So today I got a potential buyer for my 89 GTA and as we were test driving the car he asked me if he could get onto it. I said go ahead. So as we came to a stop the car started smoking. Yikes lost a sale there! Now when I got her home I popped the hood and out waffed the smoke from the passenger side. Now the car doesn't overheat and I have not had issues with antifreeze in the oil either so my question is where could antifreeze leak in that area and burn off on the exhaust manifold? It's not from the head is it? I would think if it was leaking from the head it would just drip down onto the ground or I would see it in the oil right? Is there some kind of line there like perhaps the heater core lines?

 

Okay so upon further inspection it seems the antifreeze is spritzing down on to the exhaust near where the cat connects to the pipe. I can look through behind the rear passenger tire and see the antifreeze spraying on the exhaust there. So leaky head gasket? or something else?

 

SO my next question is now that I know this it will most likely have to come out. should I get a new crate engine? or a manufactured one?

 

If you are lucky, it could be the intake manifold.
You know, at the rear corner of the head.

 

Probably just a $15 heater control valve leaking, then running down the 2 hoses that connect at the firewall, they are plastic and tend to crack with age ...

Most auto parts stores have them, take a close look at yours while running.
On my 89 GTA, it was pass side....

 

Check all your hoses for the heater on the passenger side of the engine. You most likely sprung a leak and just need to replace a hose.

 

I checked the hoses and there was no antifreeze on them. Tomorrow I'll post a video of the car and where it leaking.

 

I checked and it wasn't leaking. I can see antifreeze spraying on the exhaust when you look in behind the passenger side front wheel. Its spraying very lightly on the exhaust.

 

Tomorrow when it's light out I am going to get a better look. But as it sits now I was selling it because I got to many. If it is the head gasket I simply don't have the time to fix it and I am going to sell it as is.

 

If you still have the metal heater pipe connecting the heater core to the radiator and HCV, check that closely. My 88 just sprung a leak in that pipe.

 

Problem is its so deep down in the back side of the passenger side I can't see where It's coming from.

 

Okay so after looking around with a mirror and flashlight I was able to see what looks like antifreeze running down the block on the passenger side all they way in the back and then falling onto the exhaust down below.

 

Probably either the intake gasket, or (I think your setup has this) that stooooopid chinesium heater hose fitting they used back there under the distributor.

Efff trying to "see" it. Instead, use your knowledge of where coolant exists, and what's likely to fail; and just dive in there and fix it. Heads or even their gaskets aren't the most likely thing at all, not by a long shot.