New HG and reconditioned heads = White smoke and tapping

[diem]

2001 3.4

Took the heads in and had a valve job done on them. The heads were also resurfaced and cleaned up. Got it all back together. Issues -

1.) Smoking like a freight train
2.) Loud tapping from front head
3.) Transmission banging into gears, especially D

WTF? I used the correct torque values and sequences. Could it be burning off excess coolant? Why would these new heads be making this noise and what could I have done to cause the transmission to start banging into gear? I'm about to lose my mind.

Only thing I see that I could have done wrong is a writeup said the long head bolts go towards the exhaust manifolds and the shorter bolts go towards the middle of the motor. I put the longer bolts towards the center, just as they came out. Not sure why this would matter anyways. Torque values and sequences were correct.

[GTP Dad]

Unfortunately, it sounds like you will be redoing this job in the near future. The bolts must go in exactly the way the book says. If you do not put them in the correct locations the bolts will torque but the head will not be tight enough to prevent coolant from leaking past the head gasket and into the cylinders. As for the valves the oil may be thinning due to water contamination and causing the valves to tap. However, if the heads aren't torqued properly the lash on the valves will be off slightly and will cause the noise. As for the transmission, no idea on that one.

[diem]

I'm content with that. I can have it completely apart in no time. Just hate having to do it all over again.

Could the "tapping" noise be due to the head gasket? I just watched this video:

[xeroinfinity]

Hi diem. That video is definatly coolant burning off making it smoke. Probly smells sweet. lol
Oil makes thicker smoke which will smell like burning oil, and not so transparent, takes longer to disapear.

As GTP Dad mentioned could be coolant leaking into th ecylinders due to head bolts in wrong location or not torqued quite right.

Other things can cause the smoking; if the valves seals are bad(not replaced when the heads were worked) it'll smoke bad.
If the rocker arms arent torqued right it'll chatter/tick and possibly smoke.

If coolant is in the oil, it is harmful to internal bearings as the lifters.

These rockers are a PITA IMO!
If they arent just right it will make an anouying tap/click/tick which can damage lifters if driven much.

The trans shifting hard could be from a sensor wire unpugged. I would check the intake are temp -IAT sensor and the MAF wire(s) and plug ins.

Hope that helps

[diem]

Well the cylinders were full of coolant. Not sure that much could get into them with the system drained by just removing the heads.

It appears the oil/coolant mixed a little this time. Since I had white smoke and they mixed, that can only be a head gasket, correct? I don't think a LIM gasket could cause the white smoke, but I know it could cause them to smoke. It was also running rough.

The tapping noise was a loose rocker. Doh! Got it all apart and cleaned up great. Wiped all surfaces down with lacquer. Apparently I DID have the head bolts in the right positions.

Got 2 new head gaskets, so I'm going to try again. Even though I used the same torque on all bolts, some didn't seem as tight as the others.

[thephantom1492]

don't you8 have to pretighten, then retight them again? that might be what you didn't do: recheck the tighteness (is that even a word? anyway)

remember that the gasket will compress when you tighten the bolts, causing the first one to be less tight...

[xeroinfinity]

yes a LI leak can cause smoke, and even flood your cylinder(s) if the conditions are right.

Some thing else, are you using the same head bolts that were originally used?
You should use new ones. They stretch when torqued and will be off a little as you reuse them(may not tighten up enough).

Yes you torque them in two steps.
For the 90 deg tightening last, its good to mark the bolt heads(sharpie works great) so you know its turned 90 deg.
Just a little off can cause oil/coolant leaks.


Happy Holidays !

[diem]

Yes, they are tightened in 2 steps. Don't think it's possible to check them once I've turned them an additional 95 degrees (2001 calls for 95 degrees)

I did use new head bolts and used a black sharpee to mark the bolts before hand. They all looked pretty accurate. Hopefully it wasn't the LIM gasket that leaked. I'm using new gaskets and bolts again, so hopefully it seals up properly this time around. Thanks for all the help guys.

[diem]

One last thing - Whats the chance the metal LIM gasket can be reused? It still looks perfect to me.

[GTP Dad]

Replace it along with the head gasket you don't want to have to do this job a third time. Before doing anything check the flatness of the block. You resurfaced the heads but the block could have an issue and with the flat heads if the block is warped it will cause the head gaskets not to seal. I don't know if the 3.4 requires sealer on the head bolt or not but check the book to make sure that sealer is not required. If it is required and not used coolant can actually leak into the cylinders when it flows past the head bolts.

[diem]

Got a new one coming in the morning.

How would you recommend I check the block for flatness? Lay a flat edge ruler across it?

[xeroinfinity]

yes diem, a flat ruler would work. A metal one works best.
Ive not seen any of these blocks warped being cast.

And the head bolts do not need sealer.