White Smoke out Exhaust = Blown Head Gasket?

wsutard · Nov 2, 2016

Can someone confirm my googling. Tons of white smoke out of the exhaust on startup + lowering coolant levels = blown head gasket?

I don't have a video but it is a lot, out of both pipes. I started it up after a week of sitting, it has been cold and rainy.

Any other symptoms of a blown head gasket?

EDIT: No signs of coolant in my oil.

68gtxman · Nov 2, 2016

Yes, this is a classic sign of a leaking head, gasket. BUT! Don't worry!! Try a can of Blue Devil head gasket sealer and don't even pull your intake manifold or heads. I've used it successfully myself three times.

https://www.amazon.com/BlueDevil-Head-Gasket-Sealer-ounce/dp/B000NOO798

BeeKool · Nov 2, 2016

Prob. blown head gasket. Could be a cracked head.

khryslerkid · Nov 2, 2016

You can pull your spark plugs and if you find some that are completely clean that's the cylinders that are getting coolant. While they are out, you can pressurize each cylinder and listen for air/bubbles in the radiator.

PurpleBeeper · Nov 3, 2016

khryslerkid said:
You can pull your spark plugs and if you find some that are completely clean that's the cylinders that are getting coolant. While they are out, you can pressurize each cylinder and listen for air/bubbles in the radiator.

Yes, Khryslerkid has it. We should have asked, "does the smoke go away after 5 min.?" (which would just be water condensation in the exhaust), but I'm guessing that it doesn't go away. If you use the technique above, maybe you can get away with pulling just one head. The Red Devil stuff does work if you follow the directions exactly, but it's only a temporary fix....maybe 6 months if you don't drive the car hard.

Ranger16 · Nov 3, 2016

Does the "smoke" smell like oil (smoke) or coolant (steam)?
Does it dissipate like steam or linger like smoke?
Are you overheating?

khryslerkid · Nov 3, 2016

The op stated he's loosing coolant level.

wsutard · Nov 3, 2016

OK. Today wasn't as bad as yesterday where it had been sitting for a week. Videos are below. I can tell the coolant level is down but I don't have coolant leaks. I think at this point its obvious that coolant is getting into the chambers.

I have a feeling that something is wrong with the engine itself, other than a blown gasket. At idol I can hear a deep thud every second and the engine seems to shake based on that thud. It might not be catastrophic but it still doesn't sound good.

At this point I might just do a rebuild. I can't say for certain how well this engine was built the first time. My hesitation on doing this is actually my skill level. It would be my first engine build so I can't just assume that it will go smoothly or work after.

Here is a video of startup. You will see the drivers side exhaust start to smoke at around 50 seconds in. Passenger about 1:20 in. The smoke builds a little till the clip ends.

This clip is after 6 min of idling. You can see there is no change in the white smoke.

Finally, this is after driving for 30 min, sitting for 10 and then startup.

khryslerkid · Nov 3, 2016

That looks more like condensation. Normally if you have a gasket leak or crack, it smokes more and more as it warms up. If you are useing antifreeze, you'll smell it in the smoke. Has a sweet smell to it.

How cold is it up there in Washington?

You could go to your local parts store and rent a radiator pressure tester. Install it in place of the radiator cap, pump it up to 15 lbs. and see if it leaks down.

Look at this guy's charger...

Cranky · Nov 3, 2016

Does your car have an overflow recovery bottle? Was the level staying up before you noticed the lower levels and it smoking? Never owned a Mopar that didn't lose coolant if it didn't have the recovery system on it even in the winter time. Check the plugs liked mentioned and see what they tell you but looks to me like condensation too. A cold engine puts out a bunch of moisture into the exhaust system as things warm up and it takes a pretty good while to completely dry out all the pipe....

coronet68mx · Nov 3, 2016

All the guys here are correct in telling you a probable cause for the smoke it's easy to recognize a blown gasket you can see bubbles were the engine head sits on the engine and besides the lower cooling but if it's a blown head you should see oil in the radiator and the spark plugs will tell you what cilynder its giving you a problem but your engine sounds good plus the residual gas from the explosion of gasoline are co2 and H2O among others hot steam in contact with cool air gives you that withe smoke just my two cents

khryslerkid · Nov 3, 2016

Another added thought. Are you useing ethanol gas? How much moisture could be in the fuel?

Dennis H · Nov 4, 2016

Does it clear up after reaching operating temp at full warm up? No tank on 69's.

White Smoke out Exhaust = Blown Head Gasket?

wsutard

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68gtxman

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BeeKool

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khryslerkid

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PurpleBeeper

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Ranger16

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khryslerkid

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wsutard

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khryslerkid

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Cranky

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coronet68mx

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khryslerkid

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Dennis H

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