Doomstein

I was driving to the hardware store in my 1990 GT and noticed a noise that sounded like a hose spraying water. I thought I had just been passing a lot with a sprinkler system but then my car started overheating, shaking, and a loud banging noise was coming out of my engine.

The smell of coolant filled my car and I pulled over to see what was wrong with it. Smoke was billowing out of the valve cover area. I was pissed. I waited for the tow truck, and tried to crank it a few times, but wouldn't turn over. I tried once more and it did start but shook badly and I decided to call it quits for the day. After the tow truck guy got there he tried to turn it over and BOOM, it not only turned but sounded perfect. He just drove it onto the back of the truck and dropped it off here at home.

So I'm going to see if there's any oil in the coolant and vice versa but in the meantime, any suggestions or ideas what it could be?

1BIGMOFO

First things first... Take a good look at it and find out where its coming from.

Doomstein

Just ran it and kept it going at 2k rpm. White smoke is coming from the passenger side valve cover. And there's a light ticking coming from the back head area where the cover looka oily and scorched.

1BIGMOFO

Could be a head casket. I wouldnt keep running it until you can take it apart and check to be sure. Dont risk doing any more damage by running it.

aode08

I thought they put your whole body in a casket, times are tough





get a compression gauge ($10-20) see what cylinders took the fall, do both gaskets, perhaps you wanna upgrade to the GT-40 setup

92tealcp

Pull the valve cover and look at the inside. Brown milky oil? If not find a pressure tester for the radiator, pump it up and see if you see fluid, if not then start the car while under pressure and see if you can find the leak. If it is a head gasket the pressure will rise very fast on the guage.

Doomstein

I gave up and took it to a shop. Know what it was? Two bad freeze plugs!! I forgot to check the freeze plugs!! ARRRRGH!!!!!!

Well, for $150 they changed them all out and did a block/pressure test to make sure the head gasket was OK and sent me on my way.

67mustang302

At least it was nothing big.