I am trying to figure out if it's coolant or oil leaking on my front manifold. I have smoke or whatever you want to call it coming up from my manifold after my car has been idling for 3 or 4 minutes. When I look the exhaust manifold is soaking wet and dripping on the exhaust pipe. I know there is a coolant drainage bolt in that area but I'm pretty sure the smell is oil burning. My valve cover isn't leaking so what could possibly oil in that area? Anyone have any ideas on what it could be? Any help is appreciated..

 

Why don't you collect a sample of the fluid in question and look at it. Oil and coolant have different physical properties. You should also be able to tell by smell; burning oil and burning coolant don't smell the same.

 

coolant is sweet-smelling. So try to use a cloth or sumin to catch some of the "wetness" and determine what it is.

 

Coolant usually burns a whiteish smoke, oil usually is blue/purplish too. Just the color of the smoke may help you determine what fluid it is.

 

I would imaging you could tell if you are leaking coolant or oil by checking the levels of each of these fluids....

 

Thanks guys, I'm going to get a sample of it now. There isn't a lot of smoke so it's difficult to see the color. Both fluid levels have dropped a little.

For additional info, I just replaced my head gaskets 2 months ago and I have just finished putting it all back together. The idol is kind of high but that's an adjustment I'll make in due time. I've replaced the valve cover gaskets 3 times cause oil kept seeping out. I feel I've got a handle on that now. But this leak is keeping me from moving on to driving it. I'm afraid of it catching fire if it's oil. I'll check now and let you know what's up in a few minutes.

 

Take some pics.

 

I found the leak. Dang nammit! The bolts for the valve cover are protruding through. I used my little mirror to see the under side and sure enough 2 bolts have poked through. That's not normal right? Maybe I can remove them and put some JB Weld on the bottom to seal the hole and replace the bolts with some shorter ones. What do you guys think?

These are the same bolts that have always been there and they're torqued to specs 3.1 ft pounds. I had a valve job done when I did the head gaskets. Do you think that could have something to do with it?

 

Are they the stock shouldered bolts? Pull one at a time and add sealer to the therads after cleaning with brake cleaner.

 

the hose that these bolts go in goes all the way through IIRC.you can slide something small enough through the bolt holes and it should come out next end of the hole. I hope this is what you meant. Apart from what you saw today, did you see any forming up ready to drip-off?

 

Asand1, I thought about using something like a sealer on the threads. so now that you've suggested it too I'll try it tomorrow when I pick some up from the auto store. Any favorite sealer you use?

Snypa, So the bolts for the valve covers do go all the way through? I never new that. As far as seeing some form up, it's like putting your finger on a drippy faucet. As soon as you touch it more collects onto your finger right away. I'm certain that is where my leak is. I haven't checked the rest of them yet but I'll be doing that tomorrow too.

One last note, this may be a major factor maybe not I used the Permatex Ultra Grey Rigid High Torque RTV Silicone Gasket Maker (safe for O2 sensors) instead of a valve cover gasket. I put it on pretty thick and waited 2 hours before tightening the bolts down to specs. I should go ahead and get the rubber vc gasket huh?

 

You need both the rubber gasket AND the sealant (ultra grey) to do the job.^^

 

Coolant=White smoke
Oil=Blue smoke

 

You pu it on really thick on the valve cover and waited 2 hours before tightening it down? Sounds like this was a horrible mistake on your part.

You do not need that much RTV and definitely do not have to wait 2 hours before torquing it down. RTV only needs to be applied to the corners where it meets the timing cover.