It makes the white smoke...

[gopokes]

Hi folks - My heater stopped working last fall about the same time that my car started leaking coolant and belching white smoke out the exhaust pipe, so I took my car into the shop. The guy said that my water pump was leaking, and that I ought to change my timing belt. He gave me a quote that was more than what I paid for the car. Anyway, I changed the water pump myself as well as the radiator. The problem is that the leak persists along with the white smoke, and what;s worse, my heater still sucks. What is the problem? Besides this, the car runs like a top. I fear the worst for my '84 tercel. What to do? Thanks
GP

[GTSSportCoupe]

What is the problem? Besides this, the car runs like a top. I fear the worst for my '84 tercel. What to do? Thanks
GP

White smoke is out the exhaust is a sure indicator of a blown headgasket. If you are mechanically capable, this may not cost you too much. If you aren't capable, it could cost you a lot.

[xirdneh]

the . The problem is that the leak persists along with the white smoke, and what;s worse, my heater still sucks. What is the problem?
GP

you say it leaks. is that a visible leak?
if not i would guess you have a leaking head gasket allowing the engine to burn water with gas thus causing the white smoke (steam)
remove the plugs and see if one is much cleaner than the others.

i just went though this
at first i used Barrs stop leak (brown tablets that crumble into what looks like dry peat moss) added to the radiator.
that plugged the leak for awhile (5 months)
until the head gasket went totally bad dumping water into the engine

[Petros]

It sound like a head gasket. It can be done for only the cost of the head gasket and an exhaust pipe gasket (about $20 for both). It is a fairly big job, but it can be done on a saterday. It takes as much time to clean off the old gasket as it does to re-install the head.

The problem usually is that while you have the head off you might want to have the valves reground, new stem seals, resurface the head, etc. This adds about another $100 to the cost, and several days in the machine shop.

The normal celulose fiber type stop leak seldom works on head gaskets because of the higher pressures. There a new one I have used that works. IT is a special stop-leak that is specifically designed to repair head gaskets. It cost about $10 (instead of the $3-4 for the normal stuff). It is a clear polymer resin with kevlar fibers in it. You have to drain and flush out all of the old anti-freeze (it will react with it!), and then you fill with water and this stuff, run it with the spark plug removed from the leaking cyl. after it is sealed you have to drain all of the water and sealent out of it and let is sit overnight to cure. Fill it in the morning (and replace the spark plug) and you are good to go. Barr's makes it.

It is worth a try, and cheaper than a head gasket, and way less work.

[gopokes]

Thanks for the replies - Water out the exhaust makes sense. I can't keep a muffler in this car for more than a year. There is a steady visible grip that spreads antifreeze on the ground at a slow but steady drip. It seems to be less when the car is running. It was an act of congress for me to change the water pump, so the head gasket is probably way out of my league. Thanks for the input on the stop leak. I'll try this, and if not, it's farewell to the "brown mule." It's such a drag because the car runs so well. A guy at work suggested I check the oil for the presence of water. I did and the results were inconclusive to my untutored eye. How long could I run the car like this before it gives up the ghost? Thanks again, and any further advise would be welcome. Take care -
GP

[takza]

There are maybe 3 kinds of head gasket leaks that I know of:

* coolant into oil and vice versa (will see small beads of coolant or milky oil and/or oily coolant(bars leak looks the same?)

* coolant into exhaust (white smoke)

* exhaust into coolant (bubbling overflow tank and over heating)

* Last two can be combined and maybe even add in the first?

I've never had any luck with the block seal type stuff (had exhaust into coolant)...but you have the kind of leak where it just might work...though I'd follow the instructions to the T. Worth $10 to find out.

Pull the plugs and the one that is CLEANEST is the one affected.

Depending on where you are located (not good in the desert)...you could try loosening the rad cap so you don't have pressure in the system....though you might want to be sure your water to ethylene glycol ratio is where it should be for max temp rating. This might reduce the coolant loss some.

Might also try retorquing the head bolts after the block seal?