big problem i think

I have a 1992 ford escort wagon lx

okay i just got done installing my amp and subs today on my escort wagon.. my mom drove the car right before i installed them. when everything is installed i started my car and ALOT of white smoke is coming out the back of the exhaust pipe... and you can see gas coming out of it too and smells REAL bad... and the car seems too shake when i give it some gas...


Please help

last right it ran FINE!!!

Unfortunately the problem is not related to the subs you installed. It sounds like your mom may have caused another problem possibly with a head gasket, possibly it overheated. Do a compression check and see if you have low compression on any of the cylinders. If you do that may be where the head gasket went bad. Does the white smoke smell sweet like antifreeze? If so that is a dead give away.

I dunno the gas smell is real bad coming out of it and it sprays gas on the floor like its just going threw the motor or something odd. and when i give it some gas the car like shakes pretty bad. But i do think its cased by over heating its winter here in cali lol... and i havn't seen the fan come on after my grandfather looked at it...

sounds like your fuel pressure regulator went bad. you need to test the gas pressure i think it should be around 30-35 psi. good luck. keep us informed.

How do i check this and what parts would i need im only 17 and still learning

Please help.. The smell is really rich gas like their is either no OIL or ?????

I turn it on it shakes and white smoke comes out the back and like water or something is coming out the pipe too...

Please help.. The smell is really rich gas like their is either no OIL or ?????

I turn it on it shakes and white smoke comes out the back and like water or something is coming out the pipe too...

You have either a bad head gasket or if you're not very lucky a cracked head. The white exhaust is steam from coolant getting into the combustion chamber. The raw gas is due to no compression on 1 or 2 cylinders, probably side by side. If you can get a hold of a compression tester (Auto Zone has them for a deposit) you will soon know which cylinders are suspect. Since oil pressure is approx. 40-50 lbs. and the cooling system pressure is 15-17 lbs. you could expect to see oil in the coolant. Take the radiator cap off and check for oil in the neck of the radiator. Also, check the oil dipstick for signs of coolant in the oil. It will make the oil an off-white creamy color.
If the engine has overheated you can expect the valve seats in the #4 cylinder to come loose. It would be a shame to go to all the work of replacing a head gasket only to have a cylinder drop a seat which will basically make a mess of the valves and pistons. Let me tell you what happened to me with the same problem you are having. I went to all the work of replacing the head gasket just to find that the head was cracked and not servicable. If I were you, I would go to the auto salvage and get a used 1.9 head and put it on with a new gasket. Take a bottle of alcohol with you to the boneyard and pour some into the combustion chamber. It will show up as a line if the head has been cracked. Also, if it is not serviceable the tops of the combusion chambers and valves will be steam cleaned. You should be able to get a used head from the boneyard for about 50 to 75 bucks. I would go ahead and change the head with a new gasket. It is so much labor to replace the gasket that it would be a cryin' shame if the head was cracked. This is my opinion and opinions are like A__holes. Everbody's got one. Don't give up. You'll get her fixed.

I don't think your fuel pressure regulator is bad. You can check the fuel pressure by first putting the ignition switch in the off position. Install a fuel pressure gauge to the end of the fuel rail (It looks just like a tire valve. Confirm that there are no leaks present and the reading on the guage should be 35 to 45 lbs. with the ignition switch on. (Engine off). If it is more than this your fuel pressure regulator is bad. For a deposit you should be able to get the gauge at Auto Zone.

I did this in a VW beetle once, putting a stereo in, I put a backstrap on the radio, slid it in, bolted the front in place, where the backstrap came out under dash, I put a screw into the front wall. The screw was too long, it went on into gas tank, it took a while to start leaking, by morning it had a half gallon on floor.

I wonder if you put a screw somewhere that it did not belong and punctured a gas line or tank. This would account for the spraying on floor you mention but not smoke