Whats wrong with my car? - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Drew86maro · 04-18-2009, 09:48 PM

Hello, im a new member on this site and I hope someone can help. I wanted to know what is wrong with my car (86 Camaro 5.0 V8). First off the car runs fine but after about 30 min of driving the overflow tank starts boiling after I turn the car off? Also when I go to start it up a puff of white smoke comes from the exhaust then it goes away shortly after but it has a disgusting smell for a few seconds after start up. Today when I was driving the car seemed like it didnt want to shift right then all of a sudden it shifts normal? Also the car doesnt start right away but when it does the idle is low but after I start driving it it's fine. I check my radiator everyday and the antifreeze level is always the same and it doesnt spit out fluid when the cap is off and the car is on. Like I said the car has no loss of power and it runs fine. I hope it isn't anything major but please let me know what you think.

Rick1805 · 04-18-2009, 10:02 PM

Sounds like a small head gasket leak (or worse crack) and when your motor heats up the metal expands and starts sucking in small amounts of fluid to burn off. also sounds like its near a exhaust port seeing it is boiling your overflow tank. As for the loss in power would think your fowling out the plug good way to find out what cyl it is pull the plugs look for the one that fouled

Drew86maro · 04-18-2009, 10:39 PM

But why dont I have any loss of power? Also a have a 2'' hole in my overflow tank, would that cause any problems?

Rick1805 · 04-19-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew86maro

Also the car doesnt start right away but when it does the idle is low but after I start driving it it's fine. I check my radiator everyday and the antifreeze level is always the same a

Well if your car is hard starting theres your first sign of loss of power and then you said your not loseing fluid but if it is boiling and you have a hole in it you have to be loseing something

Drew86maro · 04-19-2009, 11:35 AM

The hole is at the very top of the bottle but I patched it, I was just wondering if the overflow tank played a role in the coolant boiling thats all. If it is a small head leak or crack what do you recomend to do? Thanks for your replies.

80schild · 04-19-2009, 11:39 AM

Try getting a new radiator cap and see if that stops the boiling over, mine was boiling at 220 because it didn't have enough pressure. What does the temp gauge say when it's boiling?

As for the puff of smoke, it might be the valve guide seals (very common), but the smoke is more a bluish color.

Drew86maro · 04-19-2009, 12:46 PM

The smoke color is white and it is only on start up. As far as themp guage It only lights up red, it doesnt have any numbers on it. (Im in the process of getting a iroc guage cluster) but for now I have no way of knowing. Should I pick up a new coolant tank just to be safe? Thanks

CaliChevyLover · 04-19-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew86maro

The smoke color is white and it is only on start up. As far as themp guage It only lights up red, it doesnt have any numbers on it. (Im in the process of getting a iroc guage cluster) but for now I have no way of knowing. Should I pick up a new coolant tank just to be safe? Thanks

yup if its white smoke ur burnin coolant. pressure check the system...probly a bad headgasket.

Drew86maro · 04-19-2009, 03:03 PM

What would be the best thing to do to fix it? And if i do replace the head gasket then will my problem with the coolant tank, white smoke and rough cold start stop?

Krooser · 04-20-2009, 12:26 AM

If your burning white smoke it definately means coolant is getting in a cyllinder or 2....
Put on 2 new head gaskets and check for cracks ( I doubt that) and your car will be fine....you might want to reseat the valves and check the guides while the heads are off.....this would be a good little upgrade for your 86....
Krooser

gregsz-28 · 04-20-2009, 12:39 AM

No temp gauge? Did your car originally have a v6?

Drew86maro · 04-20-2009, 12:43 AM

No I dont think so (could be wrong) but my vin says it came with a 5.0 V8 but the RPO decoder said V6 so which would it be?

BlueIroc-Z · 04-20-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew86maro

No I dont think so (could be wrong) but my vin says it came with a 5.0 V8 but the RPO decoder said V6 so which would it be?

