white smoke every now and then.....wtf???

[spider_slayer]

heres whats up, this problem started a little bit ago like maybe 4 or so days ago when i raced this 90's corvette and when i went home and left the car idle before turning it off think white smoke started to pour out of the exaust. i drove it a little bit the next day and it was fine no smoke even after ildeing for 6-7min and this morning low and behold white smoke! then after sitting for a few hours during class and laving no smoke....wtf??? any ideas?? or better yet anyone had this problem and know how to fix it??

s14sr20t25

[PSSHHGOESMYSR20]

Sounds like you are burning coolant spuratically. Could be a your head gasket.

[Maverick7687]

I have a problem similar to that.. My car has only done it twice and it is when I have been sitting at idle for MORE than 30 minutes.. I will all of a sudden see a lot of white smoke. No gas smell and I have heard that if it is coolant it has a sweet smell and, well, none of that. I am still tryin to locate my problem, if anyone has any ideas please help..

Mav

EDIT: After I take off and drive it for a minute there is no more smoke and I can idle for another 30 minutes or so.

[spider_slayer]

yea, for me it only happens when i am idling for a while but it happens after about 5 min or so. i got a compression check from autozone yesterday so i can check my compression and see if my head gasket minght be fried. i have heard from many people that white smoke out of the tail pipes happens when coolant gets into the oil pan and burns. this will happen if your head gasekt is busted. i'll tell everyone my compression readings in a few days when i get around to it. and coolant doesn't nessicarly smell sweet when it burns, it depends on how and where. it would help both of us if you did a compression test to and we could help each other eliminate problem possiabilitys

[fullthrtl_tech]

an easy way to check for coolant in the oil is to pull the valve cover. Once off if your oil looks like chocolate milk you have coolant in the crankcase.

[Maverick7687]

an easy way to check for coolant in the oil is to pull the valve cover. Once off if your oil looks like chocolate milk you have coolant in the crankcase.

I also heard that you can check it just by whats on the dipstick..True, false?? Also, the first time this happened was just like a month after i got the car, it has been like 4 or 5 now and i have changed the oil twice and no sign of coolant or "chocolate milk" look. Maybe it is just harder to tell that way..I dunno. I may get a compression gauge when I go to A.Z. to order my flywheel tomorrow. *fingers crossed* hope this is something really simple. I also need an O2 sensor and a Knock sensor..the KS has been bad, I have had that code since i got the car.. I hope that is my hesitation problem too.

Mav

[spider_slayer]

well, i did a compression check tonight, 130 - 120 -110 - 120, seems reall low, probably the head gasket right?

[toptechracing]

Sounds like a worn out engine or a bad compression gauge. All cylinders are very low.

well, i did a compression check tonight, 130 - 120 -110 - 120, seems reall low, probably the head gasket right?

[spider_slayer]

well, i seriously doubt the engine is wron out cause the clip only had 31,000 on it, with the cluster. and the gauge is fine cause my friends car registered 170 through all 6. i think that my head gasket is worn out, this would also contribute to the possiability of coolant getting into the valve cover. anyone else have any suggestions?

[spider_slayer]

also, is there any way to check if my head gasket is worn out besides doing the compression check??

[spider_slayer]

wow, i'm an idiot....i forgot to let the car come to running temp when we did the test. so all my compression numbers are from a cold engine.....which means that you can probally boost the to about maybe 130.140.130.120 or higher. but i think this helps support the blown head gasket case....i don't really have the money right now for a new gasket or the time to put it on....so until winter break do you guys think i could get away with driving it at stock boost(6psi) and changing the oil probally every 2000 miles???? any help and/or opnions, i'm also not gonna be driving it till i get the alternator i'm looking for. so if anyone knows where i can get one of those for my sr20 let me know!