vettepilot68

Need some help diagnosing this one...I know what a blown head gasket looks like and I dont think that is my problem. BUT, I am getting some white smoke out of the right side after the vette is completely warmed up. Here are the symptoms:

1) have the sweet smell of coolant when I first fire up the car but no smoke
2) car smokes a little out of the passenger side after there is full pressure in the cooling system
3) car runs strong hits on all cylinders and spark plugs look OK...some black soot but not wet.
4) compression is good and even across the bank
5) I do have to add coolant every few months

I am positive that the passenger side is getting some coolant in it...is it possible that this could be an intake manifold gasket issue? It just doesnt display the symptoms of a blown head gasket.

Help?

69camfrk

Just guessing here trying to be on the simple side. Do you have any hoses leaking that would drip any coolant on the headers? Just assuming it isn't coming out the exhaust. I had that problem on another car long ago and it was one of the heater core hoses dripping down on the headers. I hope it's that simple!

PNK

Make sure your heater core is not leaking, mine was and i chased this coolant smell for some time.

pointy1

i had an 85 z28 with a strong coolant smell- leaking heater core, eventually it soaked my carpet!

vettepilot68

Its not the heater core...I have been through that ordeal already...but I am getting ready to put new carpet in it so I know soon if it is leaking again. But remember that one of the symptoms is some (not a lot) of whate smoke out the passenger side.

jdp6000

I think if it was the head gasket you would also see coolant in your oil. It could be the intake gasket though. Coolant leaking in with gas and being burned off.

Jim

Tommy Samuels

leaky intake gasket is a strong possibility.
I had a 350 many years ago with a cracked head that did what you're describing. After the engine warmed up the crack would open just enough for it to weep a little into #5. I never had water in the oil and I driove it that way for a while until I got a deal on a set of angle plug heads.

vettepilot68

I think this will be my first step...how would I check this out? I guess a guy might look for wetness in the manifold that isnt drying...assuming that if it were only gas running through the intake it would dry out pretty fast?? I also know that some of the intake bolts go clear into the coolant channels...I suspect that coolant could be getting by that area once under pressure??

Thanks for the tips...