(video added) White smoke from exhausts: need advice!
 

Edit: Made a short video of the smoke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARTR5IotczM

My coolant reservoir was empty this saturday and both my exhausts had white smoke coming from them. They did so before, but only when cold, so I figured moist from the exhausts. My guess now is blown headgaskets or worse, correct?

Now I was planning on buying new heads anyway, but not just yet. I already have a new CompCam XE 268H camshaft and lifters waiting to be installed with the planned heads and manifold.

I see a two options for me and I'd very much like to hear your opinions on them:

1. Have my garage check and replace the gaskets and postpone buying the new heads and installing the new parts till winter;

2. Have my garage replace the gaskets keep the current heads and install the camshaft + a new aluminum performance manifold;

Scenario 1 allows me to drive the rest of the season, but gives me no new horsies to play with. Scenario would mean I'd have to sell the performance manifold when I buy the planned vortec heads. Also keeping the current heads might mean no significant horsepower increase while still having to pay extra for installing the new camshaft.

What do I have now:
- GM Goodwrench 4 bolt main 350 (1997)
- Edelbrock 2102 camshaft (1997)
- Stock GM Goodwrench cast iron heads (http://www.sdpc2000.com/catalog/130/...ate-Engine.htm)
- Stock GM Goodwrench cast/alu (not sure) intake manifold (specs unknown, came with engine)
- Rebuilt TH350 (2004)
- Accel high-performance iginition (2005)
- Edelbrock 1411 750 cfm carb (2006)
- Hooker supercompetition headers and side exhausts (2006)

The goodwrench has about 20.000 miles on it over a near 10 year period, so that's still pretty fresh I guess. It got hot one time 1,5 years ago when the waterpump belt broke, but I got to it before any warning lights went on or red-lines were reached (thank you McDonalds! ;)).

So, what do you guys think?

Woah spike, slow down a little.

1. Do you have water in your oil? Is the oil milky?

2. Is the white smoke present at all times?

3. Are you leaking coolant anywhere?

4. Has the engine overheated recently?

5. Are you sure it's white puffy smoke and not blue-ish?

6. I see you have side exhaust, is the smoke coming from both sides?

I had a cracked block allowing coolant to enter only the left bank, and I had large amounts of white smoke bellowing from the left side pipe. It was in the oil and the coolant level had dropped.

Sorry, got a little anxious :o

Oil is clean, I checked before leaving.

Not untill recently, but saterday it was. Before saturday I only saw it when the engine was cold and labeled it moist.

No, only some ATF from the power steering, but no coolant.

No, in the 3+ years I've had her she only got hot 1,5 (maybe 2) years ago to about 220 degrees Fahrenheit and then I pulled over.

It really seems white and my oil level is still at full since I added half a liter in October 2006.

On idle it only comes from the drivers side, but when I push the gaspeddle a little it also comes from the passenger side.

I'd make a movie of it if that helps, but I'm afraid to cause damage or have the engine fail.

White is almost always coolant, black is gas and blue is oil.

Use block tester, also known as a combustion leak tester, to see if you have exhaust gases in your cooling system.
NAPA part number 700-1006
less than $50.00.
or
http://www.testtoolsinc.com/

You can also use it without the chemicals to just test for bubbles.

This is usually a sign of secondary damage so look for causes. :)

When ATF burns, it also produces white smoke.

Make sure your Vacuum Modulator isn't leaking ATF through the diaphram - that can certainly (and very often does) cause this.

I would not put any money into modifications until I found the source of the problem. White smoke (oil) could be bad valve seals, rings, manifold gaskets, ect. It could be(coolant) a cracked block, blown head gasket, manifold gaskets, ect. As a home mechanic I check the compression, look for water in the oil, bubbles in the coolant with engine running. retorque nuts and bolts even change from fossil oil to synthetic oil. (If you have bad seals or rings synthetic will not burn white). even reading your plugs can give you a clue. If these tips don't help, take it to the shop and see what they find. When all is said and done you'll have your answer on how to proceed.
Good luck :thumbs:
Russ

Not true.

Thanks I will, but that would be bad since it was replaced with the rebuild of the tranny in 2004. I'll also check for bubbles with the car running. However, I think since my mechanical skills aren't very good yet and I don't have the space to dissassemble an engine I'll take to the shop for exact analysis and then decide what to do.

Thanks everyone, I'll keep you updated here (ofcourse).

My question would be...How's the car running? Have you noticed any change at idle or acceleration?

Reading exhaust smoke is not the easiest thing in the world, especially if it is a "little" problem or a "slight" change. That being said, it is always good to be dilligent...

Good Luck

I had a head gasket go bad a couple of years ago and it caused the radiator to overlow, pushed exhaust gasses into the cooling system. If that is the problem the spark plugs should tell a story. Any plup getting water will be steam cleaned. If it is the intake manifold leaking then a number or the plugs will get steam cleaned but water will most likely show in the oil. I didn't see if you stated that you need to add coolant. If the car is smoking only when you first start it then I'd look at the valve seals.

@Buffalovet: the car runs pretty good actually, little rough at startup when cold, but after driving for about 5 - 10 minutes it's idles normally. It will try to stall when cold though, think my electric choke should prevent that.

@Jim: My cooland reservoir was completely empty. It used to smoke at startup but now it does all the time.

I'm dropping it off at the shop tomorrow morning, not taking any chances with my 'precious'.

You could get lucky and have it only be a head gasket.

When I went through it, it was like a train's smoke stack pouring out white smoke/steam.

I pulled that side's head since it was only that side, and replaced the head gasket.

Still tons and tons of white smoke/steam.

I pulled and replaced the head, actually, I did both since I wanted be sure both sides were fine.

Still tons and tons of white smoke/steam.

I knew in the pit of my stomach what this meant.

Cracked block. I tore it down, dropped the block off at a machine shop.

Cracked.

So, I built a better motor that's been running great for ten years now.

:iagree: All the right steps to check. Hope it's not cracked.

I hope so too! Brought her to the shop this morning and made a short video of the smoke. Sound volume is low, but the view is 'clear' ;)

Best case scenario is only gaskets which will set me back about 200 euros for new Felpro gaskets (€ 100,-) and decking the heads (€ 45,- each), ex. taxes. Total labour is guestimated at about 8 hours.

So it will at least cost me 714 euros. Little over 900 bucks :eek: :ack:

Maybe I should consider doing this myself (if it's indeed just the gaskets), with someone experienced ofcourse. Not too difficult a job, right?

By the way, I need a new starter(solenoid) too :(

Didn't post the vid clip?

Sorry, put it in the starting post, but here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARTR5IotczM

This is with a relatively cold engine, but the amount of smoke is the same when she's at normal operating temp.

What really suprised me was that after shutting off the engine, smoke kept coming from the exhausts: how can this be??

very difficult to see but....

I had a blown head gasket in my daily driver a few months ago...
Smoke was white and thick!

Coolant was forced out of overflow tank and coolant system was getting pressurised. Top coolant hose was almost bulging!

Your 'smoke' seems more like moisture vapour...not thick but you said you were losing coolant.

My guess would be gasket only, no crack. Mine was gasket only but produced alot more 'smoke' and it was thick white, not mositure white. Your smoke doesnt hang around for long. It seems to evaporate real quick.

Good luck!

BTW, did you go to the UK nationals last year?

:iagree: It does not look very bad, or even close compared to the white smoke that was coming from my side pipes when I had a cracked block. As said, yours dissipates quickly and mine lingered. This leads me to believe low amounts of coolant.

You said both sides exhibit the same symptoms?

have the coolant checked for CO2.