I've got a 97 rs. Stock motor. ATX. about 147k. Car has always been a champ and ran good. Always started, never smoked, just ran good. Recently installed a new (to me) but used exhaust from a fellow board member. Got an ebay header and downpipe and the exhaust has a test pipe and a N1 type catback. Rear o2 sensor still isn't hooked up, I said fuck it. Upon the first start, there was some white/blue smoke, which I expected because the exhaust had been sitting the car for 2 years before I got it, and the new header. Everything was fine for a while (besides the damn CEL for the o2), but now about 2 months later.....if the car hasn't been driven in 2 or 3 days, there's white smoke upon start up and stays until I get out of my neighborhood, which is about 3 blocks, hard acceleration onto the main road and the smoke will come out till about halfway thru 2nd, then it's gone and doesn't come back. But it's only if the car has been sitting for more than a day. If i drive it the afternoon or night before, and start it the next morning, no smoke. Also recently has been giving me problems starting, which it's never done.

Headgasket, or exhaust?

Not the exhaust. you have problems
Start troubleshooting a HG, Rings, and Valve seals.

Run a compression test.

Mine did the same thing, needed a HG.

Its not that bad :)

I've done some searching on the headgasket failure/replacement already. This just sucks, because I can't afford to do everything else. If it was just a case of taking the head off and dropping in a new gasket, it'd be ok, but I can't afford new head studs, timing belt/tensioner, belt, waterpump, ect....everything that is suggested to do when doing the HG.

162 for the belt and tensioner, 15 for the idler, 40 for the water pump, 30 for the hg and 17 for the bolts. If you can't afford 250 bucks, you shouldn't own a dsm. Anyway, if it goes, it goes. No need to fix it until it starts messing up big time.

Ya know what? You're right, because I don't happen to have an extra $250 right now, I should just sell my car.

Originally posted by irregular defect
Ya know what? You're right, because I don't happen to have an extra $250 right now, I should just sell my car.

WTF? :squint

Sell your car because you need $250 worth of parts and a weekend? I really hope you're joking because that's the most retarded thing I've ever heard.

smart assed sarcasm, in response to nicho's comment.

Originally posted by nicho919
162 for the belt and tensioner, 15 for the idler, 40 for the water pump, 30 for the hg and 17 for the bolts. If you can't afford 250 bucks, you shouldn't own a dsm.

Get fucked.

Shawn,

White = steam. Steam = coolant in the combustion chamber. You need to keep a close eye on BOTH your coolant level and temp gauge. If your coolant overflow bottle looks like it's full of greasy baby shit, then you've got coolant and oil mixing too. Keep an eye on your oil levels too.

Keep a couple quarts of the cheap dino oil in the car at all times. Buy a jug of premix coolant, cheap as you can find, and keep that in the car too.

Check your coolant level every day before you drive the car. If the level stays up there pretty good, maybe check it every other day. If you're gonna ride this out, you need to KNOW how much coolant/oil the engine is burning through. Can you go a week without adding either? Keep tabs on it. That way, when you check the coolant one day and see that it's WAY lower than usual, you'll know you're running out of time.

My car, with a built from valve cover to oil pan lump in it had ZERO trouble making it from Phoenix to Kansas City and back through a blizzard back in 2006 with a HG that had been blown since summer. Service limit on compression numbers is 100psi. If you're getting at least 100psi in all four cylinders, breathe a sigh of relief, but know that you're not off the hook and get serious about making this repair happen.

Hit up Parts Dinosaur for pricing on a new MLS HG. Check out the price on new head bolts. You don't need ARP unless you're seriously modding the car.

Is there anything wrong with your water pump?
Is there anything wrong with your oil pump?
How long since your T-belt was changed?

You don't HAVE to replace all that shit when you do the HG. It's just a good idea, since you'll have it all apart. Mr. Borg-Warner T-66 Spoon Engines from Japan up there gave a decent run down of prices for these commonly replaced at the same time bits. Again, you don't HAVE to do all this shit at the same time. Hell. You can grab a composite HG from Autozone and just throw it in there if you want, but odds are good that it will be blown inside of a month. Do you want to go to all that trouble and not have it fully fix the problem?

At a minimum, you will need a new MLS HG, machine work to mill the head (less than $100 imo), 5qts of oil, a couple jugs of coolant/anti-freeze, and a new oil filter. Might as well grab some new spark plugs while you're at it.

Figure out what that will cost you. Find a way to make that happen. Keep a close eye on your shit in the meantime. Search members here for someone near you that might be able to come help you yank that head when the time comes. If you can't find anyone active near you, absolutely check over on Tuners.

Thanks man, I appreciate the intelligent response. I'll definitely keep an eye on all the fluids, hopefully this doesn't go too fast. If it can just hold out for me for just about a month, I'll be able to take care of everything. I'm in Roscoe,Il....anyone near the area?

Originally posted by irregular defect
I'm in Roscoe,Il....anyone near the area?

