95ZRyder

A couple of weeks ago something started leaking from the right side of the engine but then stopped a few days ago. Last night I drove it across town and shut it off for about ten or fifteen minutes. I took off and when I got to a stop sign smoke just started bellowing in thick clouds out of the tailpipes. I pulled over and turned off the engine and the smoke stopped after a couple of minutes. I haven't been able to start it up again since. The oil is full but there is only about half as much coolant as there should be. Does anybody know what I just did? Anything anybody can tell me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. By the way the SES light has been coming on along with the fans every time after a couple of minutes.

norcalstreet

Sounds like a head gasket blew and you had coolant dumping in the cylinders. White smoke and a lack of coolant are symptons of this. Did your car overheat? Was it running bad during this time? Head gaskets rarely blow unless the engine overheats.

chevyboy_z28

welcome to the board ...sorry about that head gasket

HungryT/A

Yeah, welcome to the Board! I bet it was a thick white smoke, right?
You should definiately get the car scanned for the code.
You said you couldn't start your car afterwards, your engine might be seized...
What was the max eng. temp?

scoobysnax83

No, No, No.....don't be the pessimist. Yes you definitely have a blown head gasket. It could have been worse though. Did you allow it to get ridiculously hot? If not then you did the right thing. Letting the aluminum heads get extremely hot in these cars warps them and then you have a whole new set of problems.

Was the car overheating before the smoke incident or did it just heat up real quickly after you saw the smoke? The reason that the car will not start is because you have coolant in the cylinders (obvious). Do not try to keep cranking it or you're gonna make it worse. Have it towed home or to a shop and go from there. It always sucks (major) when something like this happens, but hope for the best plan for the worse and you'll be leaving rubber tire tracks again soon. Do not, I repeat, do not try to use starting fluid to start the engine. I probably shouldn't even have mentioned it, but just don't do it. You'll make the situation worse. Good Luck!