White smoke at idle

Yesterday, after letting my car tick over for a few minutes it started putting out white smoke . I've checked the water level and it doesn't seem to have went down significantly since the last time I checked , but I also noticed a lack of water flow when I removed the bottle cap .
I don't know if it makes a difference, but the car is on a hill, pointing down . I'm trying to convince myself it's not the head gasket(s) . Somebody give me a convincing reason why it's not the head gaskets, please

Because the engine pixies have started smoking?? I really dont know...it may not be the gaskets, but something is obviously burning. Have you caught some of the white smoke to see what it is? Catch some in a bowl or jar and taste it......if its water from the cooling system it will have a sweet tinge to it from the anti freeze. A bit basic, but it does work.

Peterg, what do you neighbors think you are up to?
You night even make the Sunday papers !!!

it could be the seals in the turbo does it only do it on idle? 1 of my old 5gtt did this but only on idle when driveing steady it was fine and it was embarrassing there was clouds of smoke every where

I didn't leave it running long enough to find out! I was a bit worried so I switched it off, but I'll check it later.

Funnily enough mine did that once just after I'd bought it... never did it again though, despite my best efforts to recreate the scenario of 30 mins stop start town traffic followed by 5 mins waiting outside a shop on tickover. I saw plumes of white smoke in the mirrors and switched off pronto.. checked everything couldn;t see any leaks of coolant loss - started it again and drove off never to see any problem in 6,000 miles...

I had a scary "cloud of smoke/steam" incident as well. Pulled out of the junction at the top of my road, gave it a short blast to get up to main road speed and looked in the mirror - my heart almost stopped when I saw the huge cloud I'd left behind me.

As with the other posts, no signs of any oil/water loss and its not really happened since but what a fright!

Could it just be something as simple as the colder damp weather resulting in condensation collecting in the exhaust system on idle and then getting quickly turned to steam when the engine is revved? My motor does seem to dribble a lot of water out the tail pipies until the exhaust system warms up - collects a little puddle under the turbo also so there's clearly a bit a water collecting in the exhaust system.