martinhickey

iTrader: (3)

I started a thread a few weeks ago explaining problem of heating up slightly to midway on the gauge. Didn't drive it after only one time witnessing the heating up. Replaced rad, hoses, thermo., cap, and just drove it for the first time. Heated up a little, but mostly just at idle. I only drove it about 2 miles. No white smoke, no other problems. When I got home I saw smoke coming out passenger side hood. Opened hood and smoke coming out of/off of bread loaf-sized aluminum looking box that is exhaust related(?). Smelled like smoke, didn't smell like antifreeze (I dont think) and was not steam. (I have a cold and cant smell real well but it was definitely smoke.) What's up? '84 GSL SE. Any help appreciated.

BlackWorksInc

First off, the stock temperature gauge is not very accurate and can be misleading at times.

That said, it sounds like you might have an exhaust leak at the manifold, its hard to tell for sure, but sounds likely.

blackdeath647

iTrader: (2)

very easy to tell the diference, what you mention being a loaf of bread is the exhaust manifold cover. white smoke= coolant, and blue/blackish smoke - oil, you shouldn't be able to see neither lol, sometimes first start you would get a cloud of blue smoke, and maybe some white smoke until it warms up, this is normal, but after warming up you shouldn't see neither.

i'm going to go ahead and guess its from your coolant o'rings located in your intake, they're old and probably not even there anymore, this is a very common leak. get new o'rings, or 20mm freeze plugs, or some people even use quarters, put them on there, with some silicone, or j/b weld and you should be set.

gsl-se addict

iTrader: (3)

^ the SEs don't have coolant passages in the intake, so that can't be it (unless the engine has been changed out).

martinhickey

iTrader: (3)

O.K. I guessed it was a manifold leak. Bummer. Didn't know what in there would leak, but it's good to know it's maybe/probably the o-rings. Is this an expensive fix? I don't know if I'd be doing this work myself or not. Easy or hard? With the temp. varying a little, can I assume it's a faulty stat, sensor or gauge or will an exhaust leak at the manifold create varying temps.?

martinhickey

iTrader: (3)

The exhaust manifold is not the intake, right? What in the exhaust manifold would leak smoke?

martinhickey

iTrader: (3)

I'm impatient. Bump. Where is everybody?, camping for the M-day weekend?

Am I doing any damage by driving with this condition? Temp. only goes up to half or just below half on the stock gauge. Does the smoking indicate me doing damage?

BlackWorksInc

Its hard for us to tell since we can't actually look at the problem, but if the smoke is coming from the manifold cover and not from the manifold itself, what could be happening is that the coolant is leaking onto the hot manifold and burning up.

74RX4

iTrader: (10)

First, it doesn't sound like your car is getting that hot. Some gauges in the cars I've had always ran at 1/2 way. Are you loosing coolant....do you have to add water regularly to keep the radiator full.

To clarify.
12A carbed engines have coolant passages in the intake manifold. These are sealed with o-rings. When they leak coolant can run down onto the exhaust manifold and evaporate.

13B Fuel injected engines (stock GSLSE) have no o-rings in the intake manifold.
There is a coolant hose, however, that goes from top rear of the engine, travels under the intake manifold, and connects to the rear of the thermostat housing. Make sure both ends are fastened securely and not split.

Smoke from exhaust manifold is much more likely to be from oil leaking from the Oil Metering Pump in front of it.

Rotor_king

iTrader: (2)

If it warms up at idle i would guess fan clutch

thunkrd

iTrader: (1)

my car smoked like how you described before i put in my testpipe. it hasn't done so since. also it wouldn't only come up from the passenger side of the hood, it also came in through the cabin, through the shifter? not really sure. i changed to the testpipe last summer.

my temp goes up to half. half means normal operating temperature, but i still wouldn't trust it

"Smoke from exhaust manifold is much more likely to be from oil leaking from the Oil Metering Pump in front of it."

I second this.

martinhickey

iTrader: (3)

Come to think of it, I think the smoke was coming in little "puffs" as if something were dripping on it. Does this support the omp theory? Also, how do I, other than adding a secondary gauge, test the real temp. of the car? Maybe I just need to add a secondary gauge. I know I've seen a thread on that. Anyone know where it was? I'll look myself, too.

1stgen4me

iTrader: (1)

check coolant hoses on the EFI these are prone to leak

blackdeath647

iTrader: (2)

thanks for clarifying, i scanned through the post and missed the model of the car.

