irocbsa

Just a little background. I recently noticed plumes of white smoke coming out of the exhaust. I'm postive its coolant as level in the system keeps going down. I'm trying to determine how the water is getting into the cylinders.
I managed to get the intake manifold taken off today. The bottom of it is covered in a coolant/oil mixture that of course looks like tapioca pudding. The oil in the lifter valleys, however, does not have coolant in it (except for the little bit that I spilled when I pulled the manifold off) The oil in the crankcase does not have coolant in it. The intake manifold gaskets look good. They don't have any visible tears or creases in them. So, a few questions:

1. Why is it that the only surface to have the oil/coolant mixture is the bottom of the intake manifold? Does this indicate anything in particular? I have personally never seen this.

2. Can an intake manifold gasket be bad even if it doesn't have any visible defect in it?

3. A couple of the runner ports ( #3 and #5) have a brown goey substance caked on the inside walls. Is this coolant that has been caked on there and dried? It sure looks like it. Would this indicate that coolant is getting past the intake manifold gasket?

4. If its not the intake manifold gaskets then I am assuming it going to be a head gasket, or worse, a cracked head. When I pull the heads (TFS Twisted Wedge) I can do it without having to separate the valves from the rockers correct?? I can just loosen the nut, move the rocker out of the way and remove the pushrod right? Anything special I need to be aware of if I have to do this. This will be my first time pulling heads unassisted.
Thanks.
bsa

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"If they do not run, Then they will die." - Stonewall Jackson
#3
'87 IROC, 355 TPI, Converted to SD, 700R4, B&M Megashifter, 3.42, Trick Flow Twisted Wedge Heads, Edelbrock Intake, Accel Runners, Comp Cam, Crane Gold rockers, Lucas 24# injectors, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster 3'' exhaust, Mallory Ignition, Shift Kit, Corvette Servo, 2,000 Stall Torque Converter

1991 RS, 305 TBI, T-5, Bone stock daily driver.

Mark A Shields

I would think it was a blown head gasket, but I'm no expert.

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"Rice burners are like tampons...Every pu$$y has to have one"
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
3" Hooker CatBack w/Aero Chamber muffler
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
3:73 Posi
Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

Omega

iTrader: (1)

How does your oil look? Is it a funky light brown colour? If its not the typical clear brown or dark brown there is coolant in the oil. I also think its a blown head gasket.

Omega

iTrader: (1)

Also some answers to your questions:

1. Oil flows around the bottom of the intake. This is normal.

2. That i am not quite sure on.

3. This brown gooey stuff is carbon buildup. The EGR lets exaust back into the intake and it mixes with fuel vapor and creates this crud. Its normal, just clean it out.

4. I have never done heads myself. You don't remove the valves from the rockers, its vice-vera. You are right, just loosen the rockers, moove them out of the way and pull the pushrods out of the way (make not of which ones go where though).

irocbsa

Omega, The oil in the crankcase looks fine. I know there is always oil on the bottom of the manifold. What I'm saying is that there is the light brown, nasty coolant/oil mixture on the bottom of the manifold (but not anywhere else). It is not just oil. That is why this has me so stumped.
bsa