White smoke, head gasket or not?

shanebrk · Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 8:48 pm Post subject: White smoke, head gasket or not?

I just noticed today that my f has plumes of white steam(?) coming from the exhaust. This is what its like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AirOwANoGo0

The car is on a high idle there, around 2500 rpm because i was trying to charge the battery after a push start.

Then i got some one came along to give it a few revs and it looks like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGoyJ3Jyhw

Also there was no coolant in the car for about 4 weeks and it hasn't been run since then either. I put in a new rad last night and started it today and noticed the problem. That's all water on the ground too. It hasn't been running long enough to notice if there is coolant missing yet but there is no leaks and no mayo gunk under the oil cap. These's no smoke at all on startup and then about a footlong "ghost" appears after about 5 mins.

In the first video you can actually hear a water gurgling in the exhaust. Does that mean that it's definitely the head gasket?
Do i need to change anything else if i change the head gasket, like the head bolts or anything?
If i have to change it I'm going to do it myself, am i likley to run into any problems since the engine never overheated and the head doesn't need to be skimmed?
What are the torque figures for the head bolts?
Sorry about the essay and i think that's all the questions Very Happy

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pompey ice · Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 30

Mine does a similar thing in the mornings ,it eventually goes away in my case its over night condensation that has formed in the exhaust system ,as everything warms up the water steams off,if you haven't got a miss-fire or loosing water it could be this,

best of luck Ian

marcrs · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:23 am Post subject:

does sound like the exhaust is full of water, and it will take a while for it all to evaporate.

check all your levels, and give it a good run, this might clear it, check all the levels again afterwards and see if you've lost anything. If it is a gasket etc, you should notice a drop in coolant level if it's causing that much steam.

good luck, let us know how you get on Smile

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shanebrk · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 11:18 am Post subject:

You see it's garaged overnight all the time so I just can't understand how it could be that much condensation? I know water is a by product of combustion (hydrogen from the fuel bonds with oxygen in the air, hey presto, h2o. But again I don't see how the exhaust could be so full. Anyway I'll have a good rip around in it today and check the levels. It's not looking good though
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shanebrk · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:07 pm Post subject:

I ran the car again today and it's still steaming. There's nothing for about 10-15 mins then it gradually builds up to this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFK_2rK3ADI

The gurgling noise is gone though.

I ran the car last weekend too for about an hour and it didn't clear.

There is still no noticeable difference in the level of the coolant and there is still nothing under the oil cap.

Is there anything else this could be, other than a HG or condensation?
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shanebrk · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 6:31 pm Post subject:

Well i went looking for the head gasket today and i found it after i got this thing out of the way.

Here it is!

There's no obvious leaks but there is a few drops of water in cylinder 4 (could be drops from when i was lifting off the head.) and there's is a bit of oil between 2 and 3. The gasket doesn't look in the best of shape so i'm going to replace it anyway.

While the head is off I'm going to do a full service, I've to replace the timing belt (last done at 55k and now its at 107k), water pump belt, power steering belt, oil and oil filter, a new oil seal on the sump, power steering belt and air filter. Now i just have to save up a bit and buy it all Sad

On a positive note, I tried on my alloys i got on Thursday and they fit nicely Smile

Crap I just remembered I need to buy tires too bounce

Edit: I just want to say as well I've never done anything like this before so it's going well for not knowing what I'm doing and if anyone know the head bolt torques, please post them up.
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jd16591 · Joined: 27 Aug 2008 Posts: 5

Cylinder Head Torque specs are here:
*Same torque spec and order for B6, and BP in both SOHC and DOHC

shanebrk · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: Cylinder Head Torque

shanebrk · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 4:09 am Post subject:

Right so i was working in the car this evening, i was trying to get the cambelt off and i got a bit stuck. There is a crankshaft sprocket guide washer that i can't manage to get off. It's number 3 on this diagram.

http://s203.photobucket.com/albums/aa209/Cyberpaddy66/Car%20Stuff/SOHC/?action=view&current=TimingBeltGuide4.jpg

Did anybody else have any bother getting this off and how did you manage it? I tried wd40 and screwing in bolts and pulling at them with the vicegrips but i got nowhere. Any other ideas

And just to add I took a look at the cylinder head and i seen that the exhaust vales i cylinder 3 and 4 are caked in a white dust while there is carbon deposits everywhere else. Is that a sure sign of where the steam from the exhaust was coming from?

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shanebrk · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:19 pm Post subject:

So i picked up my head yesterday evening after having it skimmed and pressure tested, it looked very shiny

i got the car running last night but the smoke was still there which really tested my patience but since it was half 1 i decided to call it a night. I started it today to let it run in for a bit, smokey as ever but after about 20 mins, my exhaust pollutants became crystal clear, delighted now but i have to take it apart again next weekend to fit a new inlet manifold gasket which wont be here till next friday, there's air getting in and playing havoc with the idle. And if it's not one thing its another http://www.club323f.com/club323f/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37613

I think I'm putting the cause of the steam/smoke down to a combination very old petrol and the warped cylinder head.
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seank90 · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:24 pm Post subject:

it does make a difference when you send a cyclinder head away to a good company! i did this with my celcia and the fininsh was so good i could see myself in the cyclinder head! couldnt ask for better!

shanebrk · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:41 pm Post subject:

You could kinda see a rainbow of color in the reflection it was so good, and they took out a bolt that i had sheered the head off when i was putting on my rocket cover that i didn't even mention to them. I only seen it after i got home. i sent it to http://www.hpmp.ie if anyone over this side of the water wants a reputable auto engineering company
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seank90 · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:32 pm Post subject:

just after noticing your from ireland! Wink

Roc · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:31 pm Post subject:

shanebrk · Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 12:40 pm Post subject:

Back at this again I found the cause with a bit of help, which surprised me a bit but here it is

A crack in cylinder 2. It's incredibly fine and barely noticeable by eye but the camera picks it up well. Unfortunately this means i need to get a second hand block.

Does anyone know if my block is the same as one from a 1.6 mk1 MX-5?

According to Wikipedia, they have the same bore, stroke and capacity, with the mx5 having a lightened crank and flywheel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_B_engine#B6-2E
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mkid · Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:24 pm Post subject:

damn thats nasty
i hope it all goe's well for you mate

cyberpaddy66 · Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 3:00 pm Post subject:

shanebrk · Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 3:10 pm Post subject:

I didn't have any bother with this after. I thought the bolt was just there for turning the crankshaft when lining up the timing marks. I thought once i had the four smaller bolts taken out this should slide off. I used a 21 mil socket with two extensions which just brought it clear of the wheel arch and a breaker bar on the handle of the ratchet. I put the car in 5th gear and jammed another bar between the wheel nuts and the brake caliper. The other wheel was on the ground.
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