NCross

iTrader: (18)

Check your pulsation dampener. Check for fuel leaks. Check the thermo wax pellet hoses. Make sure the heat insulating material on the exhaust manifold cover is not resting on the hot manifold and cooking. In fact, take the cover off temporarily and you can get a better look at the manifold to diagnose the problem.

74RX4

iTrader: (10)

When the oil metering pump leaks, oil normally seeps out from the gaskets. When the car is running, more so when it is moving, the airflow blows the oil back onto the exhaust manifold. Often the insulation material inside the heat shield gets soaked and the manifold smokes.

Back to the original issue. Are you having to add water regularly or does the radiator stay full?

martinhickey

iTrader: (3)

I havent driven it enough to know whether or not I'm using/losing coolant, but with a new rad, cap, etc. it shouldn't lose it through those items. No coolant in oil. no white smoke. I replaced the old rad, etc. because it was wickedly corroded.

martinhickey

iTrader: (3)

Just took off manifold shield and I'll be God damned if one of the bottom bolts broke off. I half expected it because of the heat/rust presence. (It's happened to me before on my '82 toyota 4x4 p/u.) Any way, the manifold insulation is not soaked. The car is idling right now to see if there's any smoking, but none yet. Maybe because I'm not driving and there's no air flow to push back dripping oil. (?) Any how, should I leave off the heat shield or is it important? Will it rattle with only 3 bolts? I can't see or smell any oil dripping. Any thoughts? Oh yeah, is the fan supposed to be able to be stopped with my hand while running? What is the proper operation of the fan clutch characterized by? Does it only kick on periodically or constantly while hot? Lots of questions, I know, but I'm a little frustrated and I just want to be sure I can drive my car without damaging it.

74RX4

iTrader: (10)

I would want to be sure there is a coolant leak before I started looking for one. I don't think you are going to damage anything by driving it. Has the temperature gauge always registered cooler than it is now. One day it just started running at 1/2 way?

thunkrd

iTrader: (1)

leave it on, it was put there to keep heat away. the clutch should allow it to change speed, it wont stop completely. i suggest driving it, but bring with you some extra coolant and oil. monitor the gauges. and check the levels once in a while.

BlackWorksInc

In regards to the rattling heatshield, it should not rattle with 3 bolts, though you may want to see if your exhaust gasket is starting to go since it may not be held down properly at that corner, but more than likely you'll be fine.

As for the fan, it is a very bad idea to stick your hand in a moving fan in general. As for the Fan Clutch, once the vehicle is at proper operating temperature the clutch should engage and fan become driven by the engine. It basicallys works by the idea that metal expands when hot and shrinks when cools.

martinhickey

iTrader: (3)

Hey 74rx4, I have determined that in fact there is no coolant leak. Not losing fluid and no dripping or smoking. To answer your ?, yes, it just started registering at 1/2 on the gauge with a little up and down while driving and idling. I had had the car since October with no fluctuation on the gauge until a few weeks ago while driving it went to 1/2 and stayed there. A little above and a little below while driving and idling. No big changes. Changed rad, stat, cap, hoses, fluid. It seems to be running at below 1/2 but it went to 1/2 last night while I let it idle while I stopped for 4 min. at the burrito joint for dinner. How likely is it that it is the gauge? Doesn't seem very likely to me. What do you think? (For now, I'm not worried about the smoking.)

74RX4

iTrader: (10)

Gauge sounds fine. Some thing else is going on. Sounds like it could be, as already mentioned, the fan clutch slowly dieing. When you cruise at interstate speeds, does the gauge read hotter or cooler than at idle?

martinhickey

iTrader: (3)

We'll have to see. I haven't been on the freeway in a while. Plus, working on my rental house on Memorial Day doesn't help seat time. I'll let you know the next time I drive it. Thanks for the input. Gauge seems to be better as of yesterday afternoon. Stayed just below 1/2 like it used to. Problem may be fixed(?).

jinxed4dub

iTrader: (7)

Ahh you have a rental house. that explains your view of pit bulls JK... To diagnose your fan clutch turn the car on and let it get to normal operating temp. turn off the car and try to spin your fan clutch. If it free wheels more than 360* then its time to replace.

Have you been talking to Kurt Robertson? He told me to stick my hand in the fan too....