Chrysler Repair: white smoke, cylinder head bolts, blown head gasket


Question
got in my 1997 plymoth minivan engin size is 6 cylynder 3.3 and drove about 10 min and the oil light came on and white smoke pored out of the exaust pipe and it started to chug got it back home and the engin colent was gone, did the engine blow? and all fluid levels were good a few days ago when i checked.

Answer
Hi Jason,
The white smoke is a classic sign of a blown head gasket. You can tell which side by removing the plugs from the front bank, after things cool off, then have a helper try the starter to see if water shoots out the plug holes. If not, and the plugs looked dry, then the likely leak is on the back bank. You might try a dose of Bar's Leak head gasket sealer as a cheap but possibly temporary fix. Otherwise, back off the torque on the cylinder head bolts on attected side (counterclockwise) to about 60  foot-pounds, then retighten to 65, and then give each an additional 1/4 turn (clockwise pattern). That is another way to possibly stop the leak. Otherwise the head has to be removed and the gasket replaced.
Roland
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