Hey all, I posted awhile back about some problems I was having with a headgasket installation.

I have a '93 with 230k, it had a rebuild with re-manufactured head and block done by previous owner a little over a year ago by Protrux of San Marcos, Ca.

I replaced the gasket a couple months ago because I was getting white smoke out the tailpipe and the engine felt a bit like it was going to die. No overheating, but I had a few days warning of a slight stutter at idle before the smoke started.

I checked the timing chain and the guides are still in pristine shape, I am sure they are new from the re-build like the timing chain cover and many of the other parts. I had the head surface machined and put everything back together and the truck ran like crap and kept spouting white smoke. So, being busy with school I put it on the back burner and resolved to do a more thorough job when I had the time.

So this time I had a valve job, checked for cracks, etc. from the same machinist, whom I trust and was recommended by a professional mechanic friend of mine. I made sure the threads and head bolts were impeccably clean and free moving.

So everything was ready to go tonight and when I fired her up she seemed to be running great and all systems are go except. . .

HEAVY WHITE SMOKE IS STILL POURING OUT OF THE TAILPIPE

Any ideas? Every time I tear her down I do a little minor damage no matter how careful I am (truck is old, some screws like to shear off in their holes) plus it costs me in more gaskets, coolant, etc. I'd hate to screw this up a third time.

 

I ran the engine about ten minutes at idle in the driveway.

The smoke seemed more or less consistent.

Coolant level remained constant, then after about ten minutes the engine started pull a lawnmower thing where it sounds a bit like its going to die then catches itself. I would have checked the RPMs except truck has no tach. I shut it off after this. Then, checking the coolant through the cap, it had went from pristine to milky, this might just be from mixing however. The oil, it's hard to tell, its a little bubbly, but maybe just from what was in it before.

Some fluid was dripping out of the tailpipe I wasn't sure whether to take this as a good or bad sign (I figured, as per advice here, coolant might pour out for awhile on account of the cat being loaded. I would have check the cat except it's welded on.

 

May just be antifreeze and water in the muffler from the previous gasket blowing.Run it long enough to evap all that out then make your diagnosis.
Bigblock

 

Will do

 

Another ten minutes and a trip around the block, it ain't going away.

Also, the oil now officially looks like a milkshake.

Any ideas on what this could be? I can't figure out where I screwed up. Buddy of mine was gonna let me borrow his compression tester again, but is out of town, so maybe I'll go buy one and do a check.

 

Well it ain't the gasket(you torqed it correctly,right)Could be the head,timing cover,block(not likely).
Bigblock

 

Yeah, I torqued it per the FSM.

The only thing I haven't checked would be the block, unlikely as that is.

Would the timing chain cover cause that much smoke out the tailpipe anyway? Although I'm pretty sure that ain't it either.

 

The cover wont make it smoke.It gotta be the head cracked somewhere that isn;t easy to find.Like under the valves or in the exhaust ports.Exhaust ports most likely.
Bigblock

 

Did a compression check this morning

Cyl 1 -> 167psi, spark plug normal
Cyl 2 -> 175psi, spark plug normal
Cyl 3 -> 137psi, spark plug black
Cyl 4 -> 175psi, spark plug normal

The plugs were all new

 

I'd say you have a valve problem on cylinder 3. Plus a crack in your head....maybe both.

 

#3 does have low compression, relatively speaking. the cylinders should be around 10% of each other. it's entirely possible the the surface of the block is warped (not likely, but possible).
Did you check the block deck for warpage?

 

Black means its either getting more fuel or is not burning the fuel its getting.If any look steam cleaned then you would have your head or gasket problem.If the head is porus around the exhaust port it will not get to the plug or the combustion chamber but will blow right out the exhaust as a puff of steam that your seeing.Hows your ignition system?
Bigblock