Timothy26

Ok Heres the problem Iam having.....I have a 1971 Cutlass....it has a 350 engine with a 4B carb(Quad).....Iam getting a rough idle....white smoke comes out the tail pipies(cold start)then it goes away....Had the Carb rebuilt and put on....changed the plugs thinkN it was that and they had a little water on them...few days later I checked the plugs and it wasnt any water on either....Iam getting water pushed out the radiator as soon as the engine is cranked...Please tell me what this may be coming from.....Only had the car two months...already got body work and painted(4grand)...and I am so fustrated....please somebody help wit suggestings

Oldsmaniac

White smoke can indicate a bad head gasket or cracked head. Compression can also leak from the cylinder with a faulty gasket or cracked head into the coolant causing rapid lifting of the pressure cap. You can remove each plug one at a time and make an adapter to pressureize each cylinder with air. You can check for bubbles in the radiator or rapid leaking of cylinder pressure to pinpoint the cylinder or head causing the problem.

TripDeuces

Water pushing out the radiator is a bad head gasket for sure

rocketraider

I agree that you most likely have a bad head gasket. Not a difficult fix, just time-consuming. Are you getting the white smoke out of both exhaust pipes?

Gorgeous car. Don't get discouraged with it.

Timothy26

@OLDSMANIAC.....There are bubbles coming to the top of the radiator when u the car is runnin....is the color of a melted chocolate milkshake(the color of the bubbles)....someone said that it could be rust where its needing to be flushed out...idk....

@ROCKETRAIDER....White smoke is coming from the driver side exhaust pipe...

The car runs almost perfect with the exception of a small miss.....Is there anything else it could be other then the gaskets????.....Could it be cause theres no thermostat on it???....Iam so hopeing that its not the gaskets....I know its not a hard job but like one of u said its extremely time cosuming.....

Bluevista

How thick is the smoke?
Does it smell sweet and feel oily or slick?
Is the coolant still the proper color and the milkshake colored bubbles are on the surface?

The smoke completely stops after it warms up?
Coolant and oil levels staying the same?
One thing may have nothing to do with the other, I would double check the choke and make sure that's working right. That smoking on one side is a concern though, how would the carb do that?
Put in a a thermostat and let it get to the proper operating temperature right away.
Don't leave the cap off when it's running for too long or it will heat up and bubble over.
Then start diagnosis as advised if needed, no big deal, it can only be a few things and anything can be fixed.
A real pain after the car is painted to work on things like that, I'm parenoid pup around my new paint.

You've already got a couple of the top guys on it, just putting in my two cents woof.

Oldsguy

I hope you get a handle on your problem soon and get it fixed. Sound like you are on the right track though. Welcome to CO.

Timothy26

@BlueVista.....yes it does come to a stop...sometimes....like today it smoked from the time it was cranked....the smoke is thin...very thin...like when a car is started in the morning on a cold day...Coolant level not staying the same...Oil levels is staying the same....I dont know why its coming from one side(driver side)...I put in a thermostat but it still doing the same thing.....

@oldsguy....Me too....kinda getting fustrated but thanks anyway...

Oldsmaniac

If you have true dual exhaust and it only smokes on one side it is most likely because that head gasket is bad or you could have a crack in that head. If you see chocolate looking bubbles in the coolant that would most likely be oil.

Timothy26

@Olsmaniac.....Thanks for your responses....I will take in consideration

silverriff

They do sell those test kits that you use to test for exhaust gases in your coolant. Sounds like it is pretty evident there is gases in there. How does your oil look on the dipstick? When I missed a bolt on my waterpump and my oil turned to milkshake, it was very noticable by just checking the dipstick. You could always try one of those headsealing additives to see if that helps. It sounds like if it is a crack or leak it's not that big.

Timothy26

@silverriff...the oil is its color....theres no milky watery type sustance on the oil stick at all....just oil.....Yeah I was thinking about using some of the additives but everybody keep telling me no to go that route....

jrsixx

Timothy, don't use additives, they're really just a band-aid at best. Pull all the driver side plugs and see if you have 1 or 2 that look different, most likely white or really clean compared to the others, those will be where the head leak is. Head gaskets never get better, sounds like you caught it early which is good, likely no major damage. If you pull it apart and don't see anything obvious in the gasket, take the head to a good machine shop and have them check it. If you're doing one, I would suggest doing both. No sense doing it all again. Make sure you flush your cooling system and change the oil after.
Jim

sx455raidercelticfan

b4 you jump and replace the head gasket make sure all intake bolds are tight and check all your hose clamps, there was a crooked machanic who used 2 have a shop next 2 my friends paint shop, he told me that he would lossen intake bolts and a hose clamp 2 make the car run ruff smoke and over heat on hot days than tell the customers they had a blown head gasket just 2 get work, the guy was a piece of **** who ended up in jail

silverriff

Well I certainly wouldn't use an additive as a long term fix, but depending on Timothy26's situation (skill level, available funds, it being a daily driver, etc.) an additive would be a fast and cheap way to possible diagnose the issue. If I were in his situation, I would not have the skill level to do it myself, or the money to have someone else do it. It would be a bandaid, but it may be a nessasary evil for the time being.

