LUVTruck.com

Noticed today i was smokin a little on highway and I was praying I didn't blow a head gasket. Checked antifeeze and it was low. Also smelled antifreeze when I stepped out of the car. Filled radiator back up and drOve home and it ran great. Got home and got out and smelled antifreeze, it was burning it i saw the smoke coming off the engine, smoke coming frOm somewhere under spark plugs. I am thinkin soft plug??? Thoughts??

Could easily be a heater hose. Does your engine have an oil cooler? (Sorry, not familiar with the ones that have "spark plugs"). On the diesels, there's an oil cooler that has coolant going to/from it. There's also a little "bypass hose" that's just about hidden if you have a/c.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com

I would try running the truck and let it warm up. Have the hood up, and look for leaks. If you loosing that much water, you should be able to spot the leak. Maybe look under the truck (wearing eye protection) with a flashlight. You may be abel to spot it that way.

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1980 Luv 4x4 with a 5 speed tranny.



"When all else fails, follow the directions".

if you saw it smoking, i would almost guarantee that you have already blown that head gasket.

pull the plugs and see if they are white. if they are, you could definitely be burning coolant. i had the same issue when i first got my truck.


let us know what you find out...

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

While you have the plugs out, do a compression check. Bad adjacent cylinders are almost always the head gasket. Also, check the oil. High and looking like chocolate milk? Order a head gasket set.

Just pulled spark plug. It does look a look white and its crusty/corroded. Oil looks fine.

here are pics of the plug i pulled

also my defroster is still blowing hot air

what happened to spark 4?

look around the cylinder head and see if you can find any evidence of seepage between the block and the head.

kind of like this...



If nothing is found, you might be leaking into the cab. pull the vinyl mat (if you still have the original floor mat) and see if you can find any evidence of coolant leakage into the cab.

also, your radiator cap may be faulty. use a coke bottle or some other such "coolant recovery tank" and make sure the hose fits into it snugly. (i used a 20 oz coke bottle with a hole in the cap and the hose from the radiator overflow pushed through it snugly.)

leave it empty, and drive. if it fills up, your radiator cap may be faulty...

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

head gasket is leaking right in the middle behind where the head bolts up. looks like I have some work to do. I took it for a spin to warm it up and heater and is still working. Would I be ok to drive it to work (10 min) until I get the time this weekend to tear into it? or will the coolant foul out my plugs (although they have not fouled yet)

you'll be ok just keep an eye on the coolant level, and don't drive for extended periods of time.

take a look at this thread for some pointers and info.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20873&start=0&hilit=head+gasket+leak%3F

and this one....

Warning, VERY photo heavy!
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=23690&hilit=head+gasket+leak%3F


very important! if you have alot of miles on the truck you may also consider changing the timing chain while you have the cylinder head off.

just my .02.

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

Is there anything I can buy that may seal the head gasket for the time being? I drove it to work today and it is only smoking on highway and it is running at normal operating temperature

Thanks fig, I'm going to check my coolant before I drive every time until I replace the head gasket. The most I'm going to be driving is 10 to 15 min max to work. I will replace the timing chain while I'm in there and thank u for those threads, they will be very useful

Has anyone used thermagasket or k &w block sealer? I have read mixed reviews but I think thus stuff is worth a shot

personally, i dont like to use block sealers/cooling stop leaks due to the fact that they tend to plug and build up in places they shouldn't.

some one mentioned ceramic block sealer, but given the lack of availability of radiators for the LUV, i would highly advise against it.

if you must, run some, but then flush the cooling system once the leak is fixed.

i've opened up engines that have had that gunk run through them and it makes cleanup a nightmare. (then again, ive turned into more of a perfectionist since coming here to the forum...)

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

I wouldn't drive it for long. I did, and not long after my truck was labeled a "gross polluter" and would not pass smog.
Water in your cylinders has all sorts of ill effects. Would you rather do a head gasket now, or wait a while and do a complete rebuild?

just found out today that little red has a blown head gasket. only took about 5 minutes and it was sprayn out the side. very weird because its been sitting all winter with well mixed anti freeze. any advice/ pictures would be appreciated

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Juice

This two threads are the best ones i've seen. i wonder who put them up........?

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

Haha, I wonder?? Reading through this I wanted to scream, "DON'T DRIVE IT!!" I had to replace ALOT more because I kept driving it even after it was blowing smoke. And definitely replace the timing components while your in there. My timing chain broke about 100 miles after the rebuild and ruined the engine. Bad trip.......

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My Rides:

2002 Mazda B4000 4x4
1978 Chevy LUV - Sold
1990 Kawasaki EX500
2008 Yamaha TTR230