When I smell freshly made buttery popcorn, it makes me feel kind of sick. I After my car gets up to 185 I can smell a somewhat similar smell. Does this sound like a blown headgasket to you?

Also what are the easiest ways to check for a blown headgasket? Just pull the plugs looking for coolant in any of the cylinders, drain the oil and/or coolant? Leakdown test?

How difficult is it to replace the headgasket, and if this is indeed my problem, would you recommend pulling the whole engine and tossing a cam in at the same time and possibly port the heads?

I haven't been able to see any white smoke out of the tailpipes unless it is near or below freezing, and when I can see white smoke I make sure I can see it on other cars too just to make sure.

EDIT: The smell just started appearing recently, within the past day or two. I have noticed a very slight decrease in the coolant level, but at the time I didnt feel that it was enough to worry myself about.

 

If you have a blown head gasket will you see white smoke pouring out of the exhaust. Also water will be coming out of the exhuast also. Head gaskets are straight foward, you have to take off the intake and unbolt the heads. You dont have to take the motor out. If you want a more in depth instruction buy the hanyes manaul or find a chlitons on ebay. I used the the hanyes and it worked fine for me.

 

Take a look at the oil dispstick. Tell tale sign is that your oil milky. Also is your engine running hot?

 

I've read that smoke doesnt always pour out of the exhaust depending on where the leak is. Is this incorrect?

I know that you dont have to pull the engine to replace the headgasket, I was just wondering if you thought it would be easier to do with the engine out of the car at the same time as a cam?

But does burnt coolant smell like this?

 

I recently flushed the coolant (a little over a week ago), and it is not running hot, although it does creep to about 210 in traffic but I think thats somewaht normal isnt it? I didnt even think to check the oil disptick in my anger and fright

 

It depends on how big of a leak it is. If it isn't a big leak, then there won't be a lot of smoke. Small leak equalls a small amount of smoke. But you will get a small amount of white smoke if you have a leak. It will be much thicker looking that normal condensation/exhaust also.

 

Hey maybe it is just your heater core leaking, or a house leaking on something that is hot.

I had smoke comming from my defrost vent alot of smoke, inded up just being a radio wire that grounded out and heat up.

So check the simple stuff first

 

cheese popcorn is better.

 

Check your coolant level. is the level dropping ? do you have to add it often ? if so your burning coolant. mine was and i had no smoke and it had a weird smell a small amount was leaking into #1 cylinder. the coolant level will tell the tail

 

My coolant level doesnt seem to be dropping and now that I think of it, it very may well be my heater core. I'll try flushing that and check for leaks this weekend.