White smoke "on load"

[nsteen]

Hi,

Recently I bought an used car, a Saturn SW2 (from 2000). When I drove around I noticed quite a lot of smoke. The car has 135K miles on it, so I just decided to change the oil filter and the oil.
Done, but still white smoke. So I started to investigate what the problem is or could be, these are the symptoms:
- A little bit (really a small small small amount) of white "stuff" in the oil fill cap
- No oil consumption, or at least not a lot. (can't measure any difference in a week)
- No oily ring in the coolant reservoir
- Smoke is white
- Smoke does not taste "sweet"
- Smoke smells oily/petrol
- When running stationary - without load - no smoke
- When running stationary - with load: AC/fans full - (a lot) of white smoke
- When running stationary - without load - and then fire up the engine, white smoke when the throttle is pressed. But after that when the engine is running "at high rpm", it's clean. No smoke.

Something else, I really don't think it has anything to do with it but I just want to mention it: I also noticed a leak in the exhaust when I looked under the car when my friend was playing with the throttle.

I was thinking that it could be the head gasket, but i don't "taste" the coolant. Also, why is it only happening when it's under load, but not when the engine is running high rpm... So.. Maybe the mixture is just wrong?

I hope somebody here could give me a clue? Two friends of mine dealt with car issues before (they aren't car mechanics, but one changed a couple of head gaskets before (successfully, haha) , and we're all technicians. Just not on cars). So we try to repair as much as we can ourselves.

Thanks!

Nick.

[maxwedge]

White smoke is some kind of water vapor, no coolant loss?, you can have the cooling system checked for exhaust gases or pull the plugs and look for coolant discoloration on them.

[nsteen]

Originally Posted by maxwedge

you can have the cooling system checked for exhaust gases

Any idea how I could check for that?

Originally Posted by maxwedge

or pull the plugs and look for coolant discoloration on them.

Ah, sure, sounds doable. Will check for that indeed.

Originally Posted by maxwedge

White smoke is some kind of water vapor

So that's probably the head gasket then, right?

And... do you have any clue why it's clear/good when the rpm are high and steady?

[jdmccright]

I'd also suspect the valve stem seals and/or rings if there are alot of miles (it's not noted in the thread start). Oil is usually sucked past the stem seals, more so when you let up on the throttle while the ring leaking is more when applying more throttle. They're not exclusive, just more pronounced at those times.

[nsteen]

Originally Posted by jdmccright

I'd also suspect the valve stem seals and/or rings if there are alot of miles (it's not noted in the thread start). Oil is usually sucked past the stem seals, more so when you let up on the throttle while the ring leaking is more when applying more throttle. They're not exclusive, just more pronounced at those times.

Hmm sounds 'possible'. But then I'd have to change the valve stem seals. is there any way to check if they leak when I've the head removed? I think I will just replace the head gasket anyway, and check the valves too. If they're broken/worn out I can buy new valves stem seals/rings whatever, and put 'em in. But I've to get some tools probably.

Is there another way to check this maybe?

[jdmccright]

No real way to test the seals with the head off, but since you have it off the engine, you might as well replace them.

I presume that the head was removed after the cams were, but I don't know the procedure. Some let you take the head off w/o removing them but usually you have to remove the cams to access the head bolts.

The only special tools you might need is a spring compression tool and a way to keep the valves from dropping into the cylinder, either through using compressed air through an adapter to hold them closed or feeding a long string of rope into the cylinder to fill the space.

[nsteen]

yea, but they can't fall into the combustion chamber when I open the engine up for the head gasket, right? So the procedure would be easier because that's done anyway

[jdmccright]

Yeah, I remembered you had it off the engine after I posted...never mind. Just the compression tool then, I think. Good luck!

[maxwedge]

Oil seals, white smoke?

[nsteen]

Originally Posted by maxwedge

Oil seals, white smoke?

Thanks?

[jdmccright]

Thread starter noted that the smoke smelled oily and not sweet. Otherwise I would suggest he was burning coolant and thus lead to a head gasket failure...which it still could be a problem, too.

In either case, with the head removed, the head gasket and stem seals can be replaced easily and the head and block should be checked for warpage.

[nsteen]

Originally Posted by jdmccright

Thread starter noted that the smoke smelled oily and not sweet. Otherwise I would suggest he was burning coolant and thus lead to a head gasket failure...which it still could be a problem, too.

In either case, with the head removed, the head gasket and stem seals can be replaced easily and the head and block should be checked for warpage.

Exactly! Thanks for all the help!

[DeltaP]

With 135k on it I wouldn't think I could just put valve stem seals on it and slap it back on with a new head gasket. That'd be a 1/2 a$$ed repair that wouldn't last long. I'd send the head out to a machine shop, get it tanked,fluxed,decked and a 3 angle valve job done to it. Too bad ya didn't run more diagnostics while ya still had the head on.