Does this sound like blowby??
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 394
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From: austin
Does this sound like blowby??
On my '78 460, I just got it up and running again, sat for a few months due to outrageous gas prices, but now I'm ready to drive it again. To get it to start, I just had to charge the battery and squirt a small shot of starter fluid down the carb, nothing else. After idling for a few (3-5) minutes, I saw steam/smoke (not sure, but i'm leaning heavily towards steam) coming from the passenger side of the engine at the back. It looks like it's coming from the exhaust manifold, but I can't really tell for sure that it's not from the valve cover or plug area. The truck has true dual exhaust, and the passenger side smokes much more than the driver side - whitish colored. I changed the PCV valve, no change. I topped off the coolant, needed a couple quarts.
So, does this sound like blowby or something else? If more details of anything specific are needed, let me know!
Thanks,
Chris
So, does this sound like blowby or something else? If more details of anything specific are needed, let me know!
Thanks,
Chris
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 394
Likes: 10
From: austin
I finally got around to the compression check. Cylinder 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 readings are:
165 - 160 - 160 -160 - 175 - 160 - 170 -170
The smoke/steam is apparently not a head gasket based on my readings. It really seems to be coming from the exhaust manifold by the #3 & 4 cyliners. If that is the source, is it going to hurt to drive it like that for a few months, or should I break down and pull the manifold?
Thanks,
Chris
165 - 160 - 160 -160 - 175 - 160 - 170 -170
The smoke/steam is apparently not a head gasket based on my readings. It really seems to be coming from the exhaust manifold by the #3 & 4 cyliners. If that is the source, is it going to hurt to drive it like that for a few months, or should I break down and pull the manifold?
Thanks,
Chris
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 521
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From: new mexico
ummm
i will bet head gasket still
had this same thing on my daughters mustang some years ago...i know it is not the same motor thing thing ....
but engines will not all act like the book.
conditions had to be just right..but once i got off my butt and pulled the heads....there it was...
i will bet head gasket still
had this same thing on my daughters mustang some years ago...i know it is not the same motor thing thing ....
but engines will not all act like the book.
conditions had to be just right..but once i got off my butt and pulled the heads....there it was...
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 394
Likes: 10
From: austin
Since I checked compression last week, it's had a hard time starting and idling. If i rev up the engine, it sometimes stalls. If I shift into gear and try to drive, it sometimes stalls (more of an issue when it's cold weather at night, during warm afternoon it's not as bad). It's backfired a couple times when trying to start, but then it'll start right up. It doesn't sound nearly as smooth as it did before the compression test.
Today, it started blowing heavy white smoke out of the driver side tailpipe(true dual exhaust, muffler, no cat). I re-checked compression on the driver side cylinders and they are all still close to each other.
Where else besides blown head gasket could be the source of the white exhaust. I'm swapping the 460 with a buddy for a 351W in December, so if I have to remove the head, it'll just have to wait for the swap.
Thanks,
Chris
Today, it started blowing heavy white smoke out of the driver side tailpipe(true dual exhaust, muffler, no cat). I re-checked compression on the driver side cylinders and they are all still close to each other.
Where else besides blown head gasket could be the source of the white exhaust. I'm swapping the 460 with a buddy for a 351W in December, so if I have to remove the head, it'll just have to wait for the swap.
Thanks,
Chris
Last edited by torquemeister; Nov 25, 2008 at 04:22 PM. Reason: added pics of exhaust
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Renton, WA
Intake manifold is another good option. The end coolant ports can leak into the end cylinders. This may also be the steam you saw in the engine compartment if the manifold is leaking coolant down the back of the motor. When you pulled the plugs did they all look the same, generally water in the cylinder will effect the look of the plug.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 521
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From: new mexico
yeah
was kind of odd thing..
the break in the head gasket was small..also...it kind of had a hinge on it..
so when the block got hot it opened up .
took lots of driving to get it up to temp...
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Renton, WA
Blown head gaskets have other more imediate symtoms then water in the cylinder/steam in the exaust. Blown head gaskets, even real small leaks like dodmort will overpressure and boil the water out of the cooling system. This is because the compression and combustion prressures are so much higher then coolant pressures that the combustion blows into the coolant flash boiling it. The engine will overheat rather quickly and the raidiator overflow tends to puke out all the coolant and/as steam. The coolant will leak into the cylinder after the engine has shut off until the engine is cool enough that the coolant has no more pressure.
So if it only steams for a bit after you start it, then overheats ya go for the head gasket. If the steam is constant or gets worse when the engine is warmed up, you gotta look for a leak outside of the cylinder like intake manifold gasket or a cracked head in the intake or exaust port (much less likely).
There is a tester that tests for combustion gasses in the coolant. It's pretty cost effective, it pulls the air out under the cap and pulls it through a liquid that reacts with cumbustion gasses by turning from blue to yellow.
So if it only steams for a bit after you start it, then overheats ya go for the head gasket. If the steam is constant or gets worse when the engine is warmed up, you gotta look for a leak outside of the cylinder like intake manifold gasket or a cracked head in the intake or exaust port (much less likely).
There is a tester that tests for combustion gasses in the coolant. It's pretty cost effective, it pulls the air out under the cap and pulls it through a liquid that reacts with cumbustion gasses by turning from blue to yellow.
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