head gasket, or intake gasket, or cracked head

[anderson76]

I have a 94x with 160,000 miles on her. Within the last week or so I noticed excessive condensation coming out of the tail pipe and a steady loss of coolant from the overflow reservoir. There is no condensation coming out of the tail pipe immediately upon startup. It takes about 30 to 60 seconds before the sucker starts steaming. Other than that, the engine runs fine. No misfire, no oil burning, no overheating.

Is it possible that this could be a simple as an intake manifold gasket failure? If so, how can I test for this before I tear down the top end of this engine. I already re-tourqued the lower intake manifold about 5 months ago. Also, how prone to cracking are theses 94 heads? From what I read the seem to be stronger than the earlier heads.

Thanks.

 

[Firestorm]

Before considering either gaskets or heads, I would start checking for leaks in hoses, is there any fluid below the vehicle? Are there codes being thrown?

Most garages like to use propane to look for an intake gasket leak. Try some carbuerator cleaner around the intake to see if the engine's idle revs. If so, this could be your problem. Also, if they are bad enough, the computer will start giving lean codes.

You didn't state where you live. I assume that it has been cold there. How has your idle been?

 

[anderson76]

Before considering either gaskets or heads, I would start checking for leaks in hoses, is there any fluid below the vehicle? Are there codes being thrown?

Most garages like to use propane to look for an intake gasket leak. Try some carbuerator cleaner around the intake to see if the engine's idle revs. If so, this could be your problem. Also, if they are bad enough, the computer will start giving lean codes.

You didn't state where you live. I assume that it has been cold there. How has your idle been?

I will double check all hoses and look for vacuum leaks but I am pretty sure that coolant is being burned in the combustion chamber because of the amount of vapor and water coming out of the tail pipe.

I live in CT so it has been cold, and now that you mention it, I do recall having a sporadic idol problem during the winter. On some days, when in park or neutral the idol speed would hand around 2K. This has not happened for a while though.

Other than water coming out of the tail pipe, and loss of coolant the car runs fine. It idols well, runs well, does not overheat, does not overflow the coolant reservoir. There are no visible coolant leaks and no oil in the coolant either.

I will try and do a compression check this weekend.

 

[Feistyone]

I will double check all hoses and look for vacuum leaks but I am pretty sure that coolant is being burned in the combustion chamber because of the amount of vapor and water coming out of the tail pipe.

I live in CT so it has been cold, and now that you mention it, I do recall having a sporadic idol problem during the winter. On some days, when in park or neutral the idol speed would hand around 2K. This has not happened for a while though.

Other than water coming out of the tail pipe, and loss of coolant the car runs fine. It idols well, runs well, does not overheat, does not overflow the coolant reservoir. There are no visible coolant leaks and no oil in the coolant either.

I will try and do a compression check this weekend.

Hubbys said possible ya have a cracked head around the journal and the exaust so be sure to watch for that if you do have to tear her apart!