Timothy26

@jrsixx.....I did take out the spark plug on both sides.....niether of them where different then the other...and was dry....didnt have any water on either of them....the old ones I pulled out before the new one was installed did have water on them.....yeah thas what I had planned if needed be is to do both...

@sx455raidercelticfan....thas a good idea too but dont you think I should just go ahead and replace them if I do all of that???...Glad that guy went to jail....youll always lose when you try to get ova on people...everytime...

@silverriff.........See how we got some say do it and some say dont.....I am very skeptable about doing the additive....But as I know it will be a temp. fixed....I have three cars and no this car isnt a daily driver.....More like a weekend cruiser....I can afford to get the actual job done but really not wanting to pay for nothing that isnt the problem...cause as we all know know wasteing money is NEVER a option...


Thanks new friends

silverriff

I would do what both oldsmaniac and sx455 said. Make sure that everything is tight and secure ( you don't have to remove or loosen anything, just make sure everything is torqued) then pressure test each cylinder to see if you can recreate the bubble. Hell even just a compression test may alert you to a specific cylinder. Either way at least it is not your daily driver. It may be annoying especially after you already did the body work, but a least you can take your time and not jump into replacing the gasket if it doesn't need it.

Timothy26

Ok I know all yall Oldsmobile guys wont like this.........But I got a crate engine....Chevy Engine 350....Is it possible to put in in my cutlass.....And if so what would I have to do???

svnt442

Why? You are going to spend more on the engine and trans and everything to convert it then you would to just fix your existing engine.

64Rocket

You will need engine mounts and frame mounts. The wiring has to be moved to the other side with the starter. You will have to get all the pulleys and brackets for the Chubby. Also you need a chubby trans for the OLDS trans does NOT fit. Nothing off the OLDS will fit the chubby.
The factory head gaskets for the OLDS are steel shim. With them being 40 years old they rust out. All you have to do is change the head gaskets and the intake gasket. While you are that far change the timing gear set and be done.
You are going to be down for months doing a change over and losing value of the car. Also all the hate from the OLDS community.

Gene

rocketraider

Come on man.. don't live up to the Southern redneck stereotype and stick a Chevy engine in everything... Not cool. That car looks too nice to do that to.

But, your car, do what you want.

Timothy26

OK...This the deal....Iam a 26 yr old man that has no father or uncles or brothers.....trying to get this car running like it surpose to and Iam really gonna need yall help to the fullest because I never done any head work b4...but was is work that you never done except work waiting for you to get experience from...Iam gonna need step by step intructions to do it...Iam very mechanically smart so it wont be hard for me just need steps.....pics..specs....all those will be helpful also....Iam going to do away wit the thought of putting a chevy engine in my car being that I felt and knew that was a bad idea from the start even though Ive had that engine sitting for about 2 yrs and never put it in anything....Ok....I priced the job without me doing and the prices range from 300 to 400 dollars....are these good prices or would I come out better doing it myself???...If so I wanna get started soon....Ive done all the work to the car and interior and its been sitting since it came back from the paint shop...and Iam so ready to drive it...Thanks guys for looking out for the old boy I appreciate it alot!!!

MJAKS462

Your original post said you have a little white smoke coming out of one exhaust pipe . You say it runs good except for a little miss. You say oil is not milky , your radiator pukes just like all of ours do , I would drive the car and have fun and not worry about it.
Doing your own head job with no experience is going to be more headache than 300 or 400 dollars.
If your engine dies put in the crate motor in to keep it on the road while you rebuild your engine correctly. PS there is nothing wrong with a SBC.
You just wont get the money you should for your car without at least a correct year OLDS engine in it.

svnt442

Doing a head job is simple compared to what would need to be done to the car to swap out an Olds engine for a Chevy.

geckonz08

timothy,

these guys are giving the best advice they can with description provided and on line. A difficult task sometimes.
Have you a manual ?
I don`t know if I misunderstood but are you or are you not using water on a daily basis ?
It may be cheap insurance to get a check of the car visually to confirm the head/s are cracked .It may be more simple .Either way 300 -400 I would have thought is a good price .
Whole lot better than a crate engine /chevy with the added advantage these guys will be able to assist you in the future
mike

Timothy26

Iam sure it would be a simple job in comparison...thats why I have chose to just do the head work....And yes I am useing water but thas just to crank it up...Iam not driving the car at all currently...And as far as I know the heads isnt cracked and hoping and praying there not....a couple different guys around here are screaming head gasket failure...

