I guess I’m doing my head gasket
 

95 e320 with 100k miles. Should I change the timing chain just for ****s and giggles? I’m doing valve seals since it smokes .. leaks oil from from to back.

That's really weird that she's smoking with such low mileage....esp on a 95.


I wouldn't waste the money on a chain unless it's beyond amazing...you can measure stretch before you tear her apart....if this engine was horribly maintained then it Could be now worn then it otherwise should be.

Check those valve guides closely...

Under what scenario did the engine smoke?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

It smokes till the engine warms up. If I start it up and jump on the freeway it’ll leave a thick smoke cloud. Runs clean once warmed up.

That's Weird...if it was guides it should only smoke for a bit on start up or after a high vacuum situations....

I'd look at those cylinders real Close...

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I hope it’s not the lower parts. It idles buttery smooth with no knocking. Spark plugs appear to be clean . I picked this car up about 3 months ago for my wife. It’s been a headache from day 1. The previous owner did a lot of half ass stuff I’m finding out

Consider a leak down test before pulling it apart. The smoke could be rings if it was overheated, otherwise they should be good. Replace the timing chain??? If the engine is clean inside it should have many miles left in it, if it is clean and not stretched I would leave it.

Good luck!!!

My other thought is if it has been eating coolant you could have torn up the cylinders... Seen it before.

Either way, what you describe does Not correlate with head issues.

Jono

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I think I have many separate issues. The head gasket is externally leaking oil all over the place. Front timing cover is also leaking real good. Wife drives maybe 40 miles a day and it’ll drop a quart easily. Coolant is clean and not leaking. The smoke I think is from the valve seals but that’s just a guess. And another issue is that the po didn’t set the cam adjuster so I gotta fix that while I have the timing apart

Normally the chain is not a problem at this mileage. What might make sense at this age, though, are the plastic chain guides. If you’re making access from another job, like the head gasket, then I would replace those at the same time.

Got a leak down test scheduled for tomorrow

The information desired from the leak down test is twofold: 1. Is there excessive leakage and 2. where is the leak?

If there is excessive leakage and it comes out of the intake or exhaust it is valve/seat (not valve seal) related. If it comes out of the oil fill cap or dipstick tube it is ring/piston related. If it comes into the cooling system it can be a head gasket, cracked block or head.

What color is the smoke and is the engine clean internally? What weight oil, synthetic or dino? Do you think it is reasonable that some of the smoke is oil leaking onto the exhaust system?

Good luck and please post the results!!!

right now I’m using the cheapest oil I can find .. 15/40 5gal buckets. It leaks so much oil that it’s hard to tell any color changes on the dipstick. The smoke is out the tailpipe till it warms up. I can see it blowing out when I’m driving. But there’s alot of oil burning off th engine too which is noticeable at a light.

If it smokes when you accelerate from steady state cruising don't waste your money on this engine...

Now if it Only puffs when you first start her up, leaving a traffic light/stop sign etc....that's guides/seals.


Jono




Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

it’s more than a poof of smoke. it only smokes for the first 5 minutes on a cold engine and seems like it’s high crankcase pressure but I know it’s not. Wish the c36 engines were more plentiful I’d just swap out.

The mechanic says the smoke isn’t tailpipe smoke.. it’s oil spraying on the exhaust. I’m not 100 percent with him on that but ok. And the lower engine is in good shape.

Did they do a leak down test? If it is leaking a lot of oil the diagnosis may be correct. Is the exhaust system oil soaked externally?

Is the tailpipe oily inside at the exhaust exit point? If it is dry then the mechanic is probably correct.

Good luck!!!

The most common spot for oil leaks on these is the “Stirndeckel” (forehead cover), or front timing cover. Replace that gasket before assuming headgasket.

Also has a massive oil leak on upper back side of engine, not the valve cover.

On the back of the valve cover gasket is a half moon shaped rubber insert that can leak. If the large leak you are describing is at the passenger side rearmost part of the block where it mates to the head it is almost for sure the head gasket. There is a sealing ring/area in the head gasket at an oil passage there that fails frequently.

If you can, replace the head gasket before oil gets into the cooling system.

If you can do a compression test before pulling the head you may save the time of doing a valve job if you are on a budget. May just need seals and resurface. If any guides are worn though it is time for a valve job.

Good luck!!!

I had this exact issue (huge amount of white smoke only when accelerating onto the highway) that was fixed by head gasket replacement. My hypothesis was similar to your mechanic’s: oil spray from the front cover hitting the exhaust during hard acceleration while the engine was still cold-ish. It seemed to stop once the engine was fully warm, and friends driving behind me always said it seemed to be coming from under the car not the tailpipe so you could check that way?

got most of the engine torn down. ill have the head brought over to the machine shop monday. do i need to remove the lower timing cover to replace the chain guides? they seem pretty grooved.

found that the hose on the smog pump was busted up bad.

How much does a 3.2 head weigh?

Is an impact wrench that can do 1000lbs of torque good enough to remove the crank bolt?