- This topic has 16 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 8 months ago by
.
-
Topic
-
So I bought a 99 olds alero with the 2.4 4 cyl with a known bad water pump. I had no idea how much of a PITA it was gonna be to change it, but I only paid $450 for the car. It’s in pretty good shape, so I figured what the hell…
So I looked online and researched the how to’s on changing the pump and got started. It was by far the hardest pump ice ever changed and a horribly designed engine. Anyways, I got it completed.
Started up just fine with no leaks, but idles real rough. Figured its been sitting a couple weeks so I’d take it for a spin. Ran just fine. Opened it up on the way back home and once I hit third gear (auto) a huge plume of white smoke came from the exhaust. I drove it normal all the way back home and again it ran fine until idling and it dies.
My first thought was a head gasket but I didn’t mess with any of that for one, and for two, wouldn’t the smoke be constant? I checked the oil and no water in it. Still no leaks that I can see. Cleaned and replaced all gaskets and the crank seal. Any ideas???
Thanks in advance!
-
Replies
-
So that would cause all these problems? What’s the smoke from? Any idea where the bleeder valve is on this car?
You don’t need to open the valve in order to bleed the system. Eric just does this to make the flow of coolant fasted in to the radiator. It is possible that you could have a blow head gasket if you have a white smoke and coolant loss. or it could just be moisture. A simple test can help you determine this. keep us posted.http://youtu.be/QA7KVQq9vKA
White smoke can be coolant or oil. Synthetic oils will burn white or gray. Sometimes engines with a lot of blow-by will pool oil in the intake and it will get sucked through when you accelerate hard and create a plume of smoke.
Since your water pump was a known bad, is it possible that the engine was overheated? That can cause all sorts of issues from warped block/head decks to damaged head gaskets. Do you have oily residue or can smell combustion gasses in the cooling system?
Remove the plugs and inspect them for oil or coolant residue and consistency between cylinders. I would perform a leak down test with the engine cold and again when hot.
If you guys want to make a separate general discussion
about your topics please do that. We are getting of track
on this persons post. Lets keep the posts topic related.
Thanks college manOk. So I did the block test just like the video and NO color change…so apparently I don’t have a blown head gasket?? I noticed the fans weren’t kicking on, so I turned the A/C on and one of the fans kicked on, so I replaced the coolant temp sensor and still no change in idle.
Any ideas??
Honestly, I bought this car to drive to work while I re-paint and redo a few things on my truck…prolly 6 weeks max.
Is there anyway to advance the idle a little to get me by? Am I gonna kill this thing by putting it around on the highway for a few weeks?
Any ideas or thoughts greatly appreciated!
If the color didn’t change that means you don’t have combustion gas in the coolant system, so you don’t have a blown head gasket or crack in the block. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. The white smoke could have been water vapor. You might also see white smoke from the tail pipe in the mornings, this is normal. Drive the car, keep an eye of the temperature gauge. If it goes up pull over till it goes down. or get towed. If you don’t bleed the coolant system like suggested the car will over heat. Also keep an eye on your coolant level.
There is adjustment as far as i know all cars have a Idle control screw with the engine running (First find the screw. It is somewhere on the throttle body) turn the screw so the idle goes up. A family member had a 1990 Chevy Celebrity wagon that always stalled when stopped. They just turned up the idle and that fixed the issue.
Does it idle rough or is the idle too low? That would be an important detail.
A low idle should never be adjusted using the throttle set screw unless it has gone out of adjustment and that is the actual problem. It almost never is.
When an engine stalls or dips and surges when coming to a stop, the throttle body should be checked for contamination and cleaned and rechecked. Don’t mask problems – fix them.
On your engine only the base idle is set with an adjustment. Idle speed is actually controlled by an idle air control motor. These sometimes get gummed up but can be cleaned with carb cleaner and then lubricated with a light machine oil like air tool oil. It doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a shot before spending money on a new one.
It idles rough. Have to give it gas at a stoplight to keep it from dying.
Drove it to work this morning, about an hour drive, and it seemed to run fine. I stopped for gas and checked the coolant level and it was ok. I got to work and killed the engine and a HUGE puddle of antifreeze is now under my car. Never got hot, never smoked that I am aware of. I’m at a loss…
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.