Smoking problem

[Toshima]

I just replaced my head gasket and timing belt and the car is still smoking. Its not overheating I let the car idel for about 20 min and it didnt over heat or nothing just smoked alot. Does anyone know what else could be making my car smoke?

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Where is the smoke coming from? The engine bay? The exhaust?

If there wasn't any smoke before all this, the only thing I can think of is improperly torqued head bolts.

 

[Mr Blunt 2gnt]

Oil/water dripping on the exhaust pipe possibly? Wheres the smoke coming from?

 

[XMasta19]

yup yup...gotta figure out where the smoke is coming from. What color is the smoke, does it increase when you give it gas?

 

[DSMcrazy3]

I let the car idel for about 20 min and it didnt over heat or nothing just smoked alot.

Granted it's coming from the exhaust pipe, I'd put money on valve seals.

 

[Toshima]

Sorry about that its coming from the exhaust pipe and its white. I put my hand by the exhaust pipe(back of the car) and my hand got kind of moist but to me it didnt have any smell. Ill check the head bolts again but I tq them down in the steps the haynes manual said. It seams like it kind of has a little ruff idel kind of shakey. is there anyway to tell if its the vavle seals also will I need any special tool to change them? Also if my timing was off a tiny bit would it make it smoke?

 

[VelocitàPaola]

A leakdown test will help you determine where you're leaking oil. You can either do it yourself, or have it done by a shop:
http://www.dsmgrrrl.com/FAQs/leakdown.htm

It sounds like you have water leaking, though, not oil. That'll be a little more difficult to diagnose. Improper timing shouldn't cause leaks, but that may be why your idle is so rough. At the very least, line everything up and check timing.

 

[Toshima]

one thing about the timing it say 1/2 tooth before TDC. Is that before you put he belt on of after. And the timing marks on the cams I just eye balled it is there another way? Ill try to re tq the head bolt if it still smokes ill try the leak down test.

 

[bullettdsm]

Generally, white smoke is coolant. Though it is sometimes hard to differentiate the colors. I'll ask the obvious but painful question; did you have the head checked for warpage and the block checked also? Were the mating surfaces clean? You might also look on the back of the block (this is where oil generally leaks) to see if you are getting any oil seepage from the HG. If so then you will probably have to look in that direction again.
MB

 

[mopardwh]

Generally, white smoke is coolant. Though it is sometimes hard to differentiate the colors. I'll ask the obvious but painful question; did you have the head checked for warpage and the block checked also? Were the mating surfaces clean? You might also look on the back of the block (this is where oil generally leaks) to see if you are getting any oil seepage from the HG. If so then you will probably have to look in that direction again.
MB

This is true. However can sometimes be easily confused with blue smoke=oil burning. Which both could be directly linked to the head gasket you just changed. Pressurize the cooling system to check for coolant leaking into the cylinders. Remove the plugs to look and hear for coolant.
By the way, don't run the engine AT ALL! If it is coolant, you could easily bend a rod.

 

[XMasta19]

The 1/2 tooth is meant to be done before putting the belt on to compensate for the tension being applied

 

[rs_smoked_you]

did you check the dowels on the block? iwhen i did my hg there was a chewed upone and when i put it all back togatheri had no compression, it might be the same for you but not as bad. also is it a mls hg or one of those crappy composit ones? good luck!

 

[Toshima]

What are the dowels on the block? I used a felpro metal HG. I think the compressions ok but ill check it out tomorrow.

 

[DSMcrazy3]

The only dowels I know of are on the cam gears. He might have meant to tell you to check the markings on the block for TDC...

 

[VelocitàPaola]

did you check the dowels on the block? iwhen i did my hg there was a chewed upone and when i put it all back togatheri had no compression, it might be the same for you but not as bad. also is it a mls hg or one of those crappy composit ones? good luck!

I think he's talking about the head/block alignment dowels; they ensure the head and the headgasket sit properly on the block before torquing everything down. If one of the dowels gets damaged, it can actually prevent the head from completely seating correctly, causing a small leak. It's usually a good idea to buy new dowels and headstuds (unless you already sprung for the ARP kit) every time you remove the head for something like a headgasket replacement. You can get new dowels from the dealer for about $2.00 each.

