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How long do fluids stay in the exhaust after a head gasket leak or other problem?

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  • How long do fluids stay in the exhaust after a head gasket leak or other problem?

    The 91 truck I drove home from Denver in February started consuming coolant... I feared it was a head gasket.

    There was constant steam coming from the tailpipe and it got worse when I put additional pressure on the coolant system with a tester.

    I pulled the plugs - all 8 looked similar and normal. Ran a compression check - all pretty similar.

    I pulled the upper and lower intake. I noticed some corrosion / degradation of the intake gasket at the cylinder heads between the coolant passages at the front of the heads, and the front intake port on both sides. It was hard to say for sure - but careful visual inspection made it look plausible that the coolant was being pulled into at least one of the front intake ports. Not wanting to pull the heads just for fun, I cleaned everything up (not a small task since this thing leaked oil and coolant for a while before I got it)
    and re assembled with all new gaskets, plugs, hoses, thermostat, etc.

    Last night I got it fired up with all the new parts, and noticed there was still steam coming from the tailpipe.

    How long does it take to clean out an exhaust system of residual fluids from a prior failure?

    I need to warm it up, set the timing, and take it for a drive in some dry weather, fingers crossed the steam subsides.
    There's always something new to learn.

  • #2
    Isn't water a byproduct of combustion?
    Flying south, with a flock of bird dogs.

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    • #3
      I expect to see steam in the winter - but not when the temperatures are closer to 50F ambient.....???
      There's always something new to learn.

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      • #4
        My '98 Mustang does it until it gets warm... if your truck is a 302 and sucking fluid, might check #4's intake bolts. They're kinda bad about sucking the gasket in that corner?

        /edit ... oh hell. I should learn to read. You already did that... Were they loose?
        Last edited by Beagle; April 22, 2015, 10:29 AM.
        Flying south, with a flock of bird dogs.

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        • #5
          50's is still plenty cold enough to see steam coming out the exhaust, especially if the dew point is near 50.
          Escaped on a technicality.

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          • #6
            dew point, yeah. We have a humid shop, even in the winter and we run the cars inside its really alot of steam. Do you have a non contact thermometer? Guessing the pipes are 150-180 behind the converter, anti freeze isnt gonna boil off like water at 216, so it can hang for a while, especially if you have low points. Best case is if you can open her up for a while when you test drive it.

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            • #7
              I will report back after I get a chance to "blow it out" for a while. I'm Mr. Mom the next few days, maybe Lee and I will take a little ride, after I adjust the timing and put the spout connector back in.

              Beags - it's a 351, that was advertised as a 302.... I'm glad I got it cheap and it's not rusty and low mileage - cause it sure is ugly. ;-)
              There's always something new to learn.

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              • #8
                In the humid areas near the beach, the tail pipes can spit steam for hours. Especially, in the evenings when temps drop. Even after running for a long time at idle, a lot of water will pour out of the tailpipes when driving away. If there is antifreeze in the cooling system it will come out the tailpipes with that sweet smelling burning antifreeze smell.

                There is a way to test for combustion gases in the cooling system, but I don't know how it's done.
                BS'er formally known as Rebeldryver

                Resident Instigator

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                • #9
                  Years back I replaced head gaskets on our 95 Windstar. I remember I was scared for a while seeing all the steam come out of the exhaust too. I'm thinking it was a good 20 minutes running in the driveway in the summer.
                  Tom
                  Overdrive is overrated


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                  • #10
                    awhile... when I fixed the intake gasket on the S10, it blew steam for quite a while - I didn't check, but it was at least 1/2 hour and that was with a couple test drives in that time.
                    Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                    • #11
                      Thanks for calming my nerves guys - I'll have a full report by the end of the weekend.
                      Need the truck done so I can start using it.
                      The power-train is already sold out of the 64, I have to remove it, then start dis-assembly and prep for replacing the floors.
                      There's always something new to learn.

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                      • #12
                        Years back I repowered Mom's 231 V6 '78 Buick Regal with a Buick 350, and the old exhaust was loaded like that.

                        I pulled it onto the rather steep hill beside our house with the front up and let it drain while running. Definitely sped things up.

                        If you are lacking in somewhat steep hills.....you do have a lift?

                        (This method is useful for vehicles that are tricky to bleed all the air from the brakes as well)
                        Of all the paths you take in life - make sure a few of them are dirt.

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                        • #13
                          Nice idea stiney - unfortunately this truck has a pretty long rear over hang, and a tail pipe with a 90 degree exit to the passenger side.
                          There's always something new to learn.

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                          • #14
                            I'd park diagonally and to the right on that hill then. Every little bit of resistance removed helps.

                            Of all the paths you take in life - make sure a few of them are dirt.

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                            • #15
                              ITS ALIVE!

                              NO MORE STEAM!!

                              I have only driven it about 15 miles but the steam is gone! YAHOO.

                              However - I have an intermittent miss I have to check out - I'm betting I have an arcing plug wire or perhaps a cracked plug.

                              It idles fine and runs fine at light load, but lean on it a bit like on a freeway entrance ramp and it miss-fires. Cap / rotor / wires / plugs are new but that doesn't mean I didn't crack a plug or cut a boot during install.
                              There's always something new to learn.

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