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.

I'm broke, it's broken. I'm broke because it's broken. It's broken because I'm broke.

Simplicity Car Club - Founding Member

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

Erik P.
Official 2GNT thread Hijacker
Some say that he's driven over more Covenant than he's shot, and that his grenades aren't where you'd expect them to be...
All we know is, He's not The Stig... But he is The Stig's Spartan cousin!

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

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?

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

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

__________________________________
-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.

I'm broke, it's broken. I'm broke because it's broken. It's broken because I'm broke.

Simplicity Car Club - Founding Member

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

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.

I'm broke, it's broken. I'm broke because it's broken. It's broken because I'm broke.

Simplicity Car Club - Founding Member