Head Gasket going out?

Black_Mamba · 12-29-2011, 05:21 PM

As everyone already knows, ive been having problems with my coolant light and cooling system ever since i did the coolant flush. Today i started my car and saw white smoke. Now, its not the first time ive seen it but i never paid any attention to it because where i am its like 20 degerees, more/less, so i thought it was normal.

but right now im at school and i just started my car to get it warmed up for the lunch break we have in another 15 minutes and i notice my exhaust was kicking out white smoke like a group of people smoking, im talking alot of white smoke.

Im guessing thats my headgasket going, correct?

spc2125 · 12-29-2011, 05:47 PM

BINGO!!

if your loosing coolant through your overflow then take the cap off and rev the engine. if you see bubbles, or if it comes out, you'll know

mmorello82 · 12-29-2011, 06:02 PM

The fortunate thing here is that our 3400's are fairly easy to do head gaskets on. Did one on a GA in about 6 hours.

Black_Mamba · 12-29-2011, 06:11 PM

Obviously if you take the cap off & rev it, its gonna come out.

& that's good 6 hours

JLw7123 · 12-29-2011, 06:16 PM

have you done a compression test yet. what color is the coolant.

a.graham52 · 12-29-2011, 07:02 PM

does ur smoke have an oder? does it linger longer then normal? purchase or borrow a "block tester" and test ur coolant system for exhaust gasses.

mastershake · 12-30-2011, 05:36 AM

Kind of off topic, but why would you let your car warm up for 15 minutes? XD

jawa · 12-30-2011, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mastershake

Kind of off topic, but why would you let your car warm up for 15 minutes? XD

i let mine warm up for a 5 mins or so befor i start driving it when its cold.

mastershake · 12-30-2011, 10:00 AM

well 5 minutes is ok but FIFTEEN??

MMGT1 · 12-30-2011, 10:35 AM

Maybe he likes it warm in there... hahhaaha

jawa · 12-30-2011, 01:01 PM

when its real cold its warming up for 15, i want heat when i drive lol

billytheman1188 · 12-30-2011, 01:11 PM

your not supposed to warm up your car....you start it...let it run for about 15 seconds then start driving. until it gets warm i take it real easy...accelerate nice and slow. At least thats what ive been told....

Stop being a bunch of women and MAN UP...drive cold for 5 min. lol

a.graham52 · 12-30-2011, 02:20 PM

mastershake · 12-30-2011, 09:09 PM

^ that's what i'm saying lol. i let it run for a minute MAX before i drive

unless i have to scrape the windshield

Black_Mamba · 01-02-2012, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mastershake

Kind of off topic, but why would you let your car warm up for 15 minutes? XD

Noo re-read it, i didnt let it warm up for 15 min lol.

Black_Mamba · 01-02-2012, 09:48 AM

everyone needs to re-read it. I said I let it warm up, BECAUSE i have lunch break in 15 minutes, so i let the car idle for about 5 min so when i come back outside in 15 minutes for my 40 min lunch break the car is warmed up ready to drive.

as for the coolant problem, it burns it, it kicks out white smoke like i have a smoke machine for a muffler if i drive the car when its cold. when the car runs normal operating temp, you can squeeze the lines and there is no pressure.

my conclusions so far are either a stuck open thermostat, a faulty coolant resevoir, and/or a soon to be dead water pump. so its not the head gasket, I changed the spark plugs and everything looked perfectly normal. and plus with the 3.4's the lower and upper intake manifolds will leak coolant before the head gasket does and if it was, you'd be able to see it

a.graham52 · 01-02-2012, 11:03 AM

i dont totally agree with your theory here. IF your burning coolant then its not a thermostat, coolant reservoir or water pump. NONE of those will cause you to burn coolant. overheat/loose coolant yes but not burn. your forgetting about a coolant reservoir cap. if thats faulty then you wont build pressure in the system anyways. i still say find a block tested and test for exhaust gases in your coolant system. if their there then no question about it you have a bad head gasket. you know for a fact no coolants getting in your oil?

robalero · 01-02-2012, 11:13 AM

i let mine warm up for 15 to 20 minutes before I drive it in the mornings. I live in canada of course ima do that its friggen cold in the mornings lol.

as for your theory it means nothing until you actually find your water leak but its deff not a thermostat or coolant res. if it was a dead water pump you wouldn't be losing coolant yet ( until you can see it coming out of it ) get a coolant tester that can check for leaks we have one at our work and it pushes air ( that you pump by hand ) and it will normally tell you where your leaking as it pushes the coolant through the system

Black_Mamba · 01-02-2012, 11:18 AM

im 99.99 percent positive theres no mix between the coolant and oil. my car isnt over heating but some how im losing coolant, i have very little pretty much no pressure in any of the lines coming from the radiator or the resevoir.

I pulled the plugs out to change them and i did the best visual inspection i could and there was no signs of coolant

a.graham52 · 01-02-2012, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black_Mamba

I pulled the plugs out to change them and i did the best visual inspection i could and there was no signs of coolant

i dont consider that to be your BEST test. you need to block test it and/or check your coolant system with a pressure tester. and if you do the pressure test you can test your res cap as well to make sure that holds pressure.