Roscoe Illinois? Chicago is one of the largest contingents of 2GNTers in the country. Don't know how close that is. Maybe, if you're really lucky, Terry will check this thread and know someone who can help you out.

Chicago is an hour and a half. I'm 10 minutes from the Ilinois/Wisconsin border, smack dab in the middle of the state.

Originally posted by irregular defect
I've done some searching on the headgasket failure/replacement already. This just sucks, because I can't afford to do everything else. If it was just a case of taking the head off and dropping in a new gasket, it'd be ok, but I can't afford new head studs, timing belt/tensioner, belt, waterpump, ect....everything that is suggested to do when doing the HG.

I drove my car like that for months while I got everything together. As long as its not overheating and you keep a check on the fluids, youll be fine.

Get the Partsdinosar Mech tensioner kit, comes with everything and its 130. I used the MLS eBay gasket set, 60 shipped. ARP headstuds from Summit were 125. 60 bucks for antifreeze, spark plugs, oil, oil filter, rad cap, thermostat, etc. I had the head rebuilt, it was 160 at Napa.

Youll get it!

If you are in a bind and can not find anybody from the Chicago area I can come up to help. I'm in Decatur, but my parents live near Huntley, so probably not too far from you. Let me know.

I just won't be available around the 31st or the weekend before that.

-Ryan

My point wasn't to make him feel bad about being poor. I'm poor, and in a WHOLE lot worse shape than you probably are. The point of my post was to hopefully make you understand how little the worst case scenario of a head gasket could be.

Too bad it wasn't taken that way.

Mr. Borg Warner T-66 Spoon Engines from Japan.

P.S. Thanks for completely missing the point where I said it's fine until it starts messing up big time.

Originally posted by nicho919
My point wasn't to make him feel bad about being poor. I'm poor, and in a WHOLE lot worse shape than you probably are. The point of my post was to hopefully make you understand how little the worst case scenario of a head gasket could be. Too bad it wasn't taken that way. Mr. Borg Warner T-66 Spoon Engines from Japan. P.S. Thanks for completely missing the point where I said it's fine until it starts messing up big time.

Nicho.....comments liek you posted above are going to earn you a position at DSM tuners. Keep up the good work.




To the Original Poster. look Up Plainfield IL see how far I am from you. I will be honest with the little info you posted that your looking at a HG job. Unfortunately since you have Coolant seepage into the combustion chamber, your going to need to resurface the head.

*Your going to be looking at a HG for 35.00
*Resurface the head 80-100 depending on shop
*Copper Silicone 3.00-4.00

*You can reuse the intake gaskets if you really really have to, just take your finger and apply a thin layer of silicone to them to help them reseal. Not the best method but money crunch is what it is.

*Thermostat housing gasket 5.00

You can re-use your timing equipment for now, replacing it is just for convenience since it all comes apart anyway.

Terry

I've got an intake gasket kit layin around, I got an extra manifold that I'm planning on P&P and powder coating, just haven't gotten to it yet...but I have the gaskets. Haha.

Just called a local shop and got a quote of $75 bucks for the head resurfacing. PartsDinosaur seems like they have a lot of what I'll need at good prices. If not, my girlfriends brother is the manager of a locally owned parts shop and he said he can get most stuff at 5% over cost, so I'm gonna call and shoot some part numbers at him and what he can come up with.

Thanks again guys

good deal man, looks like your on your way then

You also might wanna try the seafoam leak test. It cleans out all carbon build up.

http://www.mitsu-media.com/showthread.php?t=1271&highlight=seafoam

Originally posted by dalesmitsu
You also might wanna try the seafoam leak test. It cleans out all carbon build up. http://www.mitsu-media.com/showthread.php?t=1271&highlight=seafoam

Thats hardly a leak test, unless your considering exhaust, which is not even remotely close to his issue.

Grabbed a temp gauge so I can monitor the temps more closely than the stock gauge. Where have most you guys been putting the temp bung? Just put it in the stock location and say screw the stock harness/probe? Or will the ECU pitch a fit?

There are two coolant temp sensors on the T-stat housing, the one with 2 wires is for the ecu, and affects fuel trim. You need to keep this one. The one wire sensor is for the gauge only, and the ecu won't care if it's gone. If you can fit your aftermarket sensor in there, go for it.

Well, it's getting worse alot faster than I expected. :sigh: Trouble starting, which I assume is from coolant in the cylinders, car always starts but usually on the 2nd or 3rd attempt (after is evaporated from the first attempts?). The white smoke is thicker and stays around longer, and there is coolant visably dripping from the exhaust manifold/gasket.


BUT, found a PT 2.4 for sale locally. 26k miles, couple hundred bucks......evil goodness may be instore.

On an a-side, I've sort of got this loathing for redundant gauges, particularly replacing those on the dash with ones elsewhere and then leaving the ones on the dash. That aside, I think I'm headed the same way with the coolant temperature gauge. What brand did you choose? I think I'm going to go with the prosport.