Clouds of white smoke (I mean clouds!) - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

carnut · #16 12-04-2006, 09:55 PM

I agree with the last poster. Steam is completely different than smoke. Steam will rise from the car and disappear quickly, smoke will linger and surround the car. Steam sometimes will have no odor, smoke usually smells. A good radiator shop can test for combustion in the radiator coolant.

rgnprof · #17 12-04-2006, 10:24 PM

It is definitely SMOKE! It lingers and lingers... and it is thick.

Tom, you have been following my other post - I may take you up on that head. Let me see what this new opne looks like and if I can resolve the cam towers issue.

Sorry, I should have probably merged these two threads.

Ryan

t walgamuth · #18 12-04-2006, 10:31 PM

no worries!

tom w

Neubie · #19 12-07-2006, 11:45 PM

Yep, my 230 just started doing that. used to be just around this one corner, let off the throttle, as it comes back on, clouds of white smoke out the back. Now (3 days later) it does the same thing at every stoplight. Im guessing head gasket. (hoping perhaps) But thanks for all the advice, ill check into it this weekend.

Marc

david s poole · #20 12-08-2006, 10:50 AM

old engines of your vintage have been known to get severe contamination in the oil from gas.pull dipstick and see if oil pulls away from sides of dipstick. change oil and problem may go away.cheap to try and prob ready for change anyway.then you have to find where gas coming from.

david s poole · #21 12-08-2006, 10:54 AM

ps almost certain to be problem when car driven "occasionly"

rgnprof · #22 12-08-2006, 09:08 PM

Checked the oil for any gas - no signs of any. Oil looks and smells clean and it hasn't been all that long ago that I changed it.

I was low on brake fluid though - how can I can track that possibility further?

I am still going to do a compression and leak down test this weekend.

ryan

Dubyagee · #23 12-08-2006, 09:14 PM

pull the vacuum source to the brake booster and check it for oil. plug it and run the car to see if the smoke dies off. If it does then you've found the culprit.

Richard Wooldridge · #24 12-09-2006, 01:17 AM

I'm still wondering if you have a vacuum booster pump on the engine - it would be the most likely problem if the engine has one. Where does the brake vacuum booster line feed into the engine at? Directly to the intake manifold, or does it go to a unit mounted at the front of the engine?

rgnprof · #25 12-09-2006, 09:57 AM

No vacuum pump - the brake booster vacuum line feeds directly into the intake manifold at the rear of the engine (close to the firewall).

Ryan

rgnprof · #26 12-09-2006, 10:05 AM

Can someone - briefly - post the steps to removing the head on this engine ('72 250 M130 motor)? I was planning on disconnecting the exhaust manifold, but leaving the intake and carbs and pulling all of that (head, intake manifold and zeniths) off as one piece...

Thanks, Ryan

t walgamuth · #27 12-09-2006, 02:29 PM

i recommend against trying to take the head off with all that attached. you will want the bare head anyway to check for straightness etc.

tom w

rgnprof · #28 12-09-2006, 05:28 PM

Well, it's not brake fluid - so I guess I'm slowly making some progress.

I haven't had time yet to check the compression...

ryan

rgnprof · #29 12-21-2006, 10:39 AM

Still trying to get to checking compression and leak down, but I did find something interesting yesterday. Someone earlier had suggested checking for a leak at the intake manifold - and I have what appears to be a pretty major leak around the front carb area. Sprayed some B12 and car almost stalled on me!

What does this mean? Any bearing on my smoke issue?

At this point, I am going to do the above checks and then pull the intake/exhaust manifold and take a peek at this gasket.

Ryan

Chas H · #30 12-21-2006, 10:49 AM

Check the spark plugs for signs of oil burning. That should narrow the search. These engines can suffer from a (or more) valve guide loose in the head. Remove the valve cover and look thru the valve springs to compare the height of the stem seal to others. A difference in height is an indication the guide may be loose in the head.