 

[speed127]

it's a stupid mistake but I did it so maybe this is your problem... The head gasket can go on 2 ways and if your not careful it'll feed water into the oil and oil into the water. My car ran too, just started blowing smoke and I was like Anyway easy check to see if this is the problem is check your oil dipstick and if its milky thats not a good sign. Also pop the cap on your coolent line and see if it looks clean or if is has oil in it. Good luck and I really hope that is NOT your problem.

 

[Toshima]

Ok I checked the head gasket was on right unless you have to flip it or somthing but it looks like everything is all lined up. I guess ill take the head down to get resufaced I didnt do it the first time. Also will it smoke right when you turn on the car if its the vavle seals?

 

[bullettdsm]

Yup. But that would be blue smoke (generally, again hard to tell sometimes). What can happen if the valve seals are bad is, after you shut the car off there is still oil up in the head, on the valves and valve train. This can leak down onto the top of your valve and into the combustion chamber (via the valve stem) and when you start up, you get insto' oil in the combustion chamber.

MB

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Ok I checked the head gasket was on right unless you have to flip it or somthing but it looks like everything is all lined up. I guess ill take the head down to get resufaced I didnt do it the first time. Also will it smoke right when you turn on the car if its the vavle seals?

You can usually tell whether or not the valve seals are leaking by paying attention exactly when you see the smoke. In most cases, the smoke (blue in color) will show up whenever you step on the throttle. It'll be less noticeable, or not there at all, when the car is idling. It doesn't sound like your valve seals are bad.

Have you done, or thought about doing, a leakdown test?

 

[Toshima]

I took the head off again and taking it to go get resurfaced and maybe a valve job. But i order the "dowel pins" for the dealer and they called them bushing and they gave me 3 but they look to small and i only see 2. I told them and they said its for my car but i dont think they are. When I asked for the parts I told them "I need the dowel pins for a 99 mitsubishi eclipse non turbo. Then thing that go on the block so when you put the head on it kind of locks on there or sit streight". So was I given the wrong part and am i right and only need 2?

 

[DSMcrazy3]

It'll be less noticeable, or not there at all, when the car is idling. It doesn't sound like your valve seals are bad.

Smoking caused by hardened valve seals occurs very often at idle. The RPMs are low so it's easier for the oil to sneak by. Once you begin to drive again you will see a bit more smoke, but it will subside after it is mostly burned off.

If it's valve seals you will also usually get a puff of smoke upon initial start up, after the car has been sitting for a few hours.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Smoking caused by hardened valve seals occurs very often at idle.

You generally don't see any smoke at a warm idle with bad valve stem seals. Smoke will most noticeably appear while rapidly accelerating; it has less to do with engine RPM and more to do with vacuum.

The symptoms you described sound more like bad rings (although the initial puff of smoke after a cold start is indicative of bad valve stem seals).

 

[DSMcrazy3]

You generally don't see any smoke at a warm idle with bad valve stem seals. Smoke will most noticeably appear while rapidly accelerating; it has less to do with engine RPM and more to do with vacuum.

The symptoms you described sound more like bad rings (although the initial puff of smoke after a cold start is indicative of bad valve stem seals).

I had bad valve seals and any time I would idle for more than 2 minutes smoke would begin to come out. Of course the longer I waited, the more it smoked and once I began going the smoke was even worse for a minute or two.

I never noticed it personally on rapid acceleration(not saying it wasn't there).

One way to check is to pull off your exhaust manifold when the car has sat and had time to cool off, to see if there is any oil sitting in the runners. This doesn't help you right now though, since your head is already off.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Yours was an exceptional case then: the symptoms you experienced are not typical of this problem.

 

[Toshima]

I dont think its the vavle seals im thinking more like bad rings or head is warped. I order the "dowel pins" for the dealer and they called them bushing and they gave me 3 but they look to small and i only see 2. I told them and they said its for my car but i dont think they are. When I asked for the parts I told them "I need the dowel pins for a 99 mitsubishi eclipse non turbo. Then thing that go on the block so when you put the head on it kind of locks on there or sit streight". So was I given the wrong part and am i right and only need 2?