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#1 |
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 18
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Need some advice, my 91 got towed home last night. was in the middle of a 75 mile ride. low coolant light was flashing. stopped to get gas. popped hood, engine idling. coolant leaking from front underneath. from rear exhaust smell was so pungent, for lack of a better word, brought tears literally to my eyes. suddenly big white smoke out exhaust. temp went to 260. shut it down and had it towed to my mechanic. trustworthy guy. I like to give him any advice in advance that I can though. any advice on these symptoms would be greatly appreciated.
thanks! Mike |
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#2 |
![]() Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: ATL. GA.
Posts: 2,170
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Would have said just a hose but with the smoke and exhaust smell, Hate to say this but sounds like a head gasket. Any coolant in the oil? Do a compression check and a cooling system leak down test, check the plugs. Everything is fixable.
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Steve 1990 Steel Blue/Black #2355 1990 Red/Red #1473 1991 Quasar /Black #118 Sold 1991 Turquoise/Black #766 Parted Out 1993 Yellow/White #179 Sold 1990 Black/Gray #1361 Headers/4:10s Sold |
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#3 |
![]() ![]() Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: pittsburgh
Posts: 4,633
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Mike,
Where in PA are you?
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It's not the car, it's the people - Doug Johnson 90 r/r "KEYS ON" nick named "T.L.B" |
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#4 |
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 18
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Hi Kevin,
I'm in the Northeast corner, bordering NY & NJ. Milford to be exact... Seems my mechanic agrees We Gone, burning coolant. He's gonna diagnose. Basically said what you said above. And I guess we'll take it from there... trying to look on the bright side, what else can I upgrade while I'm in there? :-) I posted about this car a while back, unknown mods due to it coming from dealer/auction. Finally got the title sorted out... seems (seemed) way stronger that my stock 1990 ZR1 ... so I guess now we'll find out the good and the bad maybe? As you said We Gone, its all fixable, right? |
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#5 | |
![]() Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: AZ
Posts: 860
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Best of luck, Mike! |
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#6 |
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 18
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#7 |
![]() ![]() Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: pittsburgh
Posts: 4,633
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if you were closer I was going to offer to run over and lend a hand if possible. I haven't heard of many non sprayed lt5s going down but that's not to say it can't happen.
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It's not the car, it's the people - Doug Johnson 90 r/r "KEYS ON" nick named "T.L.B" |
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#8 | |
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 18
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Would it be more likely to fail if it wasn't the factory original assembly? I feel like someone has taken this apart before... I may be crazy but.... this car has some mods that I can see that were not advertised by the seller, including coil overs and C5 brakes up front. I swear the engine was painted too. its drastically different in color from my 90 and doesn't look to me like it is discoloration... I guess I wont know until I get in there but I'm assuming if the coil over conversion is a big effort and the brake upgrade isn't cheap either, is it likely that the engine was worked as well? I'm really curious to get in there! but a little intimidated... I'm no mechanic but I've done a decent amount of work on SBCs, just enough to be dangerous. is it crazy for someone with limited experience to take on this head gasket job? I mean, I've got all winter pretty much! Anyone have a ballpark on how much labor a shop might hit me up for? |
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#9 | |
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 1,648
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I would strongly advise against taking it to any kind of local repair shop. The odds of a timely and correct repair are not in your favor. 'Crabs
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TomC '90ZR1 #792 Honorary Pirate [B]If it ain't FUN, you're doing something terribly WRONG. [/B] |
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#10 | |
![]() ![]() Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Dakota/California
Posts: 3,794
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![]() I have removed the heads with engine in car but then what is left you can almost lift out by hand ![]() So I pulled what was left as you really need the engine out of car to do the timing like you want it just as Crabs suggests ![]() With engine out of car you can take your time with the heads, cams, water pump, and clutch/pressure plate. And if you like...........add headers which you can install the engine with Headers attached ![]()
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Left Clickable links ![]() -Solutions- LT5 Modifications/Rebuild Tricks Low Mileage ZR-1 Restoration 1990 Corvette (L98) Modifications LT5 Eliminated Systems LT5 Added Systems LT5/ZR-1 Fluids 1995 LT5 SPECIFIC TOP END REBUILD TRICKS Last edited by Dynomite; 10-29-2014 at 09:38 PM. |
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