Coolant Loss, white exhaust @ start, but no overheating. Head gasket?

Hello, as the title states I would like to get some feedback on what ya'll think might be going on with my Tacoma. It is a '97 Tacoma 3.4L with just about 200,000 miles.

For the past couple years, I have had to periodically add coolant but it really has never overheated or anything as I seem to catch the coolant drops in time. About a month ago, I started to notice an excessive amount of white exhaust when starting it up every morning (after sitting throughout the night). The exhaust lasts about 5 minutes if just sitting there, or for a minute if I start driving right away (mainly coming out when pressing the accelerator). During this time, I have also found that the coolant levels have dropped quicker...but the engine has still not run hot or overheated at all.

First inclination is that my gaskets could be leaking, and after looking back at previous threads here it seems like that is likely. My question to you guys and gals is, is it possible that it is not the gasket b/c there is no overheating? Maybe the coolant is leaking elsewhere, and the white exhaust is built up condensation?? The exhaust does have that heavy exhaust smell...but I don't really get a "sweet" smell as though it is burning coolant (I could be mis-interpreting that part though).

My old co-worker, who is a mechanic at a Subaru shop, shares the opinion of it being the early signs of a head gasket problem. Believes the exhaust only burns the coolant that has seeped through overnight when the engine is cold...then after the engine heats up it expands keeping everything in place. That all sounds very likely, but I thought I would ask to see if anyone here has a second opinion. He also has a friend from his mechanic school that has offered to do the head gasket job for $1,600 (including parts, labor, and the machining at the machine shop)...does that sound like an ok deal if I need to go that route? I cannot take on a job like that myself as I am not confident in doing it properly.

Thank you to anyone in advance.

 

Have you done a compression test? That should help you tell if you have low compression on two adjacent cylinders.

If your engine oil is milky, that's another sign.

If you haven't overheated, you probably wouldn't need to machine the head. That's typically only if it gets too hot and warps

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

 

I have not done a compression test...I will see about doing that before committing to the head gasket job.

And no, I changed the engine oil a few weeks ago and didn't notice it being milky.

Thanks for the reply.

 

I had similar symptoms before I blew a headgasket. It sounds like a leaky headgasket to me. I would go ahead and do a compression or coolant test before you blow it completely.

 

Thanks for the input...sounds like a compression test is my next step.

 

If you are noticing coolant diminishing and dont have any leaks around the engine its most likely a coolant leak somewhere into the combustion chamber which means gasket. As long as the oil isn't milky which you said it isn't its probably the head gasket. They also make a test where you hook this bottle of stuff to the radiator cap location and run the engine if it turns colors it means you have exhaust fumes in your coolant which means the head gasket isnt sealing somewhere. Compression test would then show which cylinder(s) are bad.

I had both gaskets go out on my LT1 Camaro and it had the same things happening. Would slowly eat coolant, exhaust was "Steamy" looking. Smell your exhaust when its hazy and see if it smells like coolant.

Whatever you do DO NOT dump in that copper head gasket sealer you can buy at the store. If you do kiss your heater core goodbye. It will seal up a cracked/broken gasket but will also gum up everything else. I did this on my camaro and the heater never worked as intended afterwards because it got blocked up with the copper sealer.

 

does it run a little rough or off until the smoke clears?

 

before you start her in the morning take the radiator cap off, then start her and see if any bubbles show up in the neck of the radiator. There is a combustion gas analyzer that can be put on the radiator to test for this. If she is a 4 cyl it might be a cracked head... that is not that uncommon on these.

 

Cool maybe I will try that test bottle...and will make sure to stay away from that copper sealer.

Yes it runs a little rougher than normal while that white exhaust is coming out.

I saw something about this in a video...I can try but my truck is a V6 so I hear it is harder to tell with this method.

 

We (might) share the same problem, Luke - and I see you are a fellow Californian as well.

$1600 for parts, labor and the machining your friend is offering sounds like a great deal for the west coast. I am hearing $2000 + down here in Orange County.

 

That is another symptom that it could be burning coolant

 

Sorry to hear you're probably in the same boat...good luck with your fix! And yeah...it seems like his offer is on the lower end of what others charge around here.

So most signs seem to point towards the head gasket then. I will still see about doing the bottle test AStinkyBumb suggested...or hopefully at least a compression test. Would you suggest I have the mechanic do the water pump, thermostat, and timing belts while he has everything apart?

 

This is something like what I used on my Camaro when it blew the head gaskets:

$34 Lisle 75500 Combustion Leak Detector

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-75500-Combustion-Leak-Detector/dp/B0007ZDRUI

The liquid changes color when exhaust gasses are in the coolant. Before I was mechanically inclined I was charged 1600 for parts and labor to replace both head gaskets on my camaro which required dropping the entire engine and cradle out the bottom of the car to dismantle the engine. 1600 is a pretty decent price if the engine is coming out.

I have never replaced the water pump on a tacoma but from the read here it sounds like it can be done fairly easily while the engine is still in the truck. If your mechanic is already dropping/ taking the heads off it means the belt is coming off ask what it would cost to get the water pump thrown in as well since you are around 200k miles it would be cheap insurance to replace it while the engine is already apart. Would probably add 1 hour of time to the labor since the heads will already be off and everything.

Thermostat as well would probably be cheep insurance and a refresh after 200k.

 

My 92 pick up did this for a year, then finallly started to overheat. Thankfully we caught it before it did any real damage. Bad head gasket and timing chain guides. OP I wouldnt wait on this one.
Edit: Check the dipstick. Mine had a milky white goo right on the top by the handle that was a pretty good indicator.

 

I just got done dropping 2500 on a head gasket replacement in my 2.7. They did some other headwork other than replacing the gasket which is why the cost is a bit higher. Basically, truck began to run like crap, started blowing out white 'smoke' (vapor) - BTW 230,000 mile at the time... I guess I'm lucky the head was still serviceable, no cracks, etc. - Cost would have run 1 grand more had that been the case. - OP, Good luck with your repair

 

Damn. Soooo my 2.7 also eats up coolant but has never overheard. I don’t have the smoke or the milky oil. I JUST did the head gasket in January. Is there another reason this might happen other than I knicked the job somehow?

 

check head for warpage

 

Crap. But wouldn’t that show symptoms like the bad oil or oily coolant even faster than a leaking gasket? I got neither

 

Milky oil means that the coolant is making its way into the oil. This would happen if a coolant line cracks into the bottom end or it leaks into the combustion chamber and leaks past the rings. If the rings are still good it should keep the coolant on top of the piston which then gets sent out the exhaust thus making it run a little rough while it either burns or exhausts the non combustible liquid in the chamber.

Warped head acts just like a cracked gasket in that they dont seal tight to the gasket.