crabapple

iTrader: (1)

So it's done...sort of.

I replaced my valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor, rotor, fuel filter, a few hoses and cleaned the tb. I'm too old for this ****!

Anyway, car started up good and idles smooth. There were a couple hoses that I hadn't put on tightly enough so I fixed that and the hissing went away.

The problem I'm having is the engine starts to smoke. It's in the front and seems to be coming from underneath the vc. Also, the temp gauge stays on cold. Doesn't even move. I've got some fluid leaking. It's not oil, seems to be coolant. Although when I look at it, it's almost yellow.

Anyway, if anybody's got any ideas I would really appreciate it. If I can't figure this out my DIY project is going to end up at a mechanic's.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Probably just some residual oil/gunk on the engine after your gasket job, just drive it around for a while, this will help burn it off quicker..

As for the temp gauge, you either left your chts(coolant head temp sensor) unplugged, or the wire/sensor is broken.

I will find a pic of the sensor brb..

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

mine had this problem
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=MVI_2251.flv

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Yup, my ve chts done the same thing, luckily i had a spare or 2 laying around..

maximaman1313

where exactly is the fluid leaking, and does it match the color thats in your radiator(wait until cold to check)?

If you just cleaned your TB the smoke is most likely all that crap from cleaning it burning off. Im guessing you left TB on and sprayed and wiped clean with rag?

crabapple

iTrader: (1)

I was thinking gunk but it seemed like a lot of smoke. Then again it is a big shock to the system. Thanks for the pic. Tomorrow morning I will take a look (doing this without a garage ).

crabapple

iTrader: (1)

The fluid is coming from middle-to-back of the engine but the smoke is rising from the front. When I look below the engine the drops that are hanging there before falling to the ground look green but when I catch it it's more yellow .

I actually took the tb off and cleaned it. Cleaned the intake manifolds too.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Check all your coolant hose connections, you might have left a clamp loose/off

maximaman1313

+1

the coolant might run along somewhere and drip on the front give an evaportive cloud that might look like smoke?

what color is smoke, and smell like?

crabapple

iTrader: (1)

Smoke is whitish(??) and the smell is...well, not oil. I think coolant is a good bet. I checked the hoses but ran out of daylight. I will look closer tomorrow morning.

I actually did leave one of the coolant hoses that attaches to the rear of the upper manifold off so it was shooting coolant the first time I started up.

maximaman1313

if the smoke is whiteish but thin, kinda like a fog, probably just burning off the coolant/antifreeze. drive around for a bit and see if it doesn't go away.

you get the temp gauge working yet?

Wiking

IF no coolant, THEN no cool ant temp reading... Did u thoroughly bleed all air from the system the way FSM suggests?

BV - BytheVay - Bleed Valve is for bleeding...

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

har har...

if you for whatever reason dislike the bleeder valve tho, or if you have the bleeder valve bypassed, then the alternate method is to jack the front end of the car up as high as you safely can, uncapping, letting air work up to the top and warm the car up until the coolant rises into the cap, and then maybe try it again later.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Actually wiking, the nice hot air pockets will give a temp needle reading, mostly incorrect(overheating when not really overheating)

Wiking

Yes, bubble pockets is one issue and may be so. Sometimes hasty fillup will end in missing one quarter of coolant, as bubble causes radiator overflow - before whole system is full.

In such case = IF coolant level is below the sensor --> THEN no cool ant temp reading..
= IF no coolant, THEN no cool ant temp reading..

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Drain all your coolant out, go for a little drive...Watch your temp needle climb to H in a hurry..

gapboi210

???? But doesn't the sensor read the tempertaure of the coolant to give u a reading on the gauge? No coolant to read = cold on the gauge?

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Think about that for a minute, if you experience coolant loss from a busted hose/whatever=all/most your coolant is gone. Then how would a car company want to design their temp needle sensor? Would they want it to 1. detect a no coolant condition= the temp gauge goes weeewoopeee! all the way to H in a hurry to warn the driver that he is going to blow the engine up if he/she doesn't shut it down now!?

Or 2. A sensor that will give you a false cold reading=driver keeps driving thinking he has a bad t-stat, or thinks nothing at all= BOOM! 5 miles down the road?

Which kind of sensor would you as a designer want to put in your car?

crabapple

iTrader: (1)

Yep, the wire is broken. Pulled right out. Guess I need a whole new chts from the dealership. How is that installed? It looks like the small wire runs into the larger wire. Or is there a plug there? It's hard to tell.



And re: the fluid leak. I found another point where there is no hose attached. I have looked around but can't see a hose to put there. Looks like it runs up from the transmission and then does an upside down U. Here's a pic:

Wiking

Spent my teen age filling the leaky jeep, constantly, all fluids. Biggest consumption was water, the gas, then brk fluid... So no brakes, full speed ahead to keep pump rotating (=didnt leak). On that flathead and others gauge as described.

I hope not to experience youre right with VG...

Wiking

That is tranny breather. As it warms, air/fluids expand and that pressure needs to get out (or seals would break)

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

I have experienced it on a vg=my wife blew a coolant hose on her vg last summer, she called me and said she was "driving along, then i noticed the temp needle was close to H!" No coolant=needle on H every time.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

It's aa 1 wire deal/w a plug attached to the sensor male end..Mine also broke off the plug some time ago, i just used a standard female plug pictured below..

I also looks like your sensor is in poor condition, you might want to replace it, they are pretty cheap (around $25).




As wiking said, that hose is the tranny breather hose, no place for it to go.

crabapple

iTrader: (1)

Is the male end what capedcadaver is touching in his vid? Yes, the sensor that is attached to that is toast. Do you just pull it off that male end? I tried to pull it a little bit with pliers and it just cracked. It's brittle as hell.

I'm confused about the wire. The wire that broke off the sensor part actually runs together w/ other wires that are taped together. It is just sticking out of this taped bundle and I'm not really sure where it leads. Will I need to untape all that, figure out where it leads and then replace the whole wire. Is your picture a VG or VE? It doesn't look like mine.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

The pic was on my ve, i was just showing you how to fix the broken wire issue.

All you need to do is strip some of the wire away from the end where it broke off the plug, add a connector like in the pic. attach it to the male end of your new chts.

gapboi210

I wasn't saying my way was the correct way. I was asking. I know a lot of vehicles may be overheating when low on coolant but the gauge won't indicate so. Glad to know ours is kind of a "fail safe" then.

Wiking

One issue is if failure comes via boiling, most cars a like u say. Another issue is if u start half empty...

The V6 coolant flow is relatively complicated, spent some time studying, check
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/748507/8

crabapple

iTrader: (1)

Done. Sorry for the stupid questions. What I was referring to as the sensor is the harness. I kept the sensor and rigged it similar to what you have done. Works like a charm.

The fluid is oil. It is coming from the front cover where I didn't make sure the new gasket was seated properly. It is bulging out and I'm sure that's the spot where the oil is escaping. I've loosened all the screws I can but it's tough moving that gasket. I'll let it cool down so I can get in there with my fingers instead of a screwdriver.

crabapple

iTrader: (1)

EDIT: Nevermind