QuestionQUESTION: I have a 01 T&C - 3.3 2WD, Started running very rough 2 days ago, white smoke/steam from tail pipe, now has chocolate milk type oil. i have tried flushing cooling system, adding blue devil additive, spark plug change, oil change. I am trying to figure out if my problem is a gasket or a cracked head, or something else. My question i guess is, how do i tell witch it is. I will say when i replaced the spark plugs, the front middle plug was very chard, fouled up, does that indicate where my problem may be.... don't have much money or knowledge about inside engines. with some direction i know i could do it. just scared to go in that deep blind.
Thanks in advance for the help.
ANSWER: Hi Mike,
The symptoms are signs of water getting into the combustion chamber(s). Probably a head gasket leak on the front side unless the engine was badly overheated such as to produce a crack. So you need to have a manual/pages on how to remove and replace the head gasket, and while there look for and sign of a crack in the head. I can probably xerox and mail you the pages for 10 cents a side plus postage if you want it. Let me know a postal mailing address and I'll look into how many pages would need to be copied and let you know.
Roland
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QUESTION: Thanks for the prompt response! It did over heat more than a week ago, it all started with a leak in the radiator, which has since been fixed. the white smoke only started 2 days ago. also worth mentioning that when i replace the plugs, the front side right plug, when i blew into the end of it, water blew back in my face. didnt notice the milky oil until the day after i noticed the rough running and whit smoke. I would love direction on how to do it. address is 17 Elbow beach lane williamsburg , VA. 23185. i don't have paypal or anything, how would i get you your money? i could mail you it.
Thanks again
ANSWER: Hi Mike,
It appears there would be about 23 pages, so after you receive them you could simply mail back $3 (or seven 44-cent stamps) to the address shown on the envelope. Unless you don't want me to go ahead I will do it tomorrow and mail then in the afternoon.
No need to respond unless you don't want me to do that.
An alternative would be to buy a Haynes minivan repair manual which is quite good (I believe there is one for 2000-on).
Roland
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QUESTION: Thanks for the info, will be mailing you soon! I have done the job, I replaced the front Head, head gasket, head bolts and upper and lower intake manifold gaskets. Running better but missing on cyl 4 per autozone computer read. did compression test on front 3, 2-4-6. 2=110 4=80 6=110.
looks like there is spark from 4 @coil pack, at end of wire, and spark plug. I removed wire from coil, arced to coil bolt, connected wire and placed enging side boot to the hood latch, it sparked, installed plug into boot and placed by hood latch, sparked. i dont know what else to check or do. ANY SUGGESTIONS? I drained all oil out for 18 hours, oil is clear as from the bottle. no water visible in oil, ran engine with plug removed to get rid of any water on cyl head. what else can i do? it my only vehicle and i need it to work, lost nearly 800 in wages cause no way to work, spent close to 500 trying to fix this. when i removed the old head there has definite pitting/wear at the head of cylder 4. and valve seemed stuck open..... if there is anything else i can tell you pleases let me know.
AnswerHi Mike,
It could be that one of the valves on that cylinder is leaky or maybe hanging up in its 'action', or the rings on that cylinder may be worn, or some other sort of detailed degradation in the mechanics of the piston/cylinder/valves. 80 psi is a bit below the spec (100 minimum) but my inclination would be to drive it for a while and see if it might improve now that you have cleared out the gasket leak problem. It would have been good when you had it apart to have a 'valve job' done on the cylinder head at an engine shop, but this is 20/20 hindsight. If it drives acceptably and hasn't lost much if any fuel economy compared to before this all started, then I would just drive on and deal with it down line when your energy/money/time situation improves. I don't believe there is any harm in following that course. Unless the cylinder drops out completely or you get valve noises I would just go from here to drive it.
I am pleased that you were able to get the head gasket replaced and it put back together again.
Roland
