I know its been a LONNNNNNG time since I was on this site but been very busy. Couldnt sell dads car so I inherited it and have been driving it a  lot. In this beautiful North Carolina Summer the days cry for the old top down and cruise. Thats what I was doing the other day on my way home I noticed a ton of white smoke coming out of the tailpipe. Engine ran fine just tons of smoke. I limped in to a gas station a short ways away and opened the hood. Checked all I could check and lastly I pulled out the dipstick and found it almost dry. If my mind is still working properly is this a sign of a blown headgasket? Engine starts and runs fine just smokes. So, before I tear into it I thought I would get a second opinion from all of you guys. If it is I know to get both heads done and all that. Just want other opinions on the possible issue. Thanks in advance and its good to be back. BTW my name is Earl just like dads.

55Birdman  Hickory NC

Hi   how's the water level in the cooling system?  Does it smoke all the time ?  Check for bubbling with the rad cap off. Might be a good idea to drain the oil and check for water. Barry L

Water level was fine. as long as its running its smoking. I dlid have to add oil to the engine. about 2 qts. That was almost gone when I got home. Did run ok not great but ok.  

55Birdman  Hickory NC

Sounds to me like you're burning oil. In what distance did it use those two quarts? Is it actually coming out of the tailpipe? Could the smoke be blowing under the car and appear to be coming out of the tailpipe?


Lawrenceville, GA

I drove about 8 miles maybe less. Smoke was out the tailpipe. No oil leaking uner the car anyplace. I havent had time to look at it any further . I will tomorrow pull the plugs and drain the radiator. just a brief visual there are no leaks on the engine anyplace thats what told me headgasket. Could be wrong.  Just dont have the money for a new engine now.

55Birdman  Hickory NC

It sounds as if you have a broken piston.That much smoke and using that much oil in 8 miles,it can't hardly be anything else.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Not head gasket problem. PVC or road draft? Have seen stuck pvc pump a lot of oil out a tailpipe. If no pvc my bet is blown or broken piston. Compression test should find it.

My mileage guesstimate may be off a bit. Never was good with numbers and distance and time. But the winner is a blown head gasket. Badly corroded in one corner that made its way to the cylinder .

55Birdman  Hickory NC

Earl:

There is no oil in that part of the head, only coolant, which produces a white smoke.  May be another problem causing the oil consumption.  I have seen the wrist pin locks jump out of their grooves, and the wrist pin push them against the cylinder wall and wear a wide groove in the wall.  Had that happen to a 390 I had, also a John Deere combine.  Could happen to a Y, though I have not experienced it.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

I have but it didn't consume nearly that much oil. Until the plug fowled, there wouldn't even be smoke out the exhaust. I guess every case could be different. I've also had intake pushrods jump out of the rocker arm, which caused it to smoke a lot, but there is also a noticeable difference in the way the engine runs, for obvious reasons.


Lawrenceville, GA