Probably the VIN #. If your reading RPO's off your console, maybe the console was replaced with one from a V6 car...?

Drew86maro · 04-20-2009, 10:18 AM

Well I found out today from my mechanic that it is the head gasket. Now I have a decision to make. Fix my current 305 or try and find a good used 350? Overall it will cost about the same, what do you guys think?

Krooser · 04-20-2009, 11:50 AM

It should cost you ALOT more to drop in complete 350 than to pull the heads on the 305. Unless you just want to put A ton of money into it....I would fix the 305....remap the motor......add a flowmaster exhaust....and call it a day and go have fun. It will run alot better with just those modifications......unless......you wanna spend a bunch of money! LOL
kROOSER

Drew86maro · 04-20-2009, 12:46 PM

Lol, any little bit of money I get goes towards my car. But I think you are right about fixing the 305, also the exhaust isnt a bad idea either. The repair is gonna run me about $800 but it has to be done. One of these days im gonna learn how to do this stuff myself and save me some cash! Thanks for all of your help.

kzhurley · 04-29-2009, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew86maro

Lol, any little bit of money I get goes towards my car. But I think you are right about fixing the 305, also the exhaust isnt a bad idea either. The repair is gonna run me about $800 but it has to be done. One of these days im gonna learn how to do this stuff myself and save me some cash! Thanks for all of your help.

Bring it down an ill learn ya--- jim PS:lost youre number... get ahold of me if youd like...

shanewbenson · 05-02-2009, 12:57 PM

if you dont have a cap on your overflow tank or it doesnt seal right then it will boil. Also the white smoke is from one of the inner seals leaking probably. Which one i dono. Most camaros do it though. if you use a thicker oil it should help because it wont pass the poor seal as easy. If it were a head gasket the engine should run rough and smoke all the time.

Drew86maro · 05-02-2009, 01:13 PM

Come to find out my fan wasnt working properly and it wasnt coming on until the car got really hot. A good friend of mine "who is also a member on here" fixed it for me. I got a new coolant bottle, radiator cap, and the fan re-wired and now the car is fine

80schild · 05-02-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew86maro

Come to find out my fan wasnt working properly and it wasnt coming on until the car got really hot. A good friend of mine "who is also a member on here" fixed it for me. I got a new coolant bottle, radiator cap, and the fan re-wired and now the car is fine

Um, I hope you didn't "rig it" to where the fan is always on, all that will do is wear out your fan motor. The best thing to do is to get a lower temp fan switch and keep the wiring like it's intended to be.

Drew86maro · 05-03-2009, 09:49 AM

As of right now the fan is always on, but pretty soon we intend on wiring it the way its supposed to be because its just a temporary solution to keep my motor cool and so far its doing its job.

kzhurley · 05-04-2009, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80schild

Um, I hope you didn't "rig it" to where the fan is always on, all that will do is wear out your fan motor. The best thing to do is to get a lower temp fan switch and keep the wiring like it's intended to be.

Just so no one worrys, The next time Drew86maro comes down im going to show him how to wire it up correctly

That was just a temp fix so it doesnt overheat..If the fan burns up, Ive got 2 sitting in my garage..his had the same prob as 95% of all third gens do...the relay plug goes bad...probably just going to wire in the newer style relay setup (the one with the rubber seal, much better desighn..)
See ya friday? thanks----jim

kzhurley · 05-04-2009, 12:47 AM

And yes, I wired it in with a relay...It just comes on everytime the ignition is on....

Drew86maro · 05-04-2009, 07:39 AM

Hey kzhurley I should be able to make it down there friday just give me a call when you get a chance to figure out a time thanks, oh and by the way I picked up that speaker box yesterday and its in great condition

RScamaropos · 05-04-2009, 12:06 PM

Speaking of fan wiring...anyone got a good fan wiring schematic they could scan and send maybe? I need to rewire my fan because how it is right now....aint right at all

Thanks
-Darren