I just recently began having troubles with my car. I own a 1998 mitsubishi eclipse with 120k miles on it. The other day alot of white smoke started coming out of the exhaust. My uncle told me it is possible a cracked head-gasket. When I got home I began looking it up on the internet and so far Im still not sure.
I checked the oil, as far as i know it is a brownish yellow color (not "milky")
When I open the radiator cap (im assuming its the radiator cap, its next to the overflow) and leave the car idling, water and steam begins spurting out of it after about a minute.
Although my exhaust is smoking white, I do not smell the sickly sweet anti-freeze smell that is associated with it.
Lastly since it happened my car has started to get really hot really fast on the temperature gauge. Previously it used to sit a little under 1/4th it not jumps to around halfway after driving only a mile or so. I have not attempted to drive it any further than that in fear of over heating.
2007-08-11 09:48:14 · 5 answers · asked by Christopher B 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
you wouldn't smell the antifreeze smell because it is being combusted in the combustion chambers, it sounds like your head gasket is blown, get it in before you blown you engine from overheating. DON'T ADD WATER TO THE RADIATOR! You will blow a hole in it or crack it. But get it to a repair shop asap.
2007-08-11 09:53:17 · answer #1 · answered by meisdadragonslayer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well the water and steam in the cooling system is combustion gasses entering the cooling system, either through a blown head gasket or possibly through a cracked head. It is remotely possible that a cylinder wall has cracked, but that is an uncommon failure, but then again the 4G63 is not a great engine. The white smoke from the exhaust is further proof of this.
In either case the cylinder head needs to be removed and at the least checked by a good machine shop. They will advise on what needs to be done, Personally I would have it rebuilt as everything can be inspected when it is disassembled.
You can check the remainder of the engine by using a very light oil, even WD-40 and pour a little in each cylinder and see if one cylinder drains quicker than the others. Plus it will prevent corrosion while the head is in machine.
If you are not mechanically inclined, you could always try K&W Block Seal, CarGo Liquid glass, Heal a Seal, steel seal etc. I used a bottle of Car Go liquid glass, $4 from walmart in a parts runner an old chevy van I ran the van with it in the cooling system for 2 hours, flushed it, and replaced the antifreeze, the van is still running great.
2007-08-11 10:46:45 · answer #2 · answered by J H 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a blown head gasket, worst case scenario would be a cracked block. Check pressure of radiator while cold, might see pressure drop or even spot a leak if it's external, but doubtful.
2007-08-11 09:59:57 · answer #3 · answered by FORD-MAN 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do a compression check,this will confirm whether the head gasket has blown or even a valve problem!
2007-08-11 09:54:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, its blown. hurry and get it fixed before serious damage happens. and if you like the car its worth the extra money to go ahead and change the timing belt and water pump and a couple of other things while you are there.....
2007-08-11 09:58:24 · answer #5 · answered by Christian 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