i have something coming from my exhaust

[scottjust1]

I own a 1995 grandam gt with the 3.1Lt. I have never had any problems out of it other than the basic oil changes and tune ups, but over the summer my low coolant light came on and i had took it to my uncles shop and he had noticed that i had a little crack in my radiator and i never got to replace it because i was getting one for my b-day. So i had been running water in my car because it would just leak out and i thought nothing of it but the day before my b-day it had gotten really cold the night before and i had went out n tried to start my car and it acted like it wanted to start but it wouldn't....so i opened up my resevoir tank and it had frozen water inside so i poured some antifreeze in it and waited a few minutes and tried to start it again it did the same thing(acted like it wanted to start) so i hit the gas just a little bit and it started up but only this time it didn't sound right and it was shooting something out of my exhaust. I thought nothing of it i drove it down the road just a little bit just to see if it was just cold and it quit on me..i put it in park and started it right back up(it started right up) and drove it back to my house. when i got back there was a puddle of antifreeze on the ground and my heat was cold and wouldn't warm up! .....IF you have any idea what i could have done please i would appreciate soooo much!! Please I am looking for any comments! I would love to hear what you think!!

[crys36]

Well in the old days they used to have "freeze out plugs". If you did something like that because the freezing water expands in the block the plug(s) would pop out allowing the pressure to relieve itself so the engine would'nt catch thr damage. When you start the car the block is frozen, as it heats up the water melts. The radiator, hoses, heater core, water pump would still be solid so no passing of coolant would be possible. Seen water pump just shear right off the shaft because the bearing froze and ice in the vanes. When you start the car the temp rises rapidly melting the ice (Overheating). As it cools it melts the rest. Other than that you can crack almost anything on your engine thats metal -that has water in it. IE-heads, block. The freeze plugs didn't always blow before a block has been cracked in many cases. Now when all is thawed you put water in and antwhere the damage is the water will run right out as fast as you pour it in. Good luck -looks like you'll need it.

[crys36]

???

[xeroinfinity]

Originally Posted by scottjust1

I own a 1995 grandam gt with the 3.1Lt. I have never had any problems out of it other than the basic oil changes and tune ups, but over the summer my low coolant light came on and i had took it to my uncles shop and he had noticed that i had a little crack in my radiator and i never got to replace it because i was getting one for my b-day. So i had been running water in my car because it would just leak out and i thought nothing of it but the day before my b-day it had gotten really cold the night before and i had went out n tried to start my car and it acted like it wanted to start but it wouldn't....so i opened up my resevoir tank and it had frozen water inside so i poured some antifreeze in it and waited a few minutes and tried to start it again it did the same thing(acted like it wanted to start) so i hit the gas just a little bit and it started up but only this time it didn't sound right and it was shooting something out of my exhaust. I thought nothing of it i drove it down the road just a little bit just to see if it was just cold and it quit on me..i put it in park and started it right back up(it started right up) and drove it back to my house. when i got back there was a puddle of antifreeze on the ground and my heat was cold and wouldn't warm up! .....IF you have any idea what i could have done please i would appreciate soooo much!! Please I am looking for any comments! I would love to hear what you think!!

welcome to AF scottjust1. Straight water is NOT a good thing, even in the summer, by its self it will allow the engine to run Hot. Most likly the Rdiator has froze and burst, and possibly some of the hoses. The 3.1 does hav freeze plugs on the block and heads, but that doesnt mean they will pop out when the engine freezes. THis could be why the liquids running from the exhaust. A crack in side.

You really need a warm garage to thaw the car out, but I wouldnt drive it to far or let it run for extended time. It can just cause more damage to the motor. In the end, It'll probley need to be looked at by a Qualified Mechanic. Hopfully you didnt crack the block. Heads and intakes, and hoses/ radiators can be replaced easily and fairly cheap.

Just get out there in the day and crawl around and see if you can see any of the freeze plugs hav been leaking. Their are several of them around the block and on each end of the heads. See THIS for pics of the freeze plugs and how to replace them. Good Luck Scott

[Hoags]

Welcome to the forum...When you say that there was stuff shooting from the exhaust, what did the stuff look like? and was it still comming out after the car ran for a bit?