Ok,

first off, thank you all! you all have been so helpful, and Ive went from knowing nothing about engines to being fairly comfortable under my hood.

Anyway, I have a 1986 Z28 Carb Camaro, with 305 and stick shift.

This problem started shortly after I changed the fan switch and tried to adjust the idle.

So I tried to start the car cold in teh middle of the night (it was about 40*F)...and the RPM jumped up to about 2000-3000 and stayed there it really scared me, so after tapping the gas and fiddling with stuff I tried to turn the car off, but even when I turned the key back, the engine kept sputtering and running... I had to put it in 1st, Firmly hold down the brake and let the clutch out to stop it, and then a puff of white smoke (could have been hot air because of the temp) came out the top of the carb. I want to point out that this isnt the fast idle...ive adjusted that to about 800...this was something else.

Aside from that, I am now leaking coolant from the passenger side, right about where the door meets the fender, about a foot in...I cant really see as I cant get under the car...but it drips about once very 5-10 seconds when the engine is running. At first I thought it was just drip off or extra sitting there from when I changed the fan switch (almost ALL of my coolant pored out from there) but I took it for a 100 mile drive and it is still dripping consistently...looks like its coming from either the exhaust pipe, or something just past it...what could it be?

Third, The idle screw, well the curb idle screw doesn't seem to do anything. My curb idle seems to always want to idle at 1000RPM no matter what. Ive adjusted it to about 700...and when i turn the car on when its already warmed up, it starts up right there at 700 but it always slowly climbs to 1000rpm...and occasionally with the tap of gas it goes back down, but then slowly climbs again.

Anyone have any idea what the solution to any of these 3 problems could be? I hae to pass emmissions and smog test here in CA, and these problems are the only thing between me and my cars registration.

Thanks!!!

 

Could be a blown head gasket, especially if it is coming from the exhaust. I would check the oil see if it looks normal or if it has a milky color to it. The milky color usually means that coolant is in the oil, a tell tale sign of a blown head gasket. Hopefully not a cracked head, I think that would do it too. Otherwise go through your whole coolant system and check your hose connections, and try to find the exact source of the leak, and make sure it's not just dripping onto your exhaust from somewhere else.

 

The heater hoses go right about to that area.

Check for binding in your throttle system, cable, throttle arm, etc. Also make sure the choke is operating freely and properly.

 

you may also want to check a leaking heater core/connections if it is dripping near the door and fender gap on the passenger side

 

Just to add a little bit of experience (and maybe an oddity) - I had a cracked head on my old 86 Reliant. When it was in park it seemed to run fine, but in gear - it looked like an alice cooper concert. White smoke everywhere. Maybe that could help diagnose? I have no idea why it would puff the white smoke only in gear, maybe someone could shed some light on that hehe! (Through the smoke :P )

 

This is what i first thought when i read this. My car had a leak, at about the same rate as yours. the coolant leaked right on to where the y pipe goes into one. The previous owner had bypassed a leaky heatercore, and the plastic elbow he was using got brittle and broke creating the leak.

 

Perhaps torque opened up the crack.

Not very likely in with 3rd gen SBC.

 

Thanks for everyone's responses..

For the record, my brother had a cracked head gasket on his cadilac, and im about 99% sure this isnt the same problem...his car shot out pure white smoke out the back...im talking a TON of white smoke an "alice cooper concert" sounds about right..., mine doesnt do that. The white smoke was only a tiny puff when the engine sputtered to a stop and it came out of the top of the carburetor, not the tail pipe, and as I said it could have been hot air as it was very very cold out.


Also I just barely failed emmisions tests, (by like 20 HC) so I dont think my numbers would be that low if I had coolant pouring into my exhaust.


Now after some research it looks like if your windshield fogs up right about in the middle with your windows rolled up then its a cracked or broken heater core? well that happens...so that could be.

With all of that in mind, im going to assume that thats the problem for now. What specifically should I check, and should I definitely need to replace it? or could something just be loose? As I said I changed out the fan switch from the top, it was a long painstaking process fitting in that crevice so I could have knocked something. Again im still somewhat of a beginner so specifics would help.

Also another odd question, but could my timing be off? a friend of mine said that the higher idle and the sputtering and not shutting off could be a timing issue, is that true?

Thanks again guys!

 

I'd first borrow a coolant system pressure tester from one of the auto parts stores, like AutoZone. Then pressurize the system to 20 psi and see exactly where the leak is.

Once you know that, you'll know what to do next. It could be a number of different things causing what you're experiencing: hose, clamp, core, gasket, etc.

Jake

 

had the same 2 problems with my carbed 88rs 5.7 changed the springs on carb and it fixed that problem.Having my friend who is a mechanic change out my rear end in a vfew days,how hard is it to do the heater core and about what would a shop charge? thanks