Col Wickham

Yep... Sounds like a head gasket, drivers side. The heads are coming off so get them checked and hopefully they're fine. Should be if they ain't alloy. A couple of new head gaskets and your problems are over.If you're still getting a little whispy white smoke on start-up and it goes away then use an additive if you want. Worked in my 67 which was doing the same thing.

Oldsguy

Moved thread to engine forum.

Timothy26

Ok guys....I know I been a pain but....Ive for a 76 olds with a 455 in it for sale...Iam thinking about grabing it to go into my cutlass.....what would I have to change out to make this engine fit?????Please let me know...Dont wanna make no dummy moves...

svnt442

EDIT:
In the 71 it's simple. Remove 350. Install new motor mounts on the 455 for a 350. Install a new water pump that matches the one from the 350. Drop the 455 in the car and re-attach all the the connections and you're done.

That is over simplified, but it's the gist of it.

don71

Yep, like Randy said in his edit...use 350 engine mounts and its a bolt in.

Use or transfer the 350 water pump and pulleys as a unit/set or use the 455 water pump and pulleys as a set/unit, don't mix and match them.

Other than that, any good exhaust shop should be able to hook you up.

Timothy26

Ok...Thanks guys I look forward to doing this job so Ill keep yall posted..

dlh61olds

O.K., I have been following along and if this was my car here is what I would do.

FIRST, DO NO MORE DAMAGE .

I would shop the parts stores, Reilly, Autozone, etc. (or use the link below) for "Blue Devil"

radiator and block sealer. Don't let them sell you a "better" product.

Follow the directions exactly (no anti-freeze in system) and any thing else

that the directions indicate, DO IT RIGHT ONE TIME.

If it is a bad gasket or crack in the block or head(s) IT WILL FIX IT !!

This will get you by until you have the time and funds to take it apart.

We have used this method many times in the past with excellent results.

We did a Ford Ranger truck for a customer two years ago and he won"t let us

touch it again because it"s "FIXED".

This procedure will not damage anything and, will most likely fix your problem.

Give it a shot and let us know how it turns out. Less than $50.

Dave

https://www.gouniversalproducts.com/...FRMBbAod-g6XbA

Ddbord

Timmy......

You can do this! I'm 79 years and Blue Belle cracked an exhaust manifold on the passenger side this spring. Had to remove the exhaust manifold and, as it probably never had been removed, I broke off two bolts.. Had to weld a stub on the broken bolts, soak them with Liquid Wrenh for a day, and got them out with a pipe wrench.

Found a good junk yard manifold, got a gasket set and put it back together. Runs just fine now.

So, Tim, take the thing apart and fix it!

--Don

Timothy26

@dlh61olds.....Ive heard that doing that as bad and the best thing to save me a headache is not to put anything in to the cooling system cause it WILL mess it up bad...Is this tru or not...or just some people saying its good and some people saying its not....

@Ddbord.....Thanks for the motovation!!!!....lol

dlh61olds

You will hear all kinds of things from so called experts who are generally quoting what someone has "told" them.

I am speaking from first hand experience with the Blue Devil product and have had nothing but good results. Most mechanics and shops will bad mouth anything that does not put money in their pockets.

Contact the Blue Devil people. You will find they are honest and have very good products that can save you a lot of money. As I said in the previous post, the product works and they guarantee it to work or your money back.

Remember, there is no such thing as a mechanic in a bottle. If the symptoms are as you describe I believe you can fix your car yourself for less than one hours shop time and less than $50.

You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by giving it a try.
I am not a salesman for this company, I just know from experience that their product works. The choice is yours, I believe you will be very happy with the results.

Dave

tonycpe

Pull the head and do the job right. It should only take a day.

Timothy26

Ok first off I wanna think all you guys for your help it has been a true inspiration for me to do the work myself...Okay...Now Iam having a problem...I got my cutlass back together and now it will NOT crank....Its getting gas and its getting power but not cranking...just continue to turn over..turn over and turn over.....I am totally in a lost state and feel lick giveing up....Please somebody let me know something....

442much

Could be something as minor as timing or ignition, but I'll let the experienced guys guide you. good luck.

Timothy26

Thanks for the comment....How do you count the distributor cap to the spark plus...How do you know which number goes where???