93 1.8 running terrible

[paulb99362]

My 1.8 in my 93 escort gt ran 500 miles saturday and on the last one hundred miles I thought I smelled the radiator. The car never did get hot and almost home the check coolant came on and it died. But the next day it started fine and then acted as if it was running out of gas. Plenty of gas so I cleared the codes and it would run rough and smoke immediately, idle over 1200. New PCV, air filter ok. Fuel filter, oil change been in shop for new air intake two months ago. Any ideas?

[A. Souphound]

Originally Posted by paulb99362

My 1.8 in my 93 escort gt ran 500 miles saturday and on the last one hundred miles I thought I smelled the radiator. The car never did get hot and almost home the check coolant came on and it died. But the next day it started fine and then acted as if it was running out of gas. Plenty of gas so I cleared the codes and it would run rough and smoke immediately, idle over 1200. New PCV, air filter ok. Fuel filter, oil change been in shop for new air intake two months ago. Any ideas?

If it was white smoke, and you have water vapor coming from exhaust it probably blew the headgasket. I don't understand the 1200 RPM idle though.

[Davescort97]

Originally Posted by A. Souphound

If it was white smoke, and you have water vapor coming from exhaust it probably blew the headgasket. I don't understand the 1200 RPM idle though.

Yep. It would be the headgasket or a cracked head due to the overheating conditon. If it is blue smoke it is oil and if it is black smoke it is gas and like A. Souphound says if it is white it is coolant. I would make sure the oil and coolant was full and drive it and see how it does. Most of the time it is the gasket and not the head. Be sure to fill the overflow resevoir as well as the radiator. I'd use water to see how it is going to do. No sense in putting in antifreeze at this point if it is going to vaporize and go out your tailpiipe.