Burning coolant help over heats

[gnarl240]

I bought an 89 240sx with a few engine problems for $200. its in good condition too. Any ways, when I first bought it the coolant was mixing with the oil, it would overheat, white smoke out the exhaust and there was a rattle in the chain. I got a used head from a junk yard and took it to a machine shop, gasket surfaces milled, vale seals replaced ect....replaced all related gaskets timing chain, tensioner, guide and the timing cover. the old chain wore through the cover.

the oil is now coolant free and the chain is quiet but it still overheats and smokes out the exhaust (not as much as when the coolant was in the oil) and some water drips out the exhaustdoesn't smoke untill it warms upI did not replace the head boltsspark plugs are starting to turn slightly black but where not wetwhen it is at nomal operating temp top of the radiator is hot and and the bottom is cold. same with the upper and lower hoses.I replaced the thermostat when I did the timing covertook off both hoses from the radiator and poored water through the top and it flowed through fine so radiator should be fine.any ideas on what it could be? What should I check next?

[bcar240]

A little water in the exhaust is normal. A natural byproduct of buring hydrocarbons. But to me, since you replaced so much related to the head, it seems that maybe the new headgasket isn't installed right or possibly some other part. Also, did you bleed the coolant? I wouldn't do anything yet, I would let some other guys chime in, they probably know more than I do.

[gnarl240]

it looks like water drips out the exhaust. kind of blackish, probly from running throught the dirty exhaust pipe.well whatever came out of the exhaust left a brown stain in my driveway.when coolant burns does it come out the exhast looking like coolant or more like water??

[DAEDALUS]

It comes out as white vapor. I hope it's not a cracked head. How many miles have you driven since the head installation?

[justmerging]

It sounds like you've got fuel coming out of your exhaust. I had the same problem and it was my IACV. If it were burning coolant it would just come out as smoke. how does it run after it's warmed up? Is it hard to start?

[gnarl240]

drivin 0 miles. it's siting in my garage.

[gnarl240]

it's not fuel or else smoke would be black not white. plus I am losing coolant and over heating. this does not sound like a fuel problem to me.

[total_chaos530]

i have a similar problem. i had a cracked radiator so i replaced it, along with a new thermostat, and hoses. now when the car warms up it seems fine the heat works and the engine stays cool unless you rev it a little or try to drive it. i cant make it a quarter mile away from home without it boiling. so i figured out the thermo must not be opening so i got another one, same story. finally i asked a couple guys and they said the coolant system is vaporlocked even though i bled it. ive tried everything i can think of from rocking the car back and forth and leaving it sit for days to see if i can get the remaining air out of the system. if anybody has a suggestion im all ears. until then ill drill a few holes in my old thermostat and drive it with no heat.

[gnarl240]

would that cause white smoke out the exhaust??

[frapjap]

totalchaos- Sounds like there is still air in your system. Take off that screw on the intake manifold that has a yellow label and says in japanese "dont open when hot" and remove it, squeeze the hose until coolant comes out consistently and NOT air. (may take some getting used to as far as hot hard is TO hard) Also, shaking teh motor burps the air out as well.

[gnarl240]

took out the thermostat and it does not overheat. Still there is white exhaust smoke. I took the top part of the intake manifold off and there is a little bit of blackish water in all four intake ports. I think it could be the burnt coolant going through the egr system??what should I check?