Just Redid Head Gasket Quick Q's

RedStang88 · Jun 21, 2004

Hey guys I just got my engine back together in my 94 3.8, the head gaskets went. Well, when I started the car it had a few issues. First of all, it has no idle, the car stays on as long as I keep on the gas, when I let off the car dies out slowly. Next prob is there was some smoke still comin the exhaust, is this to be expected as the car was sittin for a month, will it go away soon? Also, the was a little smoke comin from the engine but I believe this is because of the new spark plug wires I put on, the stock ones were at a 45 degree angle while the new ones sit alot closer to the heads and headers as they are at a 90 degree angle boot, do you think that they could be too close and catchin heat and burnin? I dont think I should expect the car to run perfectly right off the bat, am I supposed to reset the computer somehow or anything to help it run better? I know this is a long post so thanks for any help to any of my questions.

RedStang88 · Jun 21, 2004

Also, on the intake manifold, upper, there is a plastic tube/pipe that goes across and connects to the passenger side valve cover. On this tube/pipe, there is a small rubber hose near the end, where does this connect to, I have no idea. Last of all, there is a metal pipe that connects to the upper intake manifold in the back. It is held on by two bolts and I believe it is connected to the exhaust. I had a really hard time getting it to line up and I dont know if the gasket set well, could this cause any probs? Thanks again for any help you can give me. BTW, that metal pipe is the EGR valve, I just found this out...

RedStang88 · Jun 21, 2004

RedStang88 · Jun 21, 2004

Guys I just read on the sensor on top of the throttle body that Im not supposed to clean the throttle body but I already cleaned the inside alitl because it was full of crap? Could this be the problem?

IndyBlk5.0 · Jun 21, 2004

I think you should have taken it to a shop to do it.
For the smoke, - not a good sign, but could just because of condensation in the exhaust.

RedStang88 · Jun 21, 2004

Sorry I would have but I am really really broke and couldnt afford it. I brought my battery to have it tested and the machine pulled up bad battery. If the alternator is bad could that cause the car to act like this?

Fastcat · Jun 21, 2004

THe battery or alt. wont create none of your problems. The smoke coming from the engine is MORE THAN LIKELY grease/oil burning off of the heads, headers, and intake, so thats not a concern. Your car isnt idling because you dont have the EGR valved hooked up, if I read your post correctly. ANd you probably have vaccum leaks other than the EGR valve too. And Dont hold me to this but the smoke form the tailpipe is normal after your car has been sitting for a while (months), and should go away if you put octane booster and water remover in your gas tank (unless your gas is really old.... Bad gas will also make the car not idle. Let me tell you a little story,

A guy was selling a 90 T-bird (3.8L engine) for $400, Nice straight clean body and interior! I started it up and it wouldnt idle and it had smoke coming from the tailpipes once it stayed started. He told me he bought it for his son from an old lady that kept it in a garage after she blew the HG's. The car sat for 2yrs before he replaced the head gaskets, milled the heads, new waterpump, fresh tune up, and t-stat, but when he put it all together it ran just like I stated above.... and pretty much like your car, but I bet this was 10x worst. Well to make a long story short, I offered in $250 and drove the car home, drove all the gas out of the car (octane boost and water removal didnt work in this case). When I put fresh gas in the the car ran and idled like a champ and its still running good.... 3months later.

Moral of the story is dont give up, just get that EGR valve hooked up and make sure you have all your vac lines hooked up. And try putting octane boost and HEET in the gas tank, all of those things should fix your problem

RedStang88 · Jun 21, 2004

Thank you for the enthusiasm, the car has been sittin for alitl over a month and a half, so I am not too worried about the smoke. The egr valve is on, but the gasket got a little messed up in the process. The vacuum hoses all seem to be good except one. It is on the skinny pipe that goes from the upper intake manifold to the pass side valve cover. It is near the end so it has to plug into the pass side somewhere, and is only about 6 inches long, but I have no Idea where it goes! Before I determined it was the head gaskets, I put water remover into the gas, this probably isnt a prob though, but there isnt much gas in the car right now. If you can give me any more info or suggestions please do!

bgjohnson · Jun 21, 2004

sounds like a vacuum problem to me

RedStang88 · Jun 22, 2004

Update: When I was taking the intake apart, I unbolted the throttle body from the manifold and just set it off to the side. The IAC was never removed but it was unplugged and there is a good possibility that both the IAC and throttle body might have gotten wet. Could this mess anything up? Also, I cleaned the inside of the tb alitl, would this hurt anything?

IndyBlk5.0 · Jun 22, 2004

oh, i was under the impression that it was steaming from the exhaust.
If your motor starts smoking after you do a build, dont be alarmed... It's all that crap that you used to take things off, all the spills on the block and exhaust there were, burning off.

RedStang88 · Jun 22, 2004

Ok good, do you think the IAC or TB could have got ruined?

RedStang88 · Jun 22, 2004

Alright, I found a vacuum leak. Its not on the pcv tube, but on the tube that connects to the opposite valve cover that looks the same. It has a small hose coming off of it, and I cant find out where it goes. I plugged the whole up and it is idling now, just really rough. The smoke stopped coming off the engine, it was just crap burning off, and the smoke from the exhaust cleared up alot. If anyone could help me find out where that short tube goes, I could take the car to go get any codes read to clear up the rough idle.

RedStang88 · Jun 22, 2004

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO the engine is running fine I found 2 small hoses which werent connected. It idles fine, maybe a tad high, but it isnt jumpin all around. The check engine light went off and there is no smoke coming from anywhere! Thanks for the help guys!

bgjohnson · Jun 23, 2004

now just turn down the idle and readjust the TPS voltage, around .95 volts

Just Redid Head Gasket Quick Q's

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