Blown Head Gasket or bad distributor cap?

So my car is missing, I smell fuel, and there is white smoke coming out
when I rev the engine? Any thoughts? Is replacing the head gasket easy
for a novice mechanic with the right tools?? My buddy's brother would
be doing the job, not me.

PrescottChargersFan wrote:
> So my car is missing, I smell fuel, and there is white smoke coming
> out when I rev the engine? Any thoughts? Is replacing the head gasket
> easy for a novice mechanic with the right tools?? My buddy's brother
> would be doing the job, not me.

Before going in to replace a head gasket, I suggest you find out what
the problem is. White smoke is an indication of water. Could be a head
gasket and coolant (water) could be getting where it does not belong. This
one can quickly become very expensive and call for an engine rebuild.

Smelling fuel is a different issue and makes me think you have two not
one problem.

I suggest more research into the problem before you worry about how to
fix it.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

"Joseph Meehan" > wrote

> White smoke is an indication of water. Could be a head gasket and coolant
> (water) could be getting where it does not belong. This one can quickly
> become very expensive and call for an engine rebuild.

This happened to a Rabbit of mine a few years back. The engine was
COMPLETELY destroyed as when I pulled the head all the cylinders were rust
frozen because I procrastinated repairing it and let it sit for a little
while. The metal in the cylinders lacking oil but with water WILL rust just
about instantly.
Had I realized this at the first time of trouble I would have pulled the
head immediately or at least lubed it through the spark plug holes until I
fixed it.

The rust was so deep in the cylinders that the engine had to be discarded.

Harry

"PrescottChargersFan" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> So my car is missing, I smell fuel, and there is white smoke coming out
> when I rev the engine? Any thoughts? Is replacing the head gasket easy
> for a novice mechanic with the right tools?? My buddy's brother would
> be doing the job, not me.
>

Guessing this is a VW of some year with a VW engine. This will narrow down
the advice some.

Check the oil for whitish discoloration, let us know either way if or if not
discolored. Flush the entire cooling system and put new ethylene glycol.
Do a compression check. What do the plugs and cap/rotor look like? If it
only smokes when first started, and maybe a minute or so, maybe the valve
guide seals. Does the engine run differently with the computer disconnected
(mechanical injection with computer assisted firing)?

Fuel smell means the fuel is evaporating someplace. Indicating a leak to
the atmosphere.
--
Jonny

Replacing a head gasket is not a task for a novice. If that is really what
is needed, make sure whoever does it knows what they are doing. Incorrectly
torqued head bolts can cost you an engine.

Mechanic told me it was a dirty electricl plug and so he cleaned it and
re-installed it and now my car is running like a champ again! At no
charge too BTW!!


Papa wrote:
> Replacing a head gasket is not a task for a novice. If that is really what
> is needed, make sure whoever does it knows what they are doing. Incorrectly
> torqued head bolts can cost you an engine.

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, PrescottChargersFan wrote:

>Mechanic told me it was a dirty electricl plug and so he cleaned it and
>re-installed it and now my car is running like a champ again! At no
>charge too BTW!!

I am curious what plug, and speaking of plug, you might name the
shop.

You were lucky you had an honest mechanic. For your own future financial
protection, it would be wise to make yourself informed about automotive
technical matters.