Water from exhaust

[Peter]

I was wondering if this is normal my car is a 2010 v6 it does not get driven much it only has 4k miles on it. I do start it up just about every other day. But when it is cold and I do start it up a 4ft shot of water comes out of the exhaust like 3 seconds after I start it up. The car sits in a garage so nothing can be put into the exhaust. Is this normal? Should I take it to the dealership?

I did remove the mufflers and install the strait pipe but that is only the axle back nothing else has been done to the motor or exhaust.

[The Stig]

No that is not normal. Yes take her to the dealer.

[myold88]

If it's just water don't worry about it. Why do you start up your car every other day ?
I know I'm off topic here but it's best to just let it sit if you don't drive it.

[jmaynard]

Could be normal, depending on the climate and such. If the car is not sputtering when you run it then it is probably OK. Of course, it is probably under warranty and since your not actually driving it it wont hurt you to drop it at the dealer for a few hours for a checkup.

[11BEE]

In highly humid climates water can form condensation inside the muffler / pipes. When you first start the car some if it is sprayed out and then you will see steam for a little bit after the motor starts to warm up. Then it is all purged.

[Ventmaster]

Check your coolant level, but most likely what you're seeing is from your catalytic converters. They reduce the noxious biproducts of combustion to carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and ...water!

If you're storing the car for the winter, every other day start-up is likely overkill and can be harmful. A better approach would be to put fresh oil in the engine, Stabil in the gas tank and fill it up, and put on a battery tender to keep it charged.

She'll be ready to go come spring!

[velociSSimo]

Originally Posted by stieger

No that is not normal. Yes take her to the dealer.

I'm with Stieger on this one. Some water dribbling out is typical, but "a 4ft. shot of water" seems a bit much!

[PAUL SS]

It should not come shooting out 4 feet unless you are revving it, If you have that much water in the exhaust that it creates back pressure and shoots water out that far, you do have a problem. When you start it do you let it fully heat up?

[Synner]

Starting it up every other day and idling it in the garage is horrible for it. You're causing condensation to build up in the exhaust; especially in a cold location. Either drive it for 10+ minutes or leave it off. It probably built up over time to the point where its now filled and shooting out.

If you had a coolant leak you'd be blowing white smoke or see coolant pooling up but you say its just water.

[Russell James]

Not normal for the typical car and driving habits. But normal for what you are doing.

Normally, the OE mufflers have holes that drain the moisture out. And normally people drive more miles and burn off the water in the exhaust.
With no mufflers and the short start ups, your system is building up water, probably sloshing around the resonator and pipes between the resonator and rear tips.

One gallon of gas burned creates about a gallon of water. If you don't drive long enough to burn that off, or slosh it back to the mufflers where it will leak out the weep holes (which you don't have), gonna have quite the water filled system.

Weld the mufflers back on, and don't start it unless your going to drive it is the solution. Will sound a lot better too.

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by velociSSimo

I'm with Stieger on this one. Some water dribbling out is typical, but "a 4ft. shot of water" seems a bit much!

exactly. We all know that you get water in the exhaust occasionally, but having water shoot 4 feet out isn't normal.

[ron10]

it is normal for some condensation to come from the exaust on cold startup.if you are getting that much water,i would check your stock mufflers to make sure the drain holes are not clogged.i had that problem.when i opened the drain holes up i had almost a gallon of water drain from my mufflers.

[Russell James]

Originally Posted by ron10

it is normal for some condensation to come from the exaust on cold startup.if you are getting that much water,i would check your stock mufflers to make sure the drain holes are not clogged.i had that problem.when i opened the drain holes up i had almost a gallon of water drain from my mufflers.

He cut them off/straight pipes... no drains now. What you have now is a bath tub with no drain. It will eventually slosh out the back, or shoot out on a start up.

Think of the exhaust system like 15 ft of hose raised at both ends. OE, it has nice little drains in the rear where the water sloshes back then gets caught in the mufflers... runs out the drains. No drains, it's just going to build up in the low center section if it's just being started and then shut off.
Get a section of the exhaust completely full, start the motor and the exhaust pressure blows it out the back.

Not good for the cats or 02 sensors to be constantly in that much water.

[Peter]

I start the car up from it is at my work and we literally start it up and drive from the back of the store to the front of the store if we need an extra bay for installs for the day. But it is not being rev, it does have the high idle when it is started then calms down after 10s or so.

I am scheduled to take it into the dealership tomorrow. but what I did is I put a piece of plastic taped to the top of the exhaust tip and put the other end of the plastic in a catch pan and between both exhausts its about a 1/2 cup of water with black stuff in the water.