Posting this just to get a "Head" start.

[Levitan]

I have searched the term head in repair and I now come to our repair professionals for advice.

This '89 auto LX from a different thread is smoking like a sonofagun. Looked down at the spark plug wires and one of the ends was limp as a noodle so I'm in the middle of a quick tune-up. I'm not good at determining what color of smoke it was, but I would call it white or light gray. I was thinking unburned fuel

But, prior to this, I did the old Seafoam in the pcv valve, crankcase, and fuel tank. With the car idle high, I noticed that there was "exhaust-like thump thump" of air coming out of the top of the valve cover where I removed the pcv valve. Is this a pretty good sign that the head gasket is shot?

Thanks in avance!

[KingFish]

Blow-by like that means shot rings as far as I know. Gas pushes past the worn rings into the crank case and out the V/C. I had a old Probe so worn, it would wistle and drop idle when I took the filler cap off.

I have had good luck with stuff called Restore. YOu add it to your oil and it is suppposed to fill the gaps in the walls to help bring you commpression back up. Oh, yea. You can do a easy commpression test to verify it's your rings. After you do a 'dry' test as ussual, squirt a couple of shots of oil into the spark plug hole to artificialy seal those rings and run your test again. If you see a nice increase in pressure, you can assume its your rings.

[Levitan]

Thanks Reuben, I will follow your advice.

If the rings are shot, will a '91 efi motor plug and play into an '89 efi or does an '89efi only work in an '89efi since it is the oddball?

[KingFish]

I'd say they all should work. I don't remember any diff in any of the motors, even the late EFI's had the casting for the mech fuel pump. But had a block off plate.

[FB71]

the only difference should be the distributor.

[Levitan]

I just did a compression test.
My results are as follows:

#1 - 125
#2 - 137
#3 - 141
#4 - 130

The manual says this is within specs.

Update:
I started Levistiva and I know she is in tip top shape. When she was started, she did the same thing at the valve cover/pcv opening, so I think my original assumption was incorrect....which is good.

It runs very well, idles perfectly, just smokes. I have replaced, cap, rotor, wires, plugs, pcv valve, vc gasket, and air filter. I'm going to run it up to the car wash and wash the engine bay because it is a oily mess. Maybe I am just getting residual Seafoam action happening, but it was smoking before I did that.

I will return, let it cool down and do an oil change.

Any other input would be awesome.

[Ogrekhan]

Hey,

This might sound silly but check to see if theres pressure in the radiator when the car is cold. Also give the exhaust a sniff for burnt antifreeze smell and check plugs to see if any look way too shiny. I just did a head gasket on a 2.5 chevy 4cyl that acted a bit like this. It cleaned the heck out of 1 cylinder hehe.

[Levitan]

The plugs were very, very dirty with chunks of carbon. I'm guessing it had not been given a tuneup in this century.

BTW, Jeremy, Craigslist has a Festy for sale for cheap in your neck of the woods.

[jglutz]

I'm not so sure the engine internals are a problem.

If the plugs are dry black....fuel mixture or ignition problem.
If the plugs are sludgey black oil from the rings.

the compression test isn't bad for a cold engine...the numbers could be better if the engine is hot...hope you had the intake forced open.

Complete the tune up.

[Levitan]

I'm not so sure the engine internals are a problem.

If the plugs are dry black....fuel mixture or ignition problem.
If the plugs are sludgey black oil from the rings.

the compression test isn't bad for a cold engine...the numbers could be better if the engine is hot...hope you had the intake forced open.

Complete the tune up.

I did not have the intake forced open. I just unplugged the plug from the vaf and removed the coil wire. What damage have I done?

I took the car to a professional mechanic/friend who I trust 100% and he said the rings are shot.

[hotfordcat]

Dan,
I'm not really sure about the rings. If they were shot, you wouldn't have the compression you indicated.
Rules of Thumb:
Black smoke= Fuel
Blue = Oil
White = water or antifreeze
Grey = Old Fart LOL

What year Dodge for the wiring diagram Dan?

[festivaWES]

valve guides....your rings are fine with numbers like that. Proping the intake open only makes it easier for the compression test. Not neccisarily required though.

P.S. i don't have a wiring scematic for a dodge truck

[lessersivad]

Thanks Reuben, I will follow your advice.

If the rings are shot, will a '91 efi motor plug and play into an '89 efi or does an '89efi only work in an '89efi since it is the oddball?

I just did a swap in my '89 EFI with an unknown year Aspire engine that had been sitting for who knows how long. I swapped the intake and distributor and everything works fine.

[FB71]

Ok Dan, you've gotten some very good info so far, let me see if I can put together some of the pieces for you.

You describe the smoke as gray/white. As hotfordcat posted, that could be either coolant (white) or oil (blue/gray). Joe pointed out that wet, sticky deposits on the plugs could be rings. More likely, however, is intake valve stem seals. You said the plugs were crusty, but didn't specify wet or dry deposits.

The compression numbers you posted were a bit low for my taste, but you did say you did NOT have the throttle blocked open. You didn't hurt anything, but the readings aren't as accurate as they could be with the throttle closed. I suggest doing the compression test again, with the throttle blocked open, a battery charger hooked up (cranking speed is very important), and the fuel injectors disconnected (so they don't cycle, and allow fuel to wash down the cylinder wall). I would expect all the cylinders to be around or above 150psi.

Now, that's only part of the story. You need to do a cylinder leakage test. No offense to your mechanic buddy, but if he didn't do a cylinder leakage test, he can't know if the rings are bad. A cylinder leakage test will identify if you have a loss cylinder pressure, and if so, where (rings, headgasket, intake or exhaust valves.)

Also, you should have a cooling system pressure test done to see if you have any internal coolant leaks (headgasket, throttle body gasket).

The big question; are you loosing any oil or coolant?

[festivaWES]

I think the initial plume of smoke you are seeing if the effects of the sea-foam. Change oil, let it idle. See if problem has changed or remained the same. I'm still sticking with the valve seals like i mentioned before.

I'f it were me I'd do a top-end rebuild, mill down the head .010 or whenever it is flat, and install a new headgasket. By doing this you will probably cure your problems and bump the compression numbers higher.