Engine Problems-Help!!!!

[GT_green_GT]

So i got the mustang started today. It ran fine the 25 minutes it was in the shop. Coolant was topped off and had the ignition timing set. No leaks anywhere. Well about 5 minutes after i pulled out of the shop the temp climbed high and white smoke coming out the tailpipes and under the hood. Popped the hood and coolant was everywhere. But no coolant on the heads or intake. I let it all cool down. Went back. Drove it again. No smoke. As the temp started to climb the smoke came. Any ideas what is goin on. I didnt get a chance to get a look at anything. The shop had to close up. ??????

 

[GT_green_GT]

anything anyone?

 

[cbarr300]

are you sure its coming out of the tailpipes? or is it maybe just hitting the tailpipes and making it look like it's coming out the tailpipe....I'd say that's a rather important detail

 

[GT_green_GT]

its coming out the pipes for sure.

 

[Adam95GT]

Make sure your checking your hoses and lines from your rad... if your getting smoke under the hood... also what mods if any did you do recently.... a improperly gasketed IM will cause problems like this... The fact that you say nothing happens till the temp starts to climp is leading me to the Upper hose/t stat area

 

[cbarr300]

since it's coming out the tailpipes, that means it has to be getting into the combustion chamber......

sooo...either lower intake gasket or head gasket would be my guess (could be a cracked block..but I doubt it). Since you say its coming out into the engine bay...my instinct would tell me you blew a lower intake gasket (hopefully)...either that or you REALLY messed a HG up

 

[2muchtime]

i agree with cbarr

 

[ProKiller]

with cbarr also

 

[GT_green_GT]

so...we started to diagnose it...its got a HUGE pressure leak on the cooling system. Hyrdocarbons are in the system. As the engine revs up the coolant pressure increases. My instructor said that means its a head gasket.

 

[cbarr300]

maybe both

I've just never seen a headgasket blown that bad...I mean, I'm sure it's possible, I've just never witnessed it.


do a compression test too....might as well

good luck
Clay

 

[GT_green_GT]

whats messed up...i jus got done rebuilding it last tuesday.

 

[GTA_V6_Mustang]

If you just got done rebuilding it I would like to give you hope and say check the IM gasket, but I have seen plenty times here at work where a bad HG sprays coolant everywhere....Damn PT cruisers...

 

[cbarr300]

I say do a compression test before you start tearing into it because:

1. If you have a blown head gasket, it'll tell you right off the bat. Also, you'll be able to determine which side the bad gasket is on so you won't have to take off both heads...only one (hopefully).

2. It hardly takes any time to do one.

Even if you did a fresh rebuild, if your headgasket is blown then your compression numbers will be low (most likely on 2 or 3 cylinders)...and the rest should be fine

 

[DarkProphet]

If you just rebuilt it, I would first check the lower intake manifold gasket. If that isnt the problem, then your headgasket is most likely to blame. I had mine blow 3 times in a row, and it was due to a warped head. Mine also did fine when I did a compression test on it. I had alot of the same problems as you (coolant everywhere, would be fine, then overheat and so on..)

If you take the upper off and can see any sort of coolant in the ports (specifically ports 1,4,5, and 8, thats most likely your problem. I kind of think its the headgasket though as your putting pressure in the coolant system, and a N/A combo wont do that through the lower manifold, just head gaskets.

Also, if you pull your plugs, and one of them is looks corroded, or has coolant on it, then there you go, that cylinder most likely is leaking.

Good luck! Ive been there and its not fun!! Hopefully its something small.