine. Do you know what is wrong with it .... thank you very much


Answer
Karla,
White smoke can many times indicate a coolant leak.  If the smoke has a bit of a sticky residue and is a bit sweet smelling, then you are burning coolant.  This can lead to a lack in coolant, should can cause the engine to overheat.  This can happen due a bad head gasket.  If the smoke has more of a burning/acrid smell, you may be burning engine oil.  There can be a number of causes for that.  You may want to have a compression test done on the engine, which can help determine where any leaks may be coming from.
Good luck!