Before I start, PLEASE don't tell me to swap in a 350. That is a little over my head right now ... so resist the urge, hear me out, and any help is appreciated.

I have a 305 TPI with 120k. I want to do some nice mods to it, but I think it may have some repairs in order first.

Here are some of my symptoms:

- Knock on startup (only about 4-5 knocks then goes away)

- Oil smells like gas. Is this most likely a bad fuel pressure regulator, injectors, washed cylinder?

- Coolant turns nice and brown real quick. I did a rad flush about 4 months ago, but coolant is brown again. Flush again, or something else?

- I get white smoke from tailpipe until the engine warms. Not the infamous "puff" of white smoke from worn valve seals, but a light, continuous white smoke for a couple of minutes.

- Small oil leak

- Small tranny leak

- There is a faint smell of burnt coolant when the car gets hot.

Thanks, guys. I hope these might be small things. If they are big things and a rebuild is suggested, I will probably look into a 350 swap. But I'm happy to stick with my 305 for now.

Here are my plans (nothing serious, but I want the engine to be in great condition before I put more power to it:

- CAI
- Shorty headers
- Flowmaster catback
- SFC's
- Possibly a shift kit and maybe ignition

 

Classic blown/leaking head gasket symptoms, contaminated coolant, coolant smell, white smoke, etc. It may be the sound of your startup noise as well.

Its a bad new thing, but use it as an opertunity to pull the heads and make sure everything is still ok everywhere else. If you're not comfortable with that, you can let a mechanic work over it, just get a rebutable shop. You may want to consider a rebuild based on mileage, and running with fuel and coolant contaminating the oil, that tends to tear things up over time. Could be a good opertunity just to go for the 350.

As far as mods, once you sqaure away your head gasket problem, and figure out why you leaking fuel into the oil (that may clear up with the head gasket work), then you can start with exhaust, the biggest factory bottleneck on most production cars.

 

Forget about performance mods until it's running like a swiss watch.
I agree, that sounds like a stereo typical head gasket. Change one thing at a time and note and changes.

A 350 swap would fix that of course

 

i had the same prob. with the coolant. you might need to get a new radiator, depending on if it is plastic on the sides or not. a radiator shop can take the plastic ones off and more thoroughly clean them, where as an aluminum rad. they can't.

also see if they can powerflush the engine, it's basically just flushing it with pressure, because you can flush it all you want but if it's bad enough that won't do anything.
i forget what it's called, but there's a temporary chemical that you fill it up with after that and run it for a day and that'll really clean it up. then you just rinse with water and filler up with 50/50.

hope that helps some

 

I would save these steps until corrective measures have been made to the headgasket, until that is resolved, you can clean the cooling system as frequently as you like, and it will continue to be contaminated by the leaking head gasket.

 

Car is now with my mechanic. I dropped if off 15 min. ago. I don't want to take any chances when I do my mods.

Thanks, guys!

 

Okay..... If, you have a leaking head gasket, the head might be warped or cracked and the block deck at that point may also be suspect. The cheap route would be to simply pull the heads, have them checked at a engine rebuilders machine shop, mill and refresh them, replace the gaskets and bolt it all back up. Rub the rabbits foot and stomp the happy pedal.

Otherwise, you've made a solid case to begin the processes necessary to justify powertrain replacements or rebuild. I'd look at it as an opportunity to do it right.

Good luck

 

Thanks for all the info. I've heard a lot of good things about this new mechanic that I dropped my car off with today. I told him to keep it until it was fixed. Hope that doesn't end up being a huge bill .

 

yeah i have similar prob on my 92 tbi. after my rad exploded i still have brown water after flush.. my trusty mech doesnt think theres a blow in gasket land but i do maybe time to lay dad's mech to rest....keep the 305 on our newer 305 i expect impressive numbers with all the good mods unless u want a drag car

 

Most does sound like a HG. But I believe you have another problem with the gas in oil. Make sure you tell your mech about it if you haven't already.

 

He knows about it.

3rdGenWillie, I know what you mean about laying dad's mechanic to rest. I actually took my car to ... literally ... my dad's mechanic who is about 70 yrs. old and he just kinda scratched his head and said, "Don't sound too good. I'll be able to look at it in about 2 weeks. Bring it back then." Well, he might be dead in 2 weeks. That's probably the last time I'll go there. Poor guy, he needs to retire and enjoy life a little. His shop is still covered in cars.

Also, just for the record, I'm not 100% convinced about the head gasket being bad. The car runs GOOD! I mean, I got on it yesterday after it warmed up and it still puts me back in the seat when it hits 2nd gear. Idles good, oil pressure is good, runs like a scolded dog ... but that gas in the oil is driving me nuts.