Head Gasket Blown?

ameen · Jul 10, 2005

Hello,

Just recently started noticing every now and then when the car is idle for a long period it will start smoking, the smoke goes away after driving.

It seems to happend only during long periods of idle.

If its the head gasket , is it a difficult job to do, how much does it usually run including labour. Should i take it to a dsm specific shop?

Also, should i avoid driving the car till it is fixed?

joelowrider · Jul 10, 2005

i dont know alot about dsm but i know alot of times when you blow the head gasket you can pull your oil dipstick and if it looks like there is water on top of the oil it will kind of look like a white to a tan foam

shaolinrob · Jul 10, 2005

What color is the smoke? White? White/w a bluish tint? What does it smell like?
This kind of information will help use pinpoint the problem greatly.
If you ever suspect your head gasket, do a compression test. If your numbers come up low, do a wet test (1 capful of oil in each cyl) - if the numbers don't increase (and are not 0), then you've most likely got a HG problem.

Jusmx141 · Jul 11, 2005

Monitor your oil level as well as your water level and just drive the car for a while. If it's a significant head gasket leak, your water level should drop quickly without any exterior leaks (hoses, pipes.) A good repair shop can pressure test your cooling system as well if you suspect a head gasket leaking. If it's oil smoke, it could be as complicated as bad rings or leaky valve guides/seals or as simple as poor crankcase ventilation or a bad PCV valve dumping oil right into the intake where it could be burnt. Compression tests can tell alot, or simply reading the plugs is a great way to check too....if one plug comes out with a green tint then that cylinder is most likely where the head gasket leak is.

drcustom · Jul 11, 2005

It doesn't sound like a HG.

More likely it's your valve stem seals, or maybe your PVC or something like that (like was already said).

Something is letting oil seep into the intake while at idle. Stem seals are cheap, and if you have the right spring compressor you can change them without removing the head.

I noticed you're from Greensburgh, I'm from Irwin

bytheway · Jul 11, 2005

I agree with drcustom, it doesnt sound like a headgasket. is your car running any hotter?

it could very well be the valve stem seals.

ameen · Jul 11, 2005

Well, the main reason i thought it might be the head gasket is because the thermostat died a couple of weeks ago and the engine got quite hot.

Unfortunatly im going to have to take it to a shop because i really don't know my way around enough on the car to try and attempt to fix this. Could the oil filter some how cause this, not being in right or being the wrong type? It wasn't doing this till i got an oil change about a week and a half ago.

Anyway, thanks for all of your comments.

ameen · Jul 11, 2005

bytheway said:
I agree with drcustom, it doesnt sound like a headgasket. is your car running any hotter?

it could very well be the valve stem seals.

The temp of the car according to gauge is around the middle, but i do notice the drivers side of the car under the steering wheel has been getting hot, not sure if that is related..

drcustom · Jul 11, 2005

ameen said:
Could the oil filter some how cause this, not being in right or being the wrong type? It wasn't doing this till i got an oil change about a week and a half ago.

The oil cooler could have been crushed when the new filter was put on. This would allow your oil and coolant to mix, but I don't know that it would have caused the smoke...unless some problem that's allowing the oil to get into the cylinders is now allowing the coolant/oil mix into the cylinders, and the added coolant in the oil is causing the smoke.

If you find out that's the case I can get the 1990 air/oil coolers.

ameen · Jul 11, 2005

Couple of things.
1) My friend said the smoke was blackish, light blackish.

2) The other time i remember it happending, about a week ago, i just remember i got a car wash after so it could of been from the water getting in exaust and steaming.

3) I know im running rich, could this be it?

I made an appointment to do a compression check tomorrow, what should the numbers be about?

drcustom · Jul 11, 2005

1) black smoke means partially burnt fuel, likely from running rich

2) steam goes away pretty fast, you'd have other problems if there was a ton of water in there...there isn't

3) see #1

If you lean your car out your smoke will probably go away. Definitely not a head gasket if it's black.

All the numbers for the compression test are here:

http://www.dsmgrrrl.com/FAQs/compression.htm

Sounds like you'll be fine. Take some 93 octane and call me in the morning.

ameen · Jul 11, 2005

drcustom said:
1) black smoke means partially burnt fuel, likely from running rich

2) steam goes away pretty fast, you'd have other problems if there was a ton of water in there...there isn't

3) see #1

If you lean your car out your smoke will probably go away. Definitely not a head gasket if it's black.

All the numbers for the compression test are here:

http://www.dsmgrrrl.com/FAQs/compression.htm

Sounds like you'll be fine. Take some 93 octane and call me in the morning.

Sounds good, but why would it show up only after long idle if its from running rich..

I guess ill find out for sure tomorrow.

Thanks.

drcustom · Jul 11, 2005

could just be building up in the exhaust

MegaGS · Jul 11, 2005

I personally like to look for myself. I know you are friends and you trust him with your life, but do you trust him with you car? That is the real question.

My car burns oil at idle, I am too fearful to have the head pulled (I know this is not neccessary, but is preferred by me) to fix the problem. It has been smoking like a mu fuka in stop and go traffic, but when I drive 600 miles at a time, it hardly uses anything, coincidence? No.

IF SMOKE IS SURELY BLACK, OBSERVED BY YOU: it's possible that your O2 heater is dead, and when it cools off it doesn't work anymore, thus always sending a lean signal to the ecu at idle and making you run richer as time goes on and the signal gets lower. POSSIBLE.

ameen · Jul 11, 2005

Ok, i just fired her up to check, it was smoking a bit not a lot, had wife hit the gas while i watched, and notice moisture, wet drops coming out.. now im worried, is that normal?? i touched the drops and i couldnt tell wht it was, the exaust is dirty so the dirt in the exaust made it look black....

The smoke is blackish grey, its to hard to tell......

I put a napkin to the back of it to try and catch some of the drops, it smells heavily of gas...

ameen · Jul 12, 2005

i guess its probably condensation, just seems like water..

MegaGS · Jul 12, 2005

The drops are condensation. That is very normal, if it was white smoke, then I would be worried but it wasn't. Still, keep an eye on the oil and coolant levels just to be sure; that should be pretty routine for anyone who likes their car the way it is and doesn't want unexpected problems to slap them in the face.

I believe your compression should be 178psi if perfect (maybe higher since you are so rich), the service limit is 133psi. Tell us what you find out, it is beginning to look like a fuel problem.

Mitsu725 · Dec 31, 2005

i am having the same problem, i went out for a night got on the car quite a bit, and the next friday i went to take it out it wouldnt start and then the problems, i changed the coolant temp sensor cuz thats what the code reader said was bad the coolant temp sensor was reading -40 degrees, so i changed that and still a problem and a little only a little bit of water is coming out of the exhaust, wil a little bit of oil, doesnt smell like coolant but smoke also pours out but smells like gas, also car is running REALLL LEan.??????????

SkylinedTSI · Dec 31, 2005

Head gasket leaks allow water and oil to mix in the cylinder so therefore as the car tries to burn it it cant burn the water so if your gaskets blown the head wont stand the heat first off and will warp and the car will sputter and will blow blue smoke(oil and water).

Head Gasket Blown?

ameen

joelowrider

shaolinrob

Jusmx141

drcustom

bytheway

ameen

ameen

drcustom

ameen

drcustom

ameen

drcustom

MegaGS

ameen

ameen

MegaGS

Mitsu725

SkylinedTSI

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