Burning Coolant

B

blackfx

Member
Location
Florida
Watching my car take off, when it is still cold, you can see a white smoke come out of the exhaust. Searched it up and it seemed to be coolant after watching the coolant level drop after a week of time by about a half of an inch. It may be a blown head gasket. I'm wondering, are there any simple remedies to the problem to use at least in the meantime? Also, how tough and expensive would a new head gasket install be around? I am also going to try running high mileage oil to see if that will help the problem. I need some advice is on what to do...:smile (2):
 
If you know what your doing the job is easy and the parts are cheap. Check your oil and see if it looks like chocolate milk or brownish, its a sign that coolant is mixing with oil and that's a sign of a blown head gasket.
 
To be honest im not really that experienced going that in depth. Im also not that familiar/ would trust myself to see if the oil is contaminated. If I took a picture could you guys tell? I just will always doubt myself lol. Would the high mileage help at all or running a thicker oil like 5w-40?
 
Before you go into an expensive wad gasket repair, try to flush your coolant and use a head gasket nano sealer. I did that on my mercedes and it worked fine. Been 2 months and no problems, no coolant mixing with oil and no more white smoke. Takes 2 days since you have to let the sealer cure before you add coolant again. Any pep boys will have it.
Also when you remove your oil cap see if you have a like peanut butter substance underneath, sludge build up.
Also is there any kind of residue in your coolant tank?
 
Ok thanks for the info. Will look into the sealer. Could I just suck out the coolant I have in the tank and refill with the sealer and fresh coolant instead of a full flush? The coolant looks fine. There is no sludge under either of the caps and it still looks like a clean somewhat darkish green color.
 
Well if there is no contamination to the coolant, I'd say flush it out to a clean container, and reuse it, But if there is any oil in it after you flush it, you might have to pour new.
You have tio empty the tank, and entire system, in order for the sealer stuff to work. But I'd def give it a try before you have your engine taken apart just to fix the gasket. Won't hurt and you'll feel closer to your FX :)

This is what I used, this product gets great reviews.
http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9663572/?quantity=
 
Coolant levels will always vary. You might just have a minor leak.

The smoke when cold doesn't exactly mean anything. Take it to someone before u screw up with cooling system with that sealer junk.
 
Yeah I'm a little iffy when it comes to adding that sealer stuff, tried it once a few years back and didn't work and still had to repair the vehicle. On the other hand if coolant and oil looks good then that's a good sign.


Sent from my iPhone
 
I get white smoke in the morning all the time. In fact, it's been years. My coolant level goes up and down. I think what you are seeing is normal.
 
Ok, yeah at least to me the coolant and oil seem to look good. Its just that I know that it smokes quite a lot and that I have lost coolant, and im not sure but I remember the tank being filled about an inch over the max fill line when I bought it, now being below the max fill line about 3,000 miles later. It wouldn't bug me that much I just hate how it smokes.
 
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