Yesturday my 94Z started to overheat and lose engine power, I found that my engine coolent sensor broke off and I changed my oil and replaced the sensor. I had hoped that no damage was done but the vehicle was still over heating on test drives. I then changed the thermostat from the 160 to a new 180.

I thought this would solve the problem on the next test drive the vehicle still over heated. This time once it warmed up it started puffing thick clouds of white smoke that would not disipate.

I don't think its the head gasket because the cloud doesn't evaporate. I'm not sure what it might be, maybe a bad ring or valve.

Any ideas on what I would be looking for would be really helpful?

Thanks.

 

Sounds like a head gasket. How does the oil look?

 

When I changed the oil yesturday it was very thick and a deep black. When I check the oil on the stick it looks normal.

 

Just a note an additional problem is the car goes from 0 to 260 degree's in about 5 minutes while idling. How can I test the watrerpump?

 

Have you checked to see what the coolant in the radiator looks like?

You can jack the car up and check the weep hole on the water pump. If it's leaking, the wp needs replacing.

 

coolant looked OK, just added abbout 2 gallons after it blew out the over flow. I'll check the weep hole now.

 

if it blew out the overflow, and you are puffing white smoke, it is a head gasket. It needs to get the preassure from somewhere, and that is one of the first things that gets messed up is the head gasket in an overheat.

 

A blown head gasket does not necessarily have to get coolant in the oil. The coolant could only be leaking into the cylinder and be burned during combustion. Pull your plugs and look at them.

 

Persactely. The problem plug will be the cleanest out of the bunch. It may have a reddish color to it as well.
The most troublesome area is the very back of the #7 cylinder. Seems the gasket blows away and coolant then has direct access into that cylinder.

 

also probably didn't bleed the system properly but that's another story

 

head gasket. bite the bullet and get it done

 

When the head gasket in my white '97 blew it looked like someone had put a white sheet over my back window. LOL Three lanes of traffic were totally blinded.

 

When it is a head gasket that is exactly what happens. It lingers in the air and does not dissipate.

 

Run a C02 test on the cooling system?

 

I'm going to pull the heads this weekend, I just hope they aren't warped. I'll let you know how it goes.