Exhaust condensation?

[zukirider21]

noticed on my 91 2.9 ranger it doesn't belch out loads of steam like my other 2.9 did, but it does appear to blow off a considerable amount of condensation (as much as any other car on a cold start). but what concerns me is that it doesnt seem to go away.

no snot on the dipstick or oil cap, hasn't used a drop of coolant in the 2000 miles i've had it for.

is this normal?

oh, and it doesnt seem to steam any more at larger throttle openings. at first when i crack open the throttle it'll give a slight puff, then it just resumes the amount of steam it was making before regardless of rpm...

 

[adsm08]

Throw a PCV at it and don't worry. Water/steam is a normal component of the exhaust system in a properly operating catalyst system. Its just more noticeable when colder because the water is completely vaporized and too thin to notice once the cats light off.

 

[zukirider21]

cool. guess i should have included that it was a cold super humid day.

thanks man

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, cold and humid will make it worse too.

The converter's job is to take HC, CO and NOx, and make CO2 and water out of it.

 

[Surrey]

Yeah, Water is a one of the harmless bi-products of a catalyst system.

For the record, vaporized is the wrong term to use(and a really bad term to use, in general). Water in a gaseous form is vaporized, period.

Warmer air means a higher amount of water can be evaporated into it, and not until you hit near 100% humidity in the air do you actually see the water, in the form of condensation/smoke (really, its more cloud than smoke.) Funny, I never would have thought "Intro to the Atmosphere" (1st year Geography course) would have bearing on a discussion of exhaust...