Hey guys I noticed the other day that I had puffs of white smoke coming out my exhaust at WOT. So i looked at the coolant and noticed it was low. So then i checked my oil which I had changed two days prior and according to the dipstick i was almost a quart over filled. But i know i didn't ut too much oil in. I am thinking I have a cracked heads gasket, would i be right?

 

Does the engine sound normal when it is running? If so, then its probably not your head gasket. It could be your intake manifold gaskets, or worse...a cracked engine block.

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92 Camaro RS, LO3, 5-spd, T-tops

Performance:
K&N Open Air Filter, Edelbrock performer TBI intake, Fastchip Prom, Timing +4 degrees, Centerforce clutch, Xact 8mm wires, SLP 1 3/4" Headers (coated), Flowmaster Catback Exhaust, Z28 Grille w/aftmkt fog lamps, MacEwen white-face guages
Electronics:
Alpine 8030 Alarm System, Valentine One Radar Detector (How did I ever drive without one?), Pioneer DEH 7450 Head Unit w/6-pack CD changer, Pioneer DEQ 7600 Sound Processor, 2 Kenwood KAC-846 Amps powering 2 12" Pro Red subs, 2 Pioneer 6x9 and 2 MTX 4x6 speakers.
NEXT UP: TBI mods, 3.42 gears w/Torsen posi

 

It sounds normal to me. some times it idles a little lower than it should. Is there away of telling what it is without tearing the whole engine apart.
Thanks
Tom

 

Pull all your spark plugs out. If any of the cylinders are burning coolant it would be indicated by a clean spark plug (electrode insulator will probably be pure white). Antifreeze burns VERY hot, so any carbon or gunk would be burnt away. Also does the exhaust smell sweet?

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85 Berlinetta Iroc exterior NOW 454 powered, 4.10 gears, 275/60/15 Hoosier Quicktimes and a PILE of other goodies..........YES, it's street driven!

check it out at http://www.bsronline.net/members/rob/rob_specs.html

 

Well my car is running very rich right now, so i don't know if i will be able to smell if it is rich or not. but if i am not getting collant in the oil, is there another reason that my dipstick shows i have too much oil? And what else would cause white smoke? i will check out everything you guys suggested.
thanks
Tom

 

Sounds like a head gasket. Also, pull the O2 sensor, if it is covered with white silica, then that is coolant. It is actually not uncommon. I had to replace mine on my 88Formula350.

 

I don't have 02 sensors. my car was converted to a carburated 350 with no emmisions equipment.
thanks
Tom

 

The oil should look kind of milky. Drain that oil and inspect it--it's usually obvious. You could also have the oil tested.
What does the oil smell like? I ask because about the only other thing that can get in the oil is fuel. Does it smell like gas? If it does, it's probably getting gas in the oil from running so rich. How low on antifreeze was it? When was the last time you added antifreeze. A little bit of evaporation is normal. That smoke at WOT might be valve guides--sometimes it's a really light blue.

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82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

 

What would happen with antifreeze in the gas tank? WHEEE ITS CHEAPER THAN GASOLINE!

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1992 Pontiac Firebird (stock)
- 5.0L V8 TBI / Automatic Trans / Every option, excluding leather
- Killer car audio system:

• Aiwa CDC-MP3 head unit
• Rockford Fosgate 360a2 amp
• pair of 12" MTX Thunder 5000s in a custom box
• Pioneer 3-way 6x9s, soon to add more more more!

 

I'm not sure exactly what you have to look for, but I know one of the mechanics where I work can tell if a head gasket is bad by inserting the probe from the emissions computer over the top of the radiator opening.

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Riccioli Performance Motorworks

--RPM Racing--

-Currently building first ever engine. 383 with Super Ram plenum and runners, Edelbrock lower intake, Bosch 24# injectors, AFR 190 heads, MSD ignition.
-Will be installing Baer Brakes
-Will be installing full Spohn suspension in rear
-Art Carr 700R4 trans??


Attention Everyone!!! I will be changing my name on the message boards to HardcoreZ28 sometime in the near future. Just wanted to let everyone know.

 

you said it's a carbed 350? if so are you running an old style fuel pump mounted on the engine? The diaphram can rupture on those and dump fuel into the oil causing the level to shoot up.

 

you could also pop the rad cap off and check for bubbles while it's running. If it's running EXTREMELY rich, that could be the cause of the over filled oil. Your rings or guides could be worn out causing some blow-by at high RPM's. You can't really mistake that smell of burnt of antifreeze for anything else, running rich or not. Adjust your carb, top up your antifreeze. Take it from there. The best way without ripping the motor apart is still by checking the plugs. Sometimes it's hard to decide if the smoke you see is white or a light blue. A blown headgasket will usually spew ALOT of smoke out at all speeds.

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85 Berlinetta Iroc exterior NOW 454 powered, 4.10 gears, 275/60/15 Hoosier Quicktimes and a PILE of other goodies..........YES, it's street driven!

check it out at http://www.bsronline.net/members/rob/rob_specs.html

 

Listen, you don't have to be blowing loads of white smoke out the back to have a bad head gasket. I didn't even know mine was bad until I had to pull the head off to get the sparkplug out. The machinist who got the plug out said the gasket was gone. It was only seeping a little. There is a TSB on the head gaskets also. When I had the head off, i also had him replace all the valve seals.

 

thanks guys for all your help. I am running an electric fuel pump. It is actually the original one from the fuel injections, but i am running a fuel regulator. I don't know what the fuel pressure is set at because i have to order a fuel pressure gauage. I am going to check the spark plugs and smell of the oil right now.
thanks
Tom

 

I said USUALLY spew alot of white smoke. He said he changed his oil 2 days prior. So in his case, if it only took 2 measly days to overfill the oil, and run his coolant low in such a short span of time, if it was the head gasket, it should be barfing white smoke. A LITTLE seepage in to the cylinder won't cause the oil level to be overfull in just 2 days, unless the gasket is COMPLETELY toast.

 

You can also have the pH of the antifreeze tested. When CO2 goes into the antifreeze, it lowers the pH.

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1984 z28 w/ a 357 cu in. monster engine which is looking like the posterchild for Edelbrock with the exception of the Holley 750vac... all the suspension stuff... 9-bolt posi disk is in...

-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

Well guys i think that it am getting gas into the oil. I smell the oil and it really smelled like gas. I am not losing a lot of antifreeze, just a little. Maybe the smoke i am seeing is light blue and not white. It doesn't smoke all the time just at WOT.
thanks
Tom

 

g

 

I still say i should put a few capfulls of coolant in my tank :P

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1992 Pontiac Firebird (stock)
- 5.0L V8 TBI / Automatic Trans / Every option, excluding leather
- Killer car audio system:

• Aiwa CDC-MP3 head unit
• Rockford Fosgate 360a2 amp
• pair of 12" MTX Thunder 5000s in a custom box
• Pioneer 3-way 6x9s, soon to add more more more!

 

Well, was it TBI or TPI?

My guess is it was a TBI and those run between 14-17psi. Carbs are only supposed to have between 6-8psi. You have to figure out what the PSI is. A regulator is doing you no good if you are more than 8psi. No wonder it is running rich. The gas going into the oil is washing past the rings. Not a good thing.

 

It was TBI. If i don't run the engine anymore will the gas cause any harm until I get the problem fixed? Did or will the gas washing through the rings hurts the rings?
Thanks
Tom

 

It is not a good thing. I don't know if it permently will hurt the rings but I know it didn't help it. I wouldn't run it anymore and I would change the oil and pull all the plugs and squirt some Mystery Oil in the spark plug holes while rotating the engine by hand.