white exhaust lots of moisture and fluctuating heat

[ivanhoeblue]

Hi I'm new: Awesome site

Just picked up a 1994 taurus with 3.8 engine. Not a mechanic but handy. Suspect the water pump is worn after reading some comments and am also starting to think head gasket issues. Car runs very good exhaust is white, lots of fluid drippage and sounds chuggy. Has a diiferent smell - maybe sweet... Oil is perfect - no water - haven't checked a plug yet. Also is overheating - I changed thermostat - left rad cap off while I added coolant and left off until stopped releasing air. With cap off coolant level goes up and down. I let idle for about 10 minutes and put rad cap on - had no heat at first - started to run hot - revved engine and temp. dropped and started to get decent heat. This is why I suspect water pump.
My question is : Is it possible for head gasket to be gone if oil is clean and spark plugs appear ok.

Thanks Ivanhoeblue

[shorod]

Welcome to the forum!

Do any of the 6 spark plugs appear very clean? Coolant (antifreeze) is very effective at cleaning carbon from the combustion chamber. If there is one or more spark plugs that look exceptionally clean, suspect a bad head gasket or cracked head.

If there is a crack in the head or gasket from a water jacket to the combusion chamber, then you can get water in the exhaust without it getting into the oil.

Usually this would result in combustion gasses getting in to the cooling system and causing the coolant to bubble while the engine is running. You could also perform a pressure test on the cooling system to see if it maintains pressure.

Some shops also have combustion gas testers and can test the cooling system to see if combustion gasses are making their way into the cooling system due to a crack in the head or gasket.

-Rod

[Huney1]

http://www.testtoolsinc.com/instructions.htm That's one way to test it but I think they make a kit where you take some coolant and put in and if it turns a color then you have a leak. Ask at the parts stores.

"Has a diiferent smell - maybe sweet..." I bet my eye teeth you have a blown head gasket and what Rod said, ("If there is a crack in the head or gasket from a water jacket to the combusion chamber, then you can get water in the exhaust without it getting into the oil. Usually this would result in combustion gasses getting in to the cooling system and causing the coolant to bubble while the engine is running.") is on the money.

Listen up: Overheating is the number one cause of blown head gaskets and subsequently cracked head(s). Sounds like she is running good so do the smart thing and get the head gaskets replaced and defintely have the heads checked and trued and rock on.

[ivanhoeblue]

Thanks guys: I'll check the plugs today but I'm positive you are right. I'll let you know what I find. I'll have to pick up a service manual as I intend to do the work myself. If I had to pay to get it done around here I might as well donate it to the boneyard.

Ivanhoe blue (Richard)