Need Some Quick (by about 3:00 pm Pacific time 4/4/13) Opinions

[Zeyemurgy]

Okay, I've searched and read, and I'm pretty sure I need to replace the head gasket...

 

'77 620 5-speed A/C X07,800 miles (I think the 'X' is a 2)

Runs fine (new carb couple months ago and fixed major vacuum leak last weekend)

64 mile round trip daily commute

Checked coolant and oil this morning (habit) - oil low but in 'okay' zone and coolant fine (oil level didn't drop until fixed vacuum leak, used to loose about a quart of coolant a month until added something from a bottle that had copper in it a couple months ago)

 

Today

Ran up the freeway at ~70/3500 rpm, 9~10" vacuum - no problems.  Smooth accelleration, passing power, etc. ~27 minutes.

Got of the freeway and down to the exit intersection light, bunch of white smoke - thought it was the old Chevy van next to me.  Moved forward, smoke moved with me.  D'Oh!  Now everyone around me is bathed in a huge cloud of white smoke.

Light turns, accellerate, big cloud initially but smoke lessened as ran.  Decellerated for next light/turn, more smoke on decel/accel but again lessened as ran.

Pulled into NAPA, huge cloud of white smoke at idle.  Bought Lucas oil stabilizer (thinking low oil issue).  Started up, huge cloud, lessened as ran down the road to work.

Pulled in, huge cloud on decel/idle.

Still idles/accels/runs fine though.

Searched forums - must be head gasket.  Will check coolant and oil conditions on morning break.

 

What I'm seeking from you all now is if you think I can 'safely' make it 32 miles back home.  I can take non-freeway roads if necessary.

Thanks.

 

Check the fluids:

Coolant - down about an inch, appearance normal, lots of the copper 'sealer' collected on the radiator cap gasket, overflow tank less than half full.

Oil - level and appearance seem unchanged from this morning.

[Draker]

Coolant low.. if it's not in the oil and not on the ground.. it's out the tail pipe.

 

If you aren't running hot, just make sure you don't run low... stop and fill it as needed. I think you could make the drive back home.

[INDY510]

get a temp gauge

[erichwaslike]

keep an eye on all the gauges and you should be able to make it home. keep checking the levels on everything on the way home. also check if its vapor or smoke, put your hand by the pipe and see if it feels wet or just hot as you let the "smoke" flow past your hand... dont grab the pipe lol. also see if the radiator is pulsing, pull the cap with the motor running and place hand on the top of the hole sealing it with your handi if you feel it pulse then you have a blown gasket into the cylinder. do all these test when cold so you dont burn yourself.

[Zeyemurgy]

Thanks everyone, I'll baby it home and find a throw-away Geo Metro until I can fix it.

[datsunaholic]

Be very careful when you go to start it this afternoon.  If the leak has partially filled a cylinder you could potentially bend a rod.  It's rare on a 4-cyl as it generally won't light off that fast, but it can happen.

 

The issue is that the leak, which is either a blown head gasket or a cracked something, is not going to improve.  Sometimes they'll seal up when they warm up, and leak cold, but yours was leaking hot which means it's likely to leak worse cold.  When my Mom's truck did that you might as well have been in a fog bank.  It lost at least a half gallon in 4 blocks, right out the tailpipe.

 

Another thing- if you have to add coolant, do it BEFORE you warm up the engine.  If it starts to overheat, just shut it off, because adding cold water won't help.  Since it's already compromised the cold water will open up the leak even worse.

[jrock4224]

i went to the dunes once ... 89 chev pick up ... popped a gasket in cottage grove...(almost to the destination....) didnt know till i got off the freeway and spiked the temp... and got similar situation .....debated for a minute and at 1 am turned around got back onthe freeway and driive straight home at 65.... it would only overheat and push water when i dropped below free way speeds... ....mad eit home 5 am slept for three hours grabbed another truck and headed back down later that moring...moral of the sotry ...baby it,  watch the guages and if anything gets goofy ... stop and shut it off...and take it easy and it should get u back 

[racerx]

have you done a compression check?