Well i am still trying to figure out if I have a blown head gasket. I seem to have white smoke, and all the sudden today the car started running ALOT worse...its idling really rough, and driving horrible too, like its on 7 cylinders.

The only thing is that I dont have any coolant in the oil that I can see. Would it be obvious that my oil was milky if I really had a blown head gasket?

 

If that smoke is when the engine is fully warmed up and it is not very cold outside, then it's probably a head gasket. Pull some spark plugs and compare them.

 

You oil would be milky if the head gasket is blown near the water jacket. I had a head gasket go on a Jeep that I used to have, but it went out along the edge of the block, along the top, so the water passages where still sealed but it was sucking oil in from under the intake.

 

So then you'd have a burning oil smell ??

 

Shoe knows, follow what he said. As far as the symptoms, they could be several things. You can burn water in the cylinder without pushing it into the oil. I've also seen air being pushed into the coolant system and obvious bubbles as a result.

After you check the plugs, the next thing to do is pressurize the cooling system and see if it holds. Is the water level going down? You may also want to try to comfirm the problem with a leak down test. Be warned if the problem is getting worse, if enough water gets in the cylinder, you could do major damage.

 

is it a thick clinging smoke?

if yes, it's coolant smoke

 

When I blew my head gasket there was no coolant in the oil until I pushed the issue with a cooling system pressure test.

When I pressurized my cooling system I filled what ever cylinder with coolant and when trying to start the engine it hydro locked.

Then I had coolant in the oil.

Best way to find out is the cooling system pressure test.

 

white smoke that wasnt there before+
engine running poor=
head gaskets blown

 

mine was doing same thing.. except its got a really distinct smell.. u should be smelling it... when pressure teasted i was blowing clouds of smoke a good 20 feet back

 

Hate to tell ya, but it's definately the head gasket. My Z blew a head gasket last weekend, but it doesn't leak until the engine hits 140 to 150 degrees, and then it only smokes on deceleration and idle. I guess engine vacuum is pulling coolant into the cylinder. I did pressurize the cooling system with the engine cold, and the gauge DID NOT show any pressure loss.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but has anyone had any luck with that permanent block seal stuff? I can't pull the heads until spring break, and I think the leak is small enough that I may be able to stop it for a while. Thanks, and good luck 95Black TA, I hope everything works out.

 

Blowing head gaskets is fun


Its replacing them that sucks

Been there done that. Except when mine went it looked like i was fogging for bugs

 

Its not really all that thick. Its looks alot like when a car smokes when its cold outside, but it does it when its warm weather as well. Could it just be running lean? Maybe I need new O2's?
Also I have an intake manifold leak so I dont konw if that effects it.


Also, I did have the radiator pressure tested a while back, but the guage never went down. And yes my coolant levels drops a bit, but thats because I had a hose leaking(a few actaully)...so Ive been replacing those as I find them. PLus my low coolant sensor died on me, so the sensor is always on so its hard to tell what the levels at....but its been fine for past 2 weeks or so..

 

Smoke like that when the weather is warm is pretty much only one thing-coolant.

 

Ok I pulled plug number 1 and it looked fine...a lil white on the tip of it..im not sure what that means, but I think that is ok right?
Also, last time I did plugs, they all seemed to be pretty much the same(pretty good, a lil light colored on the top), but plug number 8 looked to be burned away. The tip part seemed to be burned away a bit, and it was more like a point. Also i think there was some oily **** on it.
Cant this tell me something about my engine?

 

You are probably going to have to pull most or all to compare them. A cylinder that is getting coolant will be lighter colored or more clean looking.