Soooo,,,,a giant puff of white smoke rolled out

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FastCraig

Master Mechanic
Sep 11, 2017
407
594
93
Huntington, WV
Drove my Monte to the bank to withdraw some cash from the ATM. There were a few cars in the teller lanes and since my car is a little loud I shut it off while I made my withdrawal. The car next to me and I started our cars at the same time. There was a large cloud of white smoke on the right side. I thought, oh man, that guy needs to get his car looked at. I drove about half a block to get a coffee. Was inside about 5 minutes. When I started my SS there it was. A large cloud of white smoke. Just for a few seconds. I shut it down, popped the hood and checked all the fluids. Everything looked good. No leaks or wet spots on the ground. I started it up again, no smoke, so I decide to drive it towards home. It made the 15 miles to home with no problems and I pulled it in the garage and opened the hood. No leaks underneath but I hear a "boiling" sound. There was a bunch of bubbles in the radiator overflow and it looked like it was boiling hot. However it was normal to the touch, not overheated. Temp guage never showed hot. No water in the oil but I'm sure it blew a head gasket at best and a cracked head at worst. Edelbrock aluminum heads go about $850 each so I'm hoping it is just a gasket. It sits where I parked it until I get a day to tear it down. I just bought a new 7" touchscreen head unit and was taking it for a new headliner. Damn.
 

fleming442

Captain Tenneal
Dec 26, 2013
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Sounds like a head gasket to me. You can have a leak from combustion to coolant without affecting the oil. Pull the plugs, and see if any are extraordinarily clean.
 
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Jeff L

G-Body Guru
Nov 20, 2016
508
684
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Southern AZ
Seconds on the head gasket. Bubbles in the radiator is usually some kind of combustion leak like fleming442 mentioned. Sorry about it and good luck.
 
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buick7332

Master Mechanic
Oct 21, 2014
350
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N.E. Philadelphia area
Seconds on the head gasket. Bubbles in the radiator is usually some kind of combustion leak like fleming442 mentioned. Sorry about it and good luck.
Head gasket. Just had the same situation with a chevy truck. The head warped and needed to be machined. Also had to replace some valves. Good luck
 
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FastCraig

Master Mechanic
Sep 11, 2017
407
594
93
Huntington, WV
Head gasket. Just had the same situation with a chevy truck. The head warped and needed to be machined. Also had to replace some valves. Good luck
Didn't consider a warped head. Guess that would be better than cracked. There is a speed shop right down the road that can machine the heads if needed.
 

FastCraig

Master Mechanic
Sep 11, 2017
407
594
93
Huntington, WV
+
has the engine overheated recently?
No. It has an electric fan and a Run Cool aluminum radiator. It has not overheated while I have owned it.
 

pontiacgp

blank
Mar 31, 2006
29,270
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Kitchener, Ontario
did you use a gasket specifically made for an aluminum head with a cast iron block ?
 

FastCraig

Master Mechanic
Sep 11, 2017
407
594
93
Huntington, WV
did you use a gasket specifically made for an aluminum head with a cast iron block ?
I'll find out when I crack it open. I have not had the motor apart.
 

pontiacgp

blank
Mar 31, 2006
29,270
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Kitchener, Ontario
I'll find out when I crack it open. I have not had the motor apart.

I suspect that the head gasket is the problem. If the engine has no overheated there is no reason for the head to be cracked or warped unless it was improperly installed. Head gaskets are a known problem when a aluminum head with a different expansion and contraction rates than than the cast iron block if the wrong head gasket is used. There are composite head gaskets that are recommended for the aluminum heads on a cast iron block
 
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