Questions and Answers

Jetta Too Young To Smoke

Q. Hi, My daughter's 1995 F/I, 4 cylinder non turbo VW Jetta sometimes smokes and has a pungent smell on starting. It runs rough for a while and seems to correct when it warms up.

I have recently replaced the plugs (with Bosch), the plug wires and the rotor and cap.

Any guidance to the possible problem would be appreciated. My understanding of automobiles is better than average.

Bob

A. It depends on what color the smoke is Bob. If the smell is slightly sweet and the smoke is white, it's possibly a bad head gasket. If the smoke is blue and smells with a bit of a bite, then it's probably the valve seals.

Look at Spark Plugs Tell A Story and Troubleshooting Engine Problems for more details about the possible causes.