G
Guest
·My elderly yet vigorous Cressida needs some help. Mostly she needs me to
stop driving her as though she was new, but that is not going to happen.
The issue is: after recklessly bobbing and weaving down the highways in
speeds in excess of 85 mph for over an hour she'll smoke, lightly, for
about 10 minutes or so afterwards. The smokes is oily smelling and
'seems' to be coming from the area where the exhaust pipe meets the engine.
If I drive the same route at a more sedate pace the after-smoke doesn't
happen. In any event the temperature gauger stays steady at the
midpoint. No, that not quite right, it is sometimes slightly elevated.
[As I reread this, am I answering my own questions? No. 'Damn it Jim,
I'm a doctor not a veterinarian!']
Have I been "burning out the gunk" (obscure Bill Cosby stand up
reference) or is this something more serious? Note that the car has been
well cared for. Regular dino changes and some Lucas oil last year, plus
a long service record I shant bore you with. My mechanics, whom I'll be
seeing in two days, hold the old lady in high esteem.
Another minor problem. The heat, regardless of engine temp' does not
blow hot unless traveling at speed. In other words, it blows cool air
while idling. I replaced the thermostat a few years ago. As my coolant
seems to evaporate, albeit slowly, could I need a new head gasket?
[There are no stains on the driveway.]
It has been suggested that if the head gasket is rotten some coolant
could escape (and burn and smoke, perhaps answering the 1st problem -
to that point, does burning coolant have and oily smell?).
This could explain the intermittent heat by way of low coolant
circulating with air spaces (and would imply I'm not keeping as keen an
eye on the level as I'd thought).
Thanks for reading this somewhat rambling post,
Mark
http://www.caddproductivity.com/home.htm
stop driving her as though she was new, but that is not going to happen.
The issue is: after recklessly bobbing and weaving down the highways in
speeds in excess of 85 mph for over an hour she'll smoke, lightly, for
about 10 minutes or so afterwards. The smokes is oily smelling and
'seems' to be coming from the area where the exhaust pipe meets the engine.
If I drive the same route at a more sedate pace the after-smoke doesn't
happen. In any event the temperature gauger stays steady at the
midpoint. No, that not quite right, it is sometimes slightly elevated.
[As I reread this, am I answering my own questions? No. 'Damn it Jim,
I'm a doctor not a veterinarian!']
Have I been "burning out the gunk" (obscure Bill Cosby stand up
reference) or is this something more serious? Note that the car has been
well cared for. Regular dino changes and some Lucas oil last year, plus
a long service record I shant bore you with. My mechanics, whom I'll be
seeing in two days, hold the old lady in high esteem.
Another minor problem. The heat, regardless of engine temp' does not
blow hot unless traveling at speed. In other words, it blows cool air
while idling. I replaced the thermostat a few years ago. As my coolant
seems to evaporate, albeit slowly, could I need a new head gasket?
[There are no stains on the driveway.]
It has been suggested that if the head gasket is rotten some coolant
could escape (and burn and smoke, perhaps answering the 1st problem -
to that point, does burning coolant have and oily smell?).
This could explain the intermittent heat by way of low coolant
circulating with air spaces (and would imply I'm not keeping as keen an
eye on the level as I'd thought).
Thanks for reading this somewhat rambling post,
Mark
http://www.caddproductivity.com/home.htm