Need opinion on this motor prob.

[my95gtstang]

Ok, I have a 1996 Mustang GT. It just reciently started falling apart on me because its 10 years old and yeah, stuff happens. I hear tapping sound when I drive (from the motor) then i also hear tapping from what I am pretty sure is my exhaust pipe might of coming a little loose which is a easy fix. It also seems to shoot out white smoke from the exhaust. I hook a handheld computer to it and it said, misfiring on cylinder 3 and running rich. I change the spark plug and it seems to run A LOT better but it still shoots out white smoke. The only thing I can think of is that my head gaskets are leaking water into my cylinders causing the water buildup *white smoke being steam*
I was wondering what yalls opinion on this matter is and what ways I can go about FULLY finding out EVERYTHING wrong with my p.o.s.
Hit me up on AIM: Blue96GTstang *im in college right now posting this so i wont be on until after 1:30*

 

[Mike97gt]

you need to figure ouit if it's steam you are seeing or if it's smoke.

 

[my95gtstang]

how exactly do i go about finding that out?
i called a local shop and they told me 87 dollars to put it up on a machine and tell me whats wrong with it, will that tell me anymore than the handheld computer that says misfiring on cylinder 3 and running rich on right bank? i wanna try and find out ALL my motor problems but i know that is gunna take a lot of money, or will it?

 

[DTNODYA]

Is the smoke white, blue or black? (white = coolant, blue = oil, black = fuel)

 

[my95gtstang]

coolant....how would it be burning coolant?
maybe a leak somewhere? i mean how can i get a full check to find everything out? thanks dtnodya and svttech.

 

[b653gunn]

reply

Mine is a 96gt,one day out of the blou it started to shoot out a little smoke ,well i started to investagate the situation ,i wasn't loosing any coolant from the radiator,but i started to burn oil a little more than usual come to find out i had a bad valve stem seal,you can buy the kit from an auto patrs store for around twenty bucks but installing them is high my lowest quote was about 700 bucks and you haf to have the special OTC tool to do it i think its part # 7925,well now my options are saving up for a new motor,but for the time being i've changed t 10w30 and substituted 1 quart with lucas heavy duty oil stabilizer and the ticking stopped and the smoke vanished foe now i hope ,i hope this helps you.:SNSign:

 

[GodAmGT00]

coolant....how would it be burning coolant?
maybe a leak somewhere? i mean how can i get a full check to find everything out? thanks dtnodya and svttech.

Burning Coolant = Whitish smoke/steam from exhaust = 99% of the time it's a Headgasket (chances are w/ the age of your car)



The only other times it will burn coolant is either a crack/leak into the intake manifold (you'll DEFINITELY know this one), or a crack/leak in a water passage in either the block or head (you'll know definitely about this one as well..)


Now, if it were a question between white and bluish smoke, that makes a world of difference..




JT

 

[my95gtstang]

it is white smoke, and ive been thinking its a head gasket. expensive to fix?

 

[BurningRubber]

it is white smoke, and ive been thinking its a head gasket. expensive to fix?

Not if you do it yourself, but be ready to fork over for a shop to do it.

 

[my95gtstang]

i know its alot of work. anyone know a guestimate price? so i know how much it might cost to get this fixed. oh and i hear a loud tapping sound when i drive, coming from my engine so, it gets faster as i accelerate and stops once i get goin fast enough or if i press on the gas really fast.