I know whats coming...

[cdfw]

My 94 3ltr surf has just started blowing white smoke on start up.. I've read all the threads and it all sounds familier..
Basically all was fine with the surf untill the family and I spent a month in New Zealand (Surf sitting in an airport car park) We got back about a month ago.. But on first start up loads of white smoke, which went after driving for 2minutes.. I put this down to being stood and condensation in the exhaust.. It even sailed through an mot two weeks ago.
Over the past month there has been some white smoke in the mornings but wasn't much untill this past week. The thing that scares me is the smell. I thought first of all it was a burst pipe in the engine bay as there was that familier smell of hot coolant or coolant hitting an exhaust( a bit like burnt celary) Looked in the engine bay and no obvious leaks but the expansion tank was very low, about 1.5 ltrs. After I topped up the level the white smoke seems worst.... The temp gauge hasn't changed at all.. Oh yes I've just checked to see if there are in bubbles in the expansion tank and there are.
So what are the chances that It will only be the gasket.. I've only done about 200 miles in the past month since the symtoms first appeared...
I'm sure you experienced guys on here are sick off this topic, but any advice would be much appreciated.. I love my surf but if its going to be £1000+ish for a new head I don't know what I'm going to do..

[TonyN]

you'll never know without taking the head off, so you need to go at least that far.

Look at it this way, its worthless with busted head/gasket, and you'll need another car anyway if you get shot of.

£1000 won't buy you much of a newer 4x4, so if you have a sound truck aart from this problem, fix yours and get smiling again.

[darkdezigns]

you'll never know without taking the head off, so you need to go at least that far.

Look at it this way, its worthless with busted head/gasket, and you'll need another car anyway if you get shot of.

£1000 won't buy you much of a newer 4x4, so if you have a sound truck aart from this problem, fix yours and get smiling again.

exactly the reasoning behind fixing mine

[cdfw]

Thanks for that Tony..I love the surf and will get it fixed but these things always come at a bad time.. Paying bills , christmas, debts and the list goes on.. Guess I've just got to bite the bullet and get it sorted.. It's just a bit of a shock when it first dawns on you the cost.. Guess the only way to view it is the kids are healthy and its only money....Funny thing is that Clarkson and friends can do everything imaginable to it and it keeps going.. I on the other hand love it, service it, care for it and it's a right off in a puff of white smoke..

[si tate]

$hit happens mate, a friend of mine had the same symptoms & same year surf, he looked after his in the same way as you.

It did turn out to be the head gasket but he got it fixed & its running like a dream now.

Like you said though, it always comes at the wrong time.

[Bonniebanks]

Interesting Read....

Since the temperature in Scotland has went into the -2 and below, my Surf has started producing a lot of white smoke on start up, after about 5 minutes,when the engine is warm the exhaust is clear again

Checked for leaks and had a look in engine bay with no obvious signs of any problems

Should I be worried ???

[TonyN]

not if its not losing water.

[Bonniebanks]

not if its not losing water.

I'll have a look in the morning at the water....Haven't noticed any changes in the gauges

[yoshie]

Interesting Read....

Since the temperature in Scotland has went into the -2 and below, my Surf has started producing a lot of white smoke on start up, after about 5 minutes,when the engine is warm the exhaust is clear again

Checked for leaks and had a look in engine bay with no obvious signs of any problems

Should I be worried ???

As it burns all the frozen moisture maybe. Do as Tony says check and monitor the water over a week, no lose, no issue.

[Bonniebanks]

I've been told its unburnt fuel from Bio diesel that causes the white smoke as it goes clear when the engine is warm

[cdfw]

the plot thickens...

Well I'd resigned myself to the fact I'd need a new head for the surf (and got a reasonable qoute from rough trax) I took it over to my bloke Ray, nice old bloke, and exlained the situation and what I thought it was.. He then got some tube/pipe thing out of a drawer.. and did a block test to show if exhaust gases were in the coolant ( the one were the liquid changes colour) and nothing happened.. I'm still getting white smoke on start up but it seems to be clearing sooner. If there are no gases showing in the coolant does that mean its not the head or gasket.. If not what else could it be??

[cdfw]

I've just had an epiphany (no thats not like a hernia) My surf has all the symptoms of a cracked head... White smoke, Bubbles in expansion tank, Hot coolant smell but when tested for exhaust gases in coolant non to be found????
Am I right that the turbo is water cooled if so could the water be getting into the cylinders that way and vice versa bubbles/pressure in the expansion tank.. Also, if this is a possible cause, is it a simple seal/gasket replacement or is it an even more expensive job to rectify ie. new turbo???
You Guys on here are fountains of knowledge.. Please start flowing before I go mad, order a new head or go bankrupt and delusional..
Regards Chris.

[TonyN]

never had a turbo do that yet, they more wear from the oil fed bearing and cause blue smoke, but would be whitish, its doesn't go away though, and will smoke al the time.

Are you actually losing water from the rad (ignore the expansion tank, its goes up and down)

Did they test the engine cold? I've often found you need to have the tester on the motor for 10mins or so, and with it properly warmed up, to let the crack expand enough to open and leak, its often a small hairline crack then will actually seal itself shut when the engine is cold.

[cdfw]

Well I drove it to the garage,say 5mins. He wasn't there, so stood waiting for say 10mins. then we ran it for between 5 and 10 mins, then put the tester on for another 10 mins and no change of colour.... I'll run it for a good while and take it back again tomorrow... (If it's going to give the same result i'd do it all week).
Regarding water loss.. When I first noticed the low level it was only in the expansion tank, the main rad was fine.. since topping it up I've only done 10 miles so not sure if losing any serious amount..
One further point.. When the engine was warming up before the test, the rad cap was off and it wasn't spurting all over more like a vibrating ripple...( The bubbles where in the expansion tank..
I may be I'm grasping at straws, and deep down I still think its the head. (If it looks like s**t, smells like *hi* and tastes like s*i*, it usually is shi*) But it all seems a bit odd so far.. Maybe my surf is the first to develope a new common fault.. Doubt it though.. I never win anything... As that character said on the 'Fast Show'.. "Oh Bugger"..

[cdfw]

Sorry Tony.. I forgot to say thankyou for your imput.. Thankyou..