jboulukos Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 What are the possible causes of white smelly smoke coming from my tailpipe? It gets worse as I drive/as the engine heats up. Quote Link to comment
Ratwagon1600 Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Water. Blown head gasket, cracked block, stuffed head. Alternatively, a couple of stoners may have taken residence in your exhaust. Try dangling a pack of chocolate biscuits near the tailpipe, that usually coaxes them out. 4 Quote Link to comment
jboulukos Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 How big of a job is changing the head gasket? How much would that average in cost? US dollars Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Are you needing to replace rad coolant? Is the rad constantly down? Is the temp gauge reading higher than it used to? If no to all of the above it's just the cold weather making the humid exhaust visible. You can change the head gasket yourself with a few tools. It's not difficult or a technical job but if a garage does it... $$$ You should know that it's not normal for a head gasket to blow and likely there is a cause. The likely one being that the aluminum head is slightly warped. The fix is to have it lightly machined to true it up. A garage would just love to add this to their bill weather needed or not.. 1 Quote Link to comment
jboulukos Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 I always replace radiator coolant constantly before each time I drive. Multiple times per day. I have a new radiator and i do not see and fluid leaking on the ground. The white smoke occurred in the warmer weather when I drive it. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Classic blown head gasket. 1 Quote Link to comment
jboulukos Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 awesome! Thank you for this! Now which gasket should I purchase? Looked on eBay and prices are around $15-25. Is there a preferred brand to get? Quote Link to comment
jboulukos Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 do I need a whole head gasket set? or just the head gasket? Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Look at rockauto.com You'll probably at least want the head gasket and intake/exhaust gaskets. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Ask the Nissan dealer what they are worth. My rule of thumb is a good auto supply store will charge about half that for the same quality. Don't ever get the cheapest you can find for anything so important and hard to get at as a head gasket. A $2 cigarette lighter from China? No problem if it fails. Quote Link to comment
jboulukos Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Besides not filling up radiator coolant, and normal exhaust without white smoke, does a new gasket result in better sound? better power from the engine? Quote Link to comment
jboulukos Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 right on Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 If it's a coolant leak only... probably not. If the head gasket is much worse or between two cylinders the loss of compression can be severe. Then replacing it and fixing the cause can be a vast improvement. 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratwagon1600 Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 No. Way more detail than I would have put into an answer Draker :) 1 Quote Link to comment
jboulukos Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Excellent help guys. I ordered a head gasket and intake gaskets from rockauto. Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Just be advised that if you have a warped head, it'll just blow the gasket again. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 Also you can remove the head with the manifolds still on it. (just several less chances of a broken bolt) if the head turns out to need milling it's a hell of a lot easier to get at the manifolds with it off the engine. 1 Quote Link to comment
Ranman72 Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 if doing the head gasket yourself do some research and watch some videos also DONT DROP THE CHAIN MAKE SURE ITS WEDGED 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 A series are push rod....but you know this. 1 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 If he has been adding water every day.... Good chance it got hot at least once or twice. I would have bought two head gaskets. Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 Actually.. no. I would pull the head and measure it. :) Do it right the first time. Unless you are stuck on the side of the road.. then you just slap it on and get home. Quote Link to comment
Ranman72 Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 if doing the head gasket yourself do some research and watch some videos also DONT DROP THE CHAIN MAKE SURE ITS WEDGED ahhhhhh stupid me didn't look at the profile for the car type Quote Link to comment
Ranman72 Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 A series are push rod....but you know this. yep I feel stupid :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 ....but you know this. Quote Link to comment
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