Q: Loud whining noise, thick white smoke, and than car dies.

asked by on December 04, 2016

I replaced my valve cover gaskets on my 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport 3.0 V6. I also performed a tuneup changing spark plugs and wires due to smoke coming from the valves covers and oil on the plugs. Now thick white smoke is constantly coming out of the tailpipe. There is a loud whining/belt noise for a second and than the car dies out. Can anyone help?

My car has 212000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hello. From what you describe it would appear that your vehicle may be experiencing possible mechanical or engine management issues. If these issues began after servicing the spark plugs and wires I would recommend verifying that the plugs are not fouled, and that the wires are installed in the correct order. Fouled spark plugs, perhaps due to improper gap, or wires installed onto the wrong plugs will upset the ignition system and may cause the engine to have all sorts of issues. Another possibility is that the engine is burning oil or coolant, possibly due to some sort of mechanical issue or leak. Smoke resulting from coolant will usually be white with a distinct coolant smell, while smoke from oil will be more of a bluish tinge and have more of a burning smell. Stalling can also be caused by issues with the fuel system, if the engine is starved for fuel for any reason. Whining noises can be caused by belts or mechanical issues as well. The three issues could possibly be related, or separate. As the possibilities could be many, I would recommend having a professional technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to diagnose what the cause of your stalling and smoke issues may be.

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