91BnnvlleHardCold/DapStartsSomeWhiteSmoke!

[christophertc]

11-11-04
8:00 pm eastern

Good day,

This is my first post. I have used the site a few times—with great success.

I would greatly appreciate some help with my 1991 Pontiac Bonneville 3800 LE. I just acquired the car two months ago (it was a wedding gift). It is a nice clean car with about 155,000 miles and seems to run well—when it does run.

As the weather here has become much colder and much more wet, the car has been very difficult to start. The first thing I did was change the plugs and wires, which worked great for about 36 hours.

From occasionally observing the temperature gauge, I realized the thermostat was seizing (still working but not always opening at 190-200) on the car so I purchased a new one a few days ago to put in.

Today (still no new thermo) was extremely cold and wet and I was barely able to start the car. Since my wife drives the car (I have to start it for her every morning right now), I have been paranoid that she might have unknowingly let the car over heat. While I have been concerned of this, I don’t believe it to be true.

However, after finally starting the car this morning and being very concerned with it, I walled around it to look and listen. I notice that the car was smoking white. Of course, I thought it must be the cold so I started my car next to it; it did not smoke near the same way. It was not smoking an extreme amount, however, I did not let my wife drive it today (honestly it could always smoke this much and might not have noticed).

Thinking white smoke equals water in the cylinders, I drained about a quart of oil out of it and did not find any water in the oil (no bulbs or chocolate milk).

Between the white smoke and the hard starts, I ‘m assuming that there is water getting in there somehow.

I was just reading a thread about leaking intake manifold gaskets and was wondering if this is where I should start trying to fix this?

I hoping its not bigger but I also do not want to fool myself into wasting time fixing things that are not broken.

I welcome any comments a thank you all for your help.



Chris
[email protected]

[MagicRat]

Your assumption about the water might be flawed. If its burning coolant from a bad head gasket, it smokes A LOT and the smoke has a sweet odour......you are using anti freeze in it, yes?

Hard starting can be cuased by a number of problems............the fuel pump or fuel regulator may not allowing the fuel line to hold pressure or fuel when its switched off......the fuel pump must fill and pressurize the line before the engine will run, so the engine will crank uselessly for a time.

Also a leaking fuel line will do the same thing.

[jwe124]

Originally Posted by christophertc

11-11-04
8:00 pm eastern

Good day,



As the weather here has become much colder and much more wet, the car has been very difficult to start. The first thing I did was change the plugs and wires, which worked great for about 36 hours.

Today (still no new thermo) was extremely cold and wet and I was barely able to start the car.
[email protected]

Another probable cause of hard cold starting is an old, weak ignition coil. The colder the weather is, the harder it is to start (or it won't even start at all.) I have heard that this is a problem on the late 80s and early 90s GMs with a 3.8L engine. My mom's 89 LeSabre has the same problem.