White Smoke

[John Hofstetter <hofs@domain.elided>]

>From: Brent Fidler <brentfid@domain.elided>
>Subject: Bubbles in Radiator & White smoke
>
>I am experiencing a similar problem to Tom M.  I too get a puff of white 
>smoke behind my 79 SII when I start the engine.  I have inspected my 
>radiator and found lots of little bubbles in the antifreeze.  From what I 
>can understand this means that I have a failing head gasket, right?  I have 
>experienced no noticeable loss of power (I pulled my boat through the 
>Appalachian Mountains last weekend without a hitch) and the white smoke 
>only occurs at startup.  The only other problem is that my radiator has a 
>slow drip.  Can this be related?

Brent,
What I would guess is happening is that when the engine is running, the 
gas under pressure is forced out into the cooling system, hence the 
bubbles. When the engine is shut off the coolant seeps into the cylinder. 
The best possible scenario, in my opinion, is the head gasket. Worse 
scenarios are cracked head or block. I don't think the drip has anything 
to do with the white smoke. It might be worth your while to try a can of 
Aluma-Seal to see if you can stop the leak in the head gasket. We 
occasionally were able to stop leaks in Mazda Rotarys with Aluma-Seal and 
these were really big leaks. Temporary on the Mazda, but if it stops your 
leak, I would expect it to last.
John H.


John Hofstetter  "Ol'Saline's Web Site" www.goldrush.com/~hofs
"Perhaps more to remember than ever really happened"
Life Member, National Rifle Ass.     California Rifle and Pistol Ass.
Member, Sierra Macintosh Users Group and MacTwain Macintosh Users Group
Charter Member, FRIENDS OF DEATH VALLEY   Member, Blue Ribbon Coalition
Life Member, Association of California School Administrators
Owner of 79 Scout Terra "It's a legend"