car running crap, white smoke and burning smell
02-17-2010, 01:09 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
car running crap, white smoke and burning smell
hi guys,
i have a 01 s2k with 88k miles on the clock
my car is running very roung and slow
white smoke came from the exhaust when idle and smell quite special, quite sweet, im not sure, but definitely not the common smell from a exhaust
but i did check the coolant level, always at the top,
tried to start the car at cold and take the radiator cap off but no bubbles
did check the engine oil to see if it is leaking engine oil into the coolant
but it is still at "H", top it up last month,
it is my daily driver, but i travel less than 10miles a day, around 50miles a week, and the i still have pently of oil in the engine
also, when the car is hot, i got some burning smell came from the hood, i tried to pinpoint where its came from, it seems between the valve cover and the engine block, behind the lower stock air box
could u guys help me out with this please?
thanks very much!
any comment welcome
pics:
http://img641.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=170220101189.jpg
i have a 01 s2k with 88k miles on the clock
my car is running very roung and slow
white smoke came from the exhaust when idle and smell quite special, quite sweet, im not sure, but definitely not the common smell from a exhaust
but i did check the coolant level, always at the top,
tried to start the car at cold and take the radiator cap off but no bubbles
did check the engine oil to see if it is leaking engine oil into the coolant
but it is still at "H", top it up last month,
it is my daily driver, but i travel less than 10miles a day, around 50miles a week, and the i still have pently of oil in the engine
also, when the car is hot, i got some burning smell came from the hood, i tried to pinpoint where its came from, it seems between the valve cover and the engine block, behind the lower stock air box
could u guys help me out with this please?
thanks very much!
any comment welcome
pics:
http://img641.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=170220101189.jpg
02-17-2010, 01:30 PM
#2
Originally Posted by harrison1990,Feb 17 2010, 04:09 PM
white smoke came from the exhaust and smell sweet
Do the oil or the coolant look like a chocolate milk shake?
02-17-2010, 01:51 PM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by dammitjim,Feb 17 2010, 02:30 PM
If it's alot of white smoke then you're probably getting coolant into the combustion chamber and likely have a blown head gasket.
Do the oil or the coolant look like a chocolate milk shake?
Do the oil or the coolant look like a chocolate milk shake?
but i cant determine whether it looks like mikely or not
so i took some pics
and i saw some oil in the oil expansion tank
check out the pics please
http://img641.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=170220101189.jpg
thanks!
02-18-2010, 05:00 AM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: York PA
Posts: 2,057
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's hard to tell from your pictures, I suggest you drain the oil and get a better look at it. From my experience, if it's buring white and smells sweet, you either have a blown head gasket or a cracked head.
I would suggst taking the vehicle in to a shop to perform the following:
(1) Cylinder leakdown test. Typically used to identify valve or piston ring leakage, this test works well at detecting small leaks between a cylinder and a cooling jacket. In this test, a special tool that meters comperssed air is connected to a spark plug hole, and shop air is introduced into the cylinder while both valves are closed. A small head gasket leak will result in tiny bubbles appearing in the radiator neck after a couple of minutes. If the leak is moderate, you may see coolant level start to rise slowly and cause teh coolant to start to overrun the radiator neck as it is displaced by air entering the system. Leaks of this type do not always show up on cooling system pressure testing because if a small piece of gasket is torn and allowing compression OUT of a cylinder, pressurizing the cooling system side can force the leak closed and allow the system to hold pressure. This cylinder leakdown test is something almost any repair shop that does internal engine work is equipped to do, and takes about an hour to do on all cylinders.
(2) There is a chemical test that can be performed to detect the presence of exhaust gas in the cooling system. In this test, the engine is allowed to run and get hot, then an air sample is pulled out of the radiator neck and bubbled through a test chemical that turns from blue to yellow in the presence of trace amounts of CO2. If this test is positive, it confirms small combustion gas leakage into the cooling system. This test is not always the best method to use though. While accurate, it is not always sensitive enough to pick up small leaks.
I would suggst taking the vehicle in to a shop to perform the following:
(1) Cylinder leakdown test. Typically used to identify valve or piston ring leakage, this test works well at detecting small leaks between a cylinder and a cooling jacket. In this test, a special tool that meters comperssed air is connected to a spark plug hole, and shop air is introduced into the cylinder while both valves are closed. A small head gasket leak will result in tiny bubbles appearing in the radiator neck after a couple of minutes. If the leak is moderate, you may see coolant level start to rise slowly and cause teh coolant to start to overrun the radiator neck as it is displaced by air entering the system. Leaks of this type do not always show up on cooling system pressure testing because if a small piece of gasket is torn and allowing compression OUT of a cylinder, pressurizing the cooling system side can force the leak closed and allow the system to hold pressure. This cylinder leakdown test is something almost any repair shop that does internal engine work is equipped to do, and takes about an hour to do on all cylinders.
(2) There is a chemical test that can be performed to detect the presence of exhaust gas in the cooling system. In this test, the engine is allowed to run and get hot, then an air sample is pulled out of the radiator neck and bubbled through a test chemical that turns from blue to yellow in the presence of trace amounts of CO2. If this test is positive, it confirms small combustion gas leakage into the cooling system. This test is not always the best method to use though. While accurate, it is not always sensitive enough to pick up small leaks.
02-18-2010, 07:50 AM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Diamond Bar, CA
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The white smoke you see is not smoke, it's steam, hold a glass up to the exhaust and see if water condenses excessively on it. When coolant is burned it makes a sweet smell from the exhaust - sorry, but sounds and smells like a blown head gasket.
02-18-2010, 10:09 AM
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by kimimila,Feb 18 2010, 08:50 AM
The white smoke you see is not smoke, it's steam, hold a glass up to the exhaust and see if water condenses excessively on it. When coolant is burned it makes a sweet smell from the exhaust - sorry, but sounds and smells like a blown head gasket.
is it likely that ill lose some coolant?
and how to determine a cracked head?
if my head is cracked, do i need a new engine?
god...i will be cry....
Trending Topics
02-18-2010, 10:56 AM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by khang637,Feb 18 2010, 11:19 AM
I'm pretty sure you're low on coolant. Replace the headgasket and see if that fixes the problem.
however, my coolant expansion tank is always below the min. level, it is have something to do with leaking coolant?
thanks for reply!