What is wrong with my car?

C-Tidda · Jan 21, 2009

Im gonna try to explain this the best way I can....... I have two examples to help you guys come up with a diagnosis of my car's illness..... This weekend me and a friend of mine were racing around tha cities expressway way above the speed limit, we pull up to a gas station and smoke comes from under the hood...... So i pop it immediately and smoke is coming from the upper left side of the engine, it smells like coolant but there is no coolant leaking or anything..... The car didn't overheat at all, so I didn't understand why it was smoking.... The smoke stops about five minutes later, I fill up and head to the mall...... Example two: When I get off from work I let my car warm up before I head home..... My car gets warm like it should, but my defrost doesn't seem to work..... Last thing, my low coolant light has been coming on lately too, but there is no leak in the garage, nor in the driveway...... What is the problem?

US Soldier(stang 98) · Jan 21, 2009

it sounds like a line came off or you heater core when out. but i dont know haven't herd of that before

GDTrumbo · Jan 21, 2009

Sounds like the classic intake crack scenerio. Look down in the engine valley under the alternator/intake. The coolant will "pool" there, dries out and will never hit the ground. The crack is typically in the water crossover wall just behind the alternator. You have to look close to see it as it hides well, until it warms up.

Search the site. There is a lot of experience/jnowledge here to be found on this.

GT

MustangChris · Jan 21, 2009

#1: easy check is to see if your valve covers are leaking.

#2: easy check is to see if you have a blown fuse.

#3: GT's suggestion sounds like a great suggestion, if its not hitting the ground, its probably leaking onto the motor somewhere. - I personally suggest taking a box and smashing it, then placing it under the car overnight. The coolant will dry up, but it will stain the box, so you can try and track down the leak if it does drip down. My problem with my coolant was that it would leak, but dry up and just look like another spot on my garage floor. lol

ferrer5300 · Jan 21, 2009

I had the same problem too man I was solo running aroung whupping ricers doing donuts and then I had a slight loss of power after my donuts I went cruising some more and was runnig against a colbalt ss when I saw a cloud of smoke.I pulled over and there was no leak or drip when I got home and got some good lighting I popped the hood and did the same thing as you smelled coolant no drip no puddle my low coolant light came on on my way home so I figured why not rev it up because that was the only time I would get the smoke coming from under my hood I my girl rev it while I watched and coming from the intake manifold was coolant squirts hitting the underside of the hood and then dripping on to the block which was hot and burned it off causing the smoke.It sounds like it is a crack in your intake manifold but dont worry they are cheap to get a replacement one with the aluminum crossover and easy to change out too.Make sure you buy the one with aluminum and not the all plastic one you car probably has oterwise it will crack under pressure.By the way don't try to jb weld it or seal it I tried cuz some ghetto mechanic said it would work plus I didn't have the money to buy a new one at the time.The pressure pushes right through and past the jb weld and the crack is so thin it really can't cover it at all, it will find a way past it trust me.Be careful reving it will be hot coolant squirting out and you have to rev pretty good.