thejwlex

I recently had the timing belt replaced on my 2001 ES300 as it finally reached 100,000 miles. The car was running fine prior to the replacement. About a week after the replacement, the car began exhausting white smoke but otherwise was running fine. I took it back to the shop. They performed a compression check (all cylinders at 190) and a coolant system pressure check and could find nothing wrong. They are now telling me that I either have a bad head gasket or a bad cylinder or rings. This all seems a bit odd to me. Could something they did (or failed to do) during the timing belt replacement (they replaced the water pump, idlers and other things also) have caused the white smoke? Any thought or suggestions would be appreciated as I am reluctant to put a lot of money in this at this time and question whether this should even be on my dime...

LeX2K

Is your coolant level dropping? Does the exhaust smell like glycol? A cooling system pressure test should reveal a bad head gasket but not always, I can't see how a timing belt/water pump replacement would cause a HG issue. Unless there was a subsequent leak which caused the coolant level to drop and the engine over heated.

The "white smoke" could simply be moisture.

thejwlex

It is a lot more smoke than would be caused by just moisture. I didn't notice a glycol smell but I really wasn't checking for it. I took it to the shop as soon as the smoke started (there was a lot) so I didn't check the coolant level personally but they said it was down a bit. The car has never overheated. It just seems too coincidental to have the car running fine, have work the timing belt work done and then have this major issue. I didn't mention that the mechanic that did the work offered to buy the car from me. It just seems suspect...

KOEHLERKER

Wow - just posted a similar situation with the white smoke on my 92 ES. my timing belt etc was also changed along with injectors, fuel pressure regulator, and many more things. I put in head gasket sealer as a last ditch try and found that the white smoke continued. I'm sure you're upset too. Will follow along and see if we get some input. I'm thinking tranny fluid as I had an old Mercury that lost some vacuum regulator in the tranny causing fluid to get sucked into the combustion cycle. Tons of white smoke. And the exhaust I have does not smell sweet like Anti-freeze burning but more of an acrid smell.