1998 Intrepid White Smoke- Just Started

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Topo

Joined
Dec 2, 2011
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Maumee, Ohio
Water Pump and Chain and Tensioner replaced 10,000 miles ago along with a host of other things, shocks, exhaust and such.

1. Just changed thermostat due to not getting warm enough air, much better now.

2. Seeing No coolant loose or leaking.

3. Did add some marvel mystery oil to crankcase and fuel, this is when I started seeing the white smoke and I changed the PVC valve out, which didn't seem bad( still rattled).

4. Just started experiencing a rough idle at start up, thinking maybe the idle control valve sticking.


5. White smoke only when engine is revved hard.

6. Oil looks clean and no milky appearance.

7. I have a bad break booster, that I know, when I step on peddle a swishing air noise is heard, been diagnosed by shop. Not that this is the issue, just wanted to state this.


Please advice, ask me question, maybe I forgot a few things..
 
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Head gasket, more than likely. Do these have the plastic intake manifolds that can crack? That's one of the only other things I can think of.
 
Originally Posted By: JRed
Head gasket, more than likely. Do these have the plastic intake manifolds that can crack? That's one of the only other things I can think of.


If it ends up being the head gasket, it would be a minor leak at this point, engine is not overheating or anything. Could I use this: Bar's/33.8 oz. professional carbon fiber block seal head gasket and cooling sealant, and give this a try first.
 
One more thing to add. My exhaust is new, so I noticed the inside of my tailpipe got really carboned up bad, in addition seen water dripping out of pipe, it had no visible odor.
 
I see a lot of these 2.7s with white smoke coming out of the tailpipe. I don't know if it is normal, or a sign of things to come.
 
You might be able to get away with cranking the head bolts down another eighth to a quarter turn or better: replacing the center head bolts one at a time with the engine fully cold of course. How about some pics of your spark plugs?
 
Originally Posted By: yonyon
You might be able to get away with cranking the head bolts down another eighth to a quarter turn or better: replacing the center head bolts one at a time with the engine fully cold of course. How about some pics of your spark plugs?


I will pull them at a later time, I had to leave my car 300 miles away in michigan, until I can fix this problem. I will have my dad pull one or two and take a picture. Hopefully they are not green like my anti freeze.
 
Sometimes a sticking injector can also lead to white smoke, but you would be able to smell loads of gasoline in the exhaust.

Open the hood and start the engine, then try to see if bubbles are forming in the engine coolant. This works best when the coolant pressure cap is attached to the radiator, not the reservoir.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
I see a lot of these 2.7s with white smoke coming out of the tailpipe. I don't know if it is normal, or a sign of things to come.


On my neighbors it was ...sludge consumption...turns into a white cloud when the cats hot..weird
 
Originally Posted By: Topo
Originally Posted By: yonyon
You might be able to get away with cranking the head bolts down another eighth to a quarter turn or better: replacing the center head bolts one at a time with the engine fully cold of course. How about some pics of your spark plugs?


I will pull them at a later time, I had to leave my car 300 miles away in michigan, until I can fix this problem. I will have my dad pull one or two and take a picture. Hopefully they are not green like my anti freeze.


Pulling one or two might not help. Seeing all of them and keeping them in order would be much more helpful.
 
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
if this started immediatly after the mmo run the mmo through and fill the tank with gas and all may be fine


It really did after about 17 mile run to town.
 
Originally Posted By: artificialist
Sometimes a sticking injector can also lead to white smoke, but you would be able to smell loads of gasoline in the exhaust.

Open the hood and start the engine, then try to see if bubbles are forming in the engine coolant. This works best when the coolant pressure cap is attached to the radiator, not the reservoir.


It must of smelled of something, I about gagged my brother out when he was getting on his motorcycle. I couldn't push the gas hard and get back to the exhaust in time to smell it, but by the look on his face it stunk.
 
Originally Posted By: Topo
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
if this started immediatly after the mmo run the mmo through and fill the tank with gas and all may be fine


It really did after about 17 mile run to town.


MMO in the gas? MMO is mostly Pale oil. When Pale oil burns off it gives a white cloud - same as the videos of "Seafoamers" on youtube. That has Pale oil as well. The white plume is NOT "all that carbon" as they say. It will go away, the only bad thing is a possible P0420 because catalytic converters hate oil, especially pale oil from the 1930's. Go out on the highway a lot and keep the cat hot, burn off that tank of fuel.

In the future to clean fuel sytems use fuel system/injector cleaner with PEA additive. Thats techron, Redline si-1, gumout regane (not other gumouts).
 
Originally Posted By: Topo

7. I have a bad break booster, that I know, when I step on peddle a swishing air noise is heard, been diagnosed by shop. Not that this is the issue, just wanted to state this.


Are you losing brake fluid? Brake fluid in the intake would cause the engine to smoke and I think it will be white smoke.
 
Originally Posted By: Topo

3. Did add some marvel mystery oil to crankcase and fuel, this is when I started seeing the white smoke and I changed the PVC valve out, which didn't seem bad( still rattled).



If you change thermostat, then the car starts smoking - it could be the head gasket.

If you add MMO to oil and gas, then the car starts smoking - it's probably the MMO.

If you change thermostat AND add MMO at the same time, then the car starts smoking - the problem could be either.

This is why when I trouble shoot I only change one thing at a time.

Run out this tank of gas, then change oil with whatever oil you were using before in order to eliminate some variables. If it still smokes, then it could be the head gasket. Don't add any "Head Gasket In A Can" type additives
 
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