smoking (i think its a blown head gasket)

3

351w_swap

New Member

May 23, 2004

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Jul 30, 2006

#1

• Jul 30, 2006

• #1

I was driving my car yesterday and the smoking got worse. I have a 351w that i built with stock heads and a performer rpm intake, topped off with a 750 cfm edelbrock carb. All of this was like new ordered from PAW. I don't think that I gave it enough break in time; the white smoke is coming from the tail pipes and I think that there is a leak on the headers because it smokes from under the hood and the coolant is constantly low. The temp stays normal (180-190) under the amount of time that i have driven it. My question is what do I need to replace? Am I just looking at replacing the head gaskets and intake gaskets (when i remove it to take off the heads) or am i going to need to do a rebuild on it with rings and maybe bearings? The engine is only 2.5 years old with under 500 miles on it since the rebuild (i can't afford gas, haha) so i can't figure out why i would have blown a head gasket unless it wasn't broken in yet. thanks in advance for your replies

 

Max Power

Active Member

Jul 31, 2003

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St Paul

Jul 30, 2006

#2

• Jul 30, 2006

• #2

Maybe you don't have a blown head gasket, you may be sucking coolant in through the intake. Have you looked at plugs to try and isolate a cylinder? Any coolant getting into oil?

 

M

mustangman70

Founding Member

Dec 30, 2001

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St pete, Florida

Jul 31, 2006

#3

• Jul 31, 2006

• #3

I too agree maybe you didnt sit the intake right?

Where specificly is the smoke comingoff the headers?

 

3

351w_swap

New Member

May 23, 2004

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Jul 31, 2006

#4

• Jul 31, 2006

• #4

I dont know how i could be getting water in my intake, i guess im just not sure what you mean. but there is a sweet smelling smoke coming off the headers on the right side near the back of the engine. how can i reset my intake to keep if from smoking if thats what it is?

 

M

mustangman70

Founding Member

Dec 30, 2001

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St pete, Florida

Jul 31, 2006

#5

• Jul 31, 2006

• #5

When its "smoking" does it look as if waters dripping on it?

Is it being squirted from the bottom?

 

Max Power

Active Member

Jul 31, 2003

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St Paul

Jul 31, 2006

#6

• Jul 31, 2006

• #6

There are water ports on either end of the intake. A bad seal could cause them to leak externally, or internally to one of the adjacent ports. If you swapped intakes, you would see this.

It is very rare for a head gasket to leak so bad that it drips externally. I suspect something is up with the intake gasket at the back of the motor.

 

3

351w_swap

New Member

May 23, 2004

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Jul 31, 2006

#7

• Jul 31, 2006

• #7

thanks for the help, im going to take it apart tomorrow and see what it looks like

 

3

351w_swap

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May 23, 2004

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Aug 1, 2006

#8

• Aug 1, 2006

• #8

ok, I took the intake off today and i can't see any problems with the match up of the gasket. I forgot to mention that while my buddy was riding behind me in his ragtop on saturday night, he got a headache. My dad seems to think that i am running way too rich and that is part of it but i still cant explain the white smoke comming out. My friend told me that everytime the car downshifted I got a poof of smoke out the back (im assuming that is because it increase in rpm's). The headache and some other symptoms can be attributed to rich mixture, but the constantly low water level and steam or smoke (not sure which) coming from under the hood cant. Does anyone have any other thoughts on my problem? I still think its a blown head gasket but i cant take out the spark plugs, there just isnt enough room without almost pulling the engine.

 

M

mustangman70

Founding Member

Dec 30, 2001

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St pete, Florida

Aug 2, 2006

#9

• Aug 2, 2006

• #9

Did you use the correct gaskets?

 

3

351w_swap

New Member

May 23, 2004

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Aug 2, 2006

#10

• Aug 2, 2006

• #10

yes

 

M

mustangman70

Founding Member

Dec 30, 2001

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St pete, Florida

Aug 3, 2006

#11

• Aug 3, 2006

• #11

Well yank the heads off then...

Did you try peeking your head to the back of the motor...while it was running to see if you could see anything>?

Im thinking just yank the heads

 

R

Roderick

New Member

May 17, 2004

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B'ham, Alabama

Aug 4, 2006

#12

• Aug 4, 2006

• #12

well, i'm thinking if you have a blown head gasket your oil will have a milk shake kind of look to it.Your water will be mixing with the oil.