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4.3L blows tons of white smoke

Michaeljp86

Michaeljp86

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The jimmy finally gave me a problem :sad:, it always used a little antifreeze, a qt or two a year. Last week I drove to the hardware store it ran fine but when I was leaving the store it started and ran like crap. It ran ok going home but acted like it was missing at idle. I thought I smelled antifreeze while driving home but wasnt sure. the temp gauge would jump around too, way to fast for a actual change in the coolant temperature.

After that it wouldnt start, the engine wouldnt even turn over. I got it to start and after about 2 min the white smoke comes out the tail pipe like crazy and smells like antifreeze.

The oil is fine, no collant in it.

Any idea on whats wrong? My guess would be a head gasket letting antifreeze into the combustion chamber.
 
Yea wifes jimmy is a 99 and its leaking coolant somewhere to..maybe around intake or possibly a headgasket coming. Not the first one Ive seen and sure not the last. Have fun :D
 
My wifes jimmy is doing the same thing and it is pointing to the intake gasket. I sure do hope i tisn't the heads. But it is doing the same thing as describe in the 1st post. This is a 96 Jimmy with the 4.3
On edit: The same day and with almost the same amount of miles. missfire on #5 which has a coolant port next to it. I sure do hope it is the intake.
 
On my jimmy I did both head gaskets and the one on the drivers side had a little blown out spot. It took a while but I got it. I still smell that antifreeze smell sometimes when it warms up. Im not sure what thats about.
 
you have already replaced the head gaskets? My mechanic wants 1400 bucks to do the job. I will do it my self when I get some free time. btw, what would i expect in parts cost?
 
SfcJones said:
you have already replaced the head gaskets? My mechanic wants 1400 bucks to do the job. I will do it my self when I get some free time. btw, what would i expect in parts cost?
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I bought a full upper engine gasket kit, came with valve seals and any gasket on the top of the engine. That kit was a felpro for $70. I probably had around $100 into it but I probably shouldnt have bought the whole gasket set. It wasnt that hard to do just takes time because there is so much to remove. On my jimmy there was a bolt behind the power steering pump holding on a aluminum bracket. Instead of trying to remove the pump from the bracket I just took a die grinder and shaved down the bracket so I could get a wrench on it.
 
For valve seals don't forget to buy some good Crane (or other) umbrella seals. Those factory squared off o-rings are junk.
 
SfcJones said:
looks like I have alot of work to do when I get home.....
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You can handle it, I didnt pull the radiator out. It may make it easier to get it there and save some time. I almost pulled it out.

btfarm said:
For valve seals don't forget to buy some good Crane (or other) umbrella seals. Those factory squared off o-rings are junk.
Click to expand...

I didnt change mine, I was going to but with 200k on the engine I could see alot of wear on the cylinders I figured Id be rebuilding it in a year or two.
 
SfcJones said:
got started on removing the intake....i hate doing this crappy work
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Your lucky, you live in south georgia, I did mine when it was -18 out and only had the front end poked into a barn with no doors. I had to tarp the engine compartment every night to keep snow out. I also had to work only in a sweatshirt because I couldnt move around under the thing wearing heavy clothes. I used a cherry picker to pull the heads and put them back on. I was afraid Id drop them with my numb fingers. Then when it was done I cruised the town with no hood on. ):h
 

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having a hard time of getting the stupid fuel lines off at the back of the motor...I am in my unheated garage..not as cold but it is 41* degrees out. Trying to figure out how to get the 16mm lines loose.....aaarrrrrrggggggg
 
finally got the intake off....the bolts were loose as a goose and I broke the distributor...
 
SfcJones said:
finally got the intake off....the bolts were loose as a goose and I broke the distributor...
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):h

you made me laugh there, Its kind of funny to hear about the same mess I was in.

Most of the bolts on mine came out, I only broke one bolt and it was on a exhaust manifold but it came out easy once the manifold was out. On mine the drive for the distributor moved so I had to use a long screw driver so I could spin it and put the distributor back in the right spot so the timing was right.
 
The little ears that the cap sits on is broke....looks like it has been broke for awhile. A reman unit is 100 bucks. Don't know if I can super glue it back or not. I think the heads are ok so I am goin for just the intake. I could actually remove the intake bolts out by my fingers....well most of them. They should be around 12-15 ft lbs right?
 
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