when I'll fix it myself goes bad

[black98V6]

so for a few weeks now I have been having this wierd idle issue, sometimes it wants to die while others it wants to idle at 1500-2000 rpm. With the way it comes and goes I decide it's likely the idle air control valve sticking and besides the throttle body could use a cleaning.

Take everything apart, no biggie. Clean the throttle body, change out the IAC. clean everything up (or so I thought) and put it back together and crank the car, first start is hard then it starts up but idles funny. Cut it off, crank it up again, walk around to the front of the car to see water running dripping down the front and flat running down the front when I give it gas.

Take it all back apart and there was one little peice of old gasket I missed which allowed water to not only go down the front of the engine but to also get sucked down the intake.

Hoping I'm not totally screwed I pull all the plugs which were all damp and turn the engine over for a few seconds at a time with the plugs out. Let it sit put it all back together and crank it up. Car runs fine, even feels a little peppier, only problem is when sitting at idle I got this nice white cloud of smoke and when going down the road if I get on the gas hard I can make my own smoke screen.

So now I'm :twak: ing myself feel a little and have to try to find a decent shop on monday as I just don't have the time or energy to pull the heads and change out the head gasket.

For the last 8 years I have done all the work on this car myself with no problems this time it's gonna cost me bigtime. Ugghh!! Ok just needed to vent. If anyone knows a good shop in or around Plano Tx feel free to speak up.

[Mighty Thor]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

I know what you are going through. I'm trying to fix my sister's 2002 BMW Z3 and it seems like it's going from one problem to the other.

I'm helping her to save some money but it's seems like I'm almost ready to towel in.

[black98V6]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

well I'm trying to look on the bright side, if there is something more serious maybe it will be time for a cam upgrade, I have the springs and retainers already and just need a cam, lifters and new timing chain. I'll only go that route if it's more serious and they have to change the engine but if they do that I can also have them put in a new upgraded spec clutch and when it's all back together the old bird will be ready to go another 100k miles.
Also it looks like we are done with rain for a while so I can just ride the motorcycle to work everyday this week.

[tampabud]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

check the coolant bypass elbow under the throttle body first. it maybe cracked . forcing coolant/ water up into the throttle body .

[flamingchicken]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

why do you need a head gasket? have you done a compression check?

[hockeyman]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

Personally, I don't think you'll burn out a head gasket just by sucking in some coolant, but then again, I guess it depends on how MUCH fluid was sucked in. I'm thinking that maybe it's just what's left of the coolant in your manifold -or- it's still leaking from the TB.

How many miles have you put on it from the first sign of white smoke?

[flamingchicken]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

^what i was thinking...

[3.4 slow to go]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

those w/carb engines have used water in the same way as seafoam, so unless the amount sucked in was a lot, you should be ok

[Blizzard242]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

I know what you are going through. I'm trying to fix my sister's 2002 BMW Z3 and it seems like it's going from one problem to the other.

I'm helping her to save some money but it's seems like I'm almost ready to towel in.

My gf had a 93 mercury Topaz. I should have thrown in the towel as soon as I heard Mercury. But she's finally bought a new car to replace that POS money pit. 06 Cobalt, I4 but whatever, I'll barely have to see that engine.

[black98V6]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

check the coolant bypass elbow under the throttle body first. it maybe cracked . forcing coolant/ water up into the throttle body .

Ok, I'll have to look for that, didn't know there was a coolant bypass elbow there, I know this isn't the general tech sections so forgive my straying into a technical discussion but is that a part of the throttle body or the intake manifold, this is a 98 with an angled throttle body, I don't remember seeing an elbow there but also never looked for one, I was just under the impression that the water came through the intake manifold via a passage into the throttle body and was kept out of the intake via the gasket.

[black98V6]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

Personally, I don't think you'll burn out a head gasket just by sucking in some coolant, but then again, I guess it depends on how MUCH fluid was sucked in. I'm thinking that maybe it's just what's left of the coolant in your manifold -or- it's still leaking from the TB.

How many miles have you put on it from the first sign of white smoke?

no smoke until after I took everything apart and put it back together. I guess it could definitely be possible and after I do a compression check this weekend if it comes out good then throwing a new gasket at it would be minimal cost even if that weren't the problem.

[black98V6]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

why do you need a head gasket? have you done a compression check?

No compression check yet, it was just a shot in the dark. I guess I need to do more diagnostic work this weekend. The more I think about it (the more I hope) that it may just still be the TB gasket. That and find that coolant bypass elbow. I guess I could have cracked that while taking everything apart and putting it back together.

I know this has gone totally general tech and thanks for the heads up guys. Hopefully the mods won't smite me. Maybe my oldtimer status will give me some leeway :)

[flamingchicken]

Re: when I'll fix it myself goes bad

No compression check yet, it was just a shot in the dark. I guess I need to do more diagnostic work this weekend. The more I think about it (the more I hope) that it may just still be the TB gasket. That and find that coolant bypass elbow. I guess I could have cracked that while taking everything apart and putting it back together.

I know this has gone totally general tech and thanks for the heads up guys. Hopefully the mods won't smite me. Maybe my oldtimer status will give me some leeway :)

werd! get that diag on, and get some solutions! lol