Hi everyone. Today is my first day as a member but I have been getting info from this site for quite a while. Really big help.

I have a 2000 LT that I bought about 9 months ago. 8 months ago it was leaking coolant from the the resivoir. So I put it in my garage and started to look it over. I found there was like a nasty, rust almost like chocolate mouse consistancy gunk in the rad. I started to do some research and that is when I found this site. The symptoms of the problem that I seemed to have was either the tranny/oil cooler leaking in the rad, intake manifold gasket and in some circumstances the head gasket.

Long story short I proceeded to tear down my engine to replace head and intake gasket with a new rad. Along the way I changed the timing chain, cover, oil pan gasket (which I removed the whole front end to get out). changed broken peices and seals in the front diff and drive axles. Ball joints tie-rod, the whole 9. Then during reassembly did the, cap, rotor, ect.

Today I finally got it all back together and got it running, but now I am getting a white smoke coming out of the exhaust. Which wasn't there to begin with. Has anyone out there experienced anything like this, or is there any suggestions as to how to pin point and solve this dilema.

Thanks a lot.

 

Coolant is getting into the cylinders somehow... A gasket is leaking, whether it is a head gasket (compression test) or an intake manifold gasket. Something is not right.

 

I did a compression test and the tester read between 130 - 145 psi on the cylinders. To this point there is no water in the oil. I am thinking that I have a lower intake leak still. When I changed the gasket I didn't replace the bolts and when I was torquing them up I broke 2 bolts before reaching 35 ft-lbs. At that point I went to the wrecking yard to grab a few more and decided to attach the manifold with a bit lesser of a torque spec. It was so long ago that I did that part I don't remember what I decided. But tomorrow I have a wheel alignment and a cooling system flush booked. Then I just might go grab another gasket set and change them again and replace the bolts with the new ones I picked up from the dealer today. The confusing part is that it runs really nice.

Thanks for your help

 

35 ft-lbs? I don't have the book in front of me but 9 is more like it. 35 shouldn't have broken steel bolts of that size, but I can see it shearing aluminum. (wondering about that torque wrench) You over torqued the manifold. I can only guess the gasket pinched out? Yeah, new gaskets and do it over again. I feel sorry for you, that's a long job to do over again
27 in/lbs > 106 in/lbs > 11 ft/lbs final torque sequence

 

I will be able to knock off that job in less than a day at this point. The torque wrench that I am using is a Mastercraft Maximum a.k.a. professional series (Canadian Tire), not Westward or Snap but it is decent quality. The bolts have a 13mm head on them and the shank of the bolt is about a 1/4" thick. As far as the torque specs I have been using the haynes manual like a bible. That being said I just refferenced my bible and where I got my spec was for a 1994 and 1995 Vin W Then there was 1996 and on and it said the same as what was in your reply RonJon So my mistake. It has an appointment today for a coolant flush and a wheel alignment. I will start into it tonight and see where I get. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

Did mine in less than a day too... Was just thinking after all the work you did, to have to go back and throw another several hours at it. feh. I just hope you see a damaged gasket when you take it apart so you can say: "there it is, I've got it nailed now". Good luck.

 

That torque most likely crushed the gasket. If you did not already have the metal framed gasket set available from Felpro, do yourself a favor and put that set in this time around. That should get you all fixed up!

 

On the way home from my allignment I brought it down the highway and the white smoke went away. The motor was apart in someway shape or form for around nine months. So I am guessing that it just needed to burn off condensation and assembly grease and whatever else made it in there. Thanks a lot for such quick and informative responses. I hope to be able to share my insight some time in the future.

This site is awesome.