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Chiefy
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« on: December 22, 2010, 04:05:05 PM » |
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I don't belong to any automobile forums, and you guys are good mechanics, wanted to bounce this offa youse guys.
Kid has a very small 4 banger in his '95 Mercury. Has around 50,000 miles. We are getting smoke out of the #2 spark plug opening, with the plug in tight. There is no oil or any liquid dripping on the plug. I swapped the plug with # 3, just to see if the problem followed the plug, but we still got smoke out of the same opening. It sure looks like it's coming up out of the cylinder via the spark plug threads, although I find that hard to believe. This doesn't seem to be steam, but it doesn't have an overpowering odor either. It just sort of smells like an old greasy hot engine.
Also, we're getting a lot of white steam (?) out of the exhaust. The steam is pretty much odorless, and dissipates very quickly. It does not smell of oil or anti freeze. I emphasize that it dissipates quickly, thinking if it were laden with oil it would hang around and smell bad. We also get more then normal clear water (condensation) coming out of the muffler.
The radiator is not filling up with foam. Some of this makes me think head gasket, and some of it makes no sense to me, a basic wrencher.
Any ideas?
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 1998 Valk Standard 52,500 miles |
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2010, 04:24:56 PM » |
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a basic wrencher.
Me too.
Could this be a bad water pump, or otherwise radiator fluid getting into the oil, steaming and burning off? Look at the dipstick, is it all oil or is there antifreeze/water on it too.
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Robert
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« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2010, 04:25:57 PM » |
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Unless you can see a crack at the base of the plug the only thing I can think of is a spark plug put in cocked. If you take all the spark plugs out and pressure check the cooling system you will be able to see if there is anti freeze in one of the cylinders or coming out of the spark plug hole. The other thing are you loosing coolant or car running hot or oil in the coolant bottle. Last if you start the engine from cold and take off the radiator cap after say 1 minute is there pressure in the system. The other is if you let the car warm up to operating temp with the rad cap off and leave it running and put the cap on for 1 minute does it build up pressure.? All these are ways to tell if you have a head gasket problem. The other possibility for the smoke is running a bit to rich. Head comes off easy and they do occasionally have problems.
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“Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don’t have time for all that.”
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KW
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« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2010, 04:42:09 PM » |
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Are you sure it's coming from the spark plug? You said the plug was clean?!?! Weird. . . . Maybe it's an exhaust leak that looks like it's coming from the spark plug? Valve covers leaking? Sorry I can't help more. I'm a just 'basic back-yard wrencher' as well. . . .
Steam from the exhaust and it dissipates very quickly? Off the top of my head, I'd say not to worry about this one. You didn't say where you live - climate is a big factor - but water evaporating from sitting at start up is normal.
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Marcel
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« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2010, 05:16:23 PM » |
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Check Compression on that cylinder.
Coolant system pressure check next.
If that does not reveal the problem then you have a true mystery.
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John Schmidt
Member
Posts: 15223
a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike
De Pere, WI (Green Bay)
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« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2010, 05:27:40 PM » |
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White steam out the exhaust tells me you're getting water in there somewhere. Follow Robert's advice to narrow it down, you might have a crack in the head somewhere around the plug hole.
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R J
Member
Posts: 13380
DS-0009 ...... # 173
Des Moines, IA
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« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2010, 06:03:55 PM » |
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Those older Mercury 4 bangers were known for bad heads, cracks.
I asked a Ford Rep onetime if the same guy who designed the old Ford V8 60, was who designed these 4 bangers. He got PO'ed.....
We haven't had one in the shop for quite some time, so maybe they are still stranded out on the highway. LOL...............
A test I would do while the plugs are out is put pressure on the radiator and push it out into the motor. Have that cylinder pretty much up on top dead center so water will appear real quick if it is cracked or gasket blown.
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44 Harley ServiCar   |
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highcountry
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« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2010, 08:59:56 PM » |
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Sounds like a breech in the head gasket at that cylinder or worse, a crack in the head or block.
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Wingman
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« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2010, 10:19:23 PM » |
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I agree, it sounds like a head gasket failure or cracked head. If it isn't an aluminum head, you can find a crack with magnaflux. I know the I 4 fords of the late 80s were iron head, not sure about the 90s. I'm betting on a head gasket and not a loose plug hole, you would have peeled some threads out of that hole otherwise.
Compression check
Look at the antifreeze, check for oil.
Check oil for condensation on the stick. If it is going into the cylinder and burning (white) you may never see it in the oil.
Good luck!
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bigvalkriefan
Member
Posts: 407
On the green monster
South Florida
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« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2010, 03:45:41 AM » |
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Sounds like a breech in the head gasket at that cylinder or worse, a crack in the head or block.
+1 |
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Chiefy
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« Reply #10 on: December 23, 2010, 11:12:16 AM » |
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Oil looked normal, I've seen oil with antifreeze mixed in it before.
Well, no way am I paying a mechanic to do a head gasket on this car. I did a head gasket once on a much older/simpler car. Guess I could handle this one if I needed to. This car has had a number of problems since he got it. Might be time for a license plate jack.
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1998 Valk Standard 52,500 miles |
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Chiefy
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« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2010, 03:29:09 PM » |
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Well. . . I've pulled a couple motors, rewired a vehicle, and can rebuild a carb (sounds impressive to the 'unknowing' but it's easier than it sounds) That's the extent of my 'mechanic skill' (LOL) So, in truth, I really don't know much about working on engines, but apparently I know even less than I thought. Based on how it was described, I don't see it being a head gasket. . . . He said the plug was clean and didn't mention any fouling in the hole. He also didn't mention any other leaks anywhere. . . Also, nothing was mention about perforamce or mileage. . . just curious if they're any change in either.
Honestly. . . I think the 'smoke' is coming from elsewhere and just looks like it's the plug hole. There's no way the plug wouldn't show "something" if there was a problem under it. I agree with doing a compression check. Good call.
PLEASE let us know brother. . . . I'm real curious  It's crazy. Went to Advance auto to find some "Mechanic in a bottle." You know, the liquid stuff you pour in the radiator to "repair" blown head gaskets. Thought if it helped it might be a clue. Anyway, young guy ringing me up starts asking what's going on with the car. After a few minutes he tells me it sure sounds like I have water in the gas. Told him it actually runs fine. He still thought it's water in the gas, and sells me a bottle of additive specifically for water in gas. No more steam out the back, no more smoke from the spark plug. Go figure......... |
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1998 Valk Standard 52,500 miles |
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MNBill
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« Reply #14 on: December 24, 2010, 04:30:55 AM » |
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Sounds like time to trade it, when it is holding together. The stop leak may have temp. fixed the cracked head or head gasket. If it was mine it would go down the road.
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MNBill
SE Minnesota
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Chiefy
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« Reply #15 on: December 24, 2010, 04:56:33 AM » |
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Sounds like time to trade it, when it is holding together. The stop leak may have temp. fixed the cracked head or head gasket. If it was mine it would go down the road.
It may still be time to get out from under it anyway. But I didn't need the stop leak. The gas additive seems to have cleared it up. This is good news. Mama and I are considering buying a new car, and we'd give my kid our old one. Hopefully now, it's not quite so urgent. |
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1998 Valk Standard 52,500 miles |
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