Mustang Broke. Need Answers ?
- Thread starter Sotero salsa
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The weird smelling white smoke is an almost guaranteed head gasket failure, and a sure sign that you have antifreeze getting into the combustion chamber on one or more cylinders.
Only use a compression tester with a screw in adapter for the spark plug hole. The other type leaks too much to get an accurate reading. Your local auto parts store may have a compression tester to rent. If you do mechanic work on your own car on a regular basis, it would be a good tool to add to your collection.
With the engine warmed up, remove all spark plugs and prop the throttle wide open with a plastic screwdriver handle between the throttle butterfly and the throttle housing. Crank the engine until it the gage reading stops increasing. On a cold engine, it will be hard to tell what's good & what's not. Some of the recent posts have numbers ranging from 140-170 PSI. If the compression is low, squirt some oil in the cylinder and do it again – if it comes up, the rings are worn. There should be no more than 10% difference between cylinders. Use a blow down leak test (puts compressed air inside cylinders) on cylinders that have more than 10% difference.
I generally use a big screwdriver handle stuck in the TB between the butterfly and the TB to prop the throttle open. The plastic is soft enough that it won't damage anything and won't get sucked down the intake either.
A battery charger (not the trickle type) is a good thing to have if you haven't driven the car lately or if you have any doubts about the battery's health. Connect it up while you are cranking the engine and it will help keep the starter cranking at a consistent speed from the first cylinder tested to the last cylinder.
With the engine warmed up, remove all spark plugs and prop the throttle wide open with a plastic screwdriver handle between the throttle butterfly and the throttle housing. Crank the engine until it the gage reading stops increasing. On a cold engine, it will be hard to tell what's good & what's not. Some of the recent posts have numbers ranging from 140-170 PSI. If the compression is low, squirt some oil in the cylinder and do it again – if it comes up, the rings are worn. There should be no more than 10% difference between cylinders. Use a blow down leak test (puts compressed air inside cylinders) on cylinders that have more than 10% difference.
I generally use a big screwdriver handle stuck in the TB between the butterfly and the TB to prop the throttle open. The plastic is soft enough that it won't damage anything and won't get sucked down the intake either.
A battery charger (not the trickle type) is a good thing to have if you haven't driven the car lately or if you have any doubts about the battery's health. Connect it up while you are cranking the engine and it will help keep the starter cranking at a consistent speed from the first cylinder tested to the last cylinder.
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
First do the easy things
1. with the car OFF
Check the oil- is it milky?
Remove the radiator cap- is it milkshake? Oily?
remove a few spark plugs- is the electrode and porcelain whitewashed from coolant?
2. Start the car with the radiator cap off
When the car starts to warm up grab the top radiator hose to see if it starts to heat up and you can feel the thermostat opening. If you can squish the hose with no feeling of warm water inside coming from the engine, then the thermostat is not working.
If the thermostat starts to open, do you see bubbles in the coolant? Does the car start to puke out anitfreeze? Is the coolant level very low? If so fill the radiator and check for bubbles, milkshake
Replace the radiator cap
Does the exhaust smell sweet or like coolant?
Water dripping out the exhaust
Car temp rise quickly and/or overheat?
3. Rent an exhaust gas coolant detector kit. It is a large tube with a bulb on top that goes into the radiator cap opening, You fill the tube with a blue chemical. With the car at normal operating temperature and the tube in the radiator cap opening, squeeze the bulb to draw the air from the top of the radiator through the tube, If the chemical turns green, you have exhaust gas in your coolant an a bad head gasket(s).
Sounds like you blew a head gasket and you have coolant in your oil. That can wipe out your rings and bearings in short order. Do not drive the car much if any until you diagnose the problem.
1. with the car OFF
Check the oil- is it milky?
Remove the radiator cap- is it milkshake? Oily?
remove a few spark plugs- is the electrode and porcelain whitewashed from coolant?
2. Start the car with the radiator cap off
When the car starts to warm up grab the top radiator hose to see if it starts to heat up and you can feel the thermostat opening. If you can squish the hose with no feeling of warm water inside coming from the engine, then the thermostat is not working.
If the thermostat starts to open, do you see bubbles in the coolant? Does the car start to puke out anitfreeze? Is the coolant level very low? If so fill the radiator and check for bubbles, milkshake
Replace the radiator cap
Does the exhaust smell sweet or like coolant?
Water dripping out the exhaust
Car temp rise quickly and/or overheat?
3. Rent an exhaust gas coolant detector kit. It is a large tube with a bulb on top that goes into the radiator cap opening, You fill the tube with a blue chemical. With the car at normal operating temperature and the tube in the radiator cap opening, squeeze the bulb to draw the air from the top of the radiator through the tube, If the chemical turns green, you have exhaust gas in your coolant an a bad head gasket(s).
Sounds like you blew a head gasket and you have coolant in your oil. That can wipe out your rings and bearings in short order. Do not drive the car much if any until you diagnose the problem.
Shakerhood
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
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