Grims

I always start my car before I get ready in the mornings to let it warm up, and get some hot air going..well I definitely got some hot air going.

So i started the car, went back inside. took a shower got ready, came back out about 25 minutes later to see smoke (or steam) pouring out of the hood area of my car.

I turn it off and notice the pegged temperature gauge. I turn on the fans (manual switches) and pop the hood. The overfill cap had blown off and water was everywhere.

Checked the tail pipes and they had a little bit of water in them...but ti could of jsut been dew or something.

So it looks like the fans didn't kick on and the car severely overheated, so worse case, considering the car was still running when I found it...what could be broke?

GreenZLT1

head gaskets? warped heads?

someone else might have to chime in..

Rob

FastZinTennessee

Cracked heads, cracked block, blown headgaskets. Good luck.

Grims

Alright...any chance there is nothing wrong with that much smoke coming out?

Anything I should do before starting it?

JohnD

I had a bad overheat episode due to a failed thermostat in summer heat and I came out ok. Check all the fluids and start the car. If it starts and idles smoothly with no steam coming out of the exhaust after warmup, you are halfway there. Check the oil frequently to make sure that it still looks not oil, not chocolate milkshake like it does when it gets water in it. An oil analysis would be even better. If the oil does start looking like that, you will ruin the bearings if you drive it at all.

marshall93z

Change the oil. Overheated oil seems to break down, or something?


I have had this happen to mine SEVERAL times and nothing bad happened. I was lucky, I guess!

Grims

God I hope it turns out to be okay, I can not afford any problems right now.

FastZinTennessee

Step 1) Change oil and filter, top off coolant (make sure it's full)

Step 2) Start car and let it idle until up to operating temperature

Step 3) Observe tailpipes for light colored puffy smoke coming out

-A) if there is no smoke keep an eye on the coolant level and any smoke that may develop in the coming weeks. If the level stays up and no smoke develops, keep doing what you're doing because someone is looking out for you

-B) if the coolant level goes down and smoke develops time to pull the heads off and see how bad it is. Best case scenario=blown headgaskets, worst case=cracked block/heads.

Grims

I just started it, oil looks okay...lot of white exhaust...but it always looked like that.

Reved and idled fine. Haven't driven it yet but so far so good.

FastZinTennessee

Lot of white smoke is never good.

Grims

..What should the exhaust look like?

Took it for a drive, feels okay not overheating or losign coolant. Passenger side valve train sounds a little "off" but I'm not sure what.

You can see where water was bursting out of the coolant sensor gasket...but so far it hasn't leaked.

twiztidglory

white blueish thick exhaust is coolant burning in combustion chamber. sometimes tell by the smell.

black smoke is buring oil.

light white is steam which is normal. depending on weather outside. water is a byproduct of combustion.

correct me if im wrong

3gc

From my understanding. Blue smoke is burning oil, Black is running too rich, white is condensation smoking and a lot of white with a syrup smell is coolant.