Getting tired of this
#16
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (21)
![Default](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
i dont believe it is your valve stem seals as i have seen posted in here a few different times.
valve stem seals show up as a puff of smoke on start up or with your foot off the gas coming down a hill and as u get to the bottom and you step on the gas you will also see another puff of smoke.
your are still smelling coolant in the exhaust because there is/might be coolant still in the exhaust (not sure of how long ur car has been back together) OR you might have a small crack that goes away as the engine warms up and the engine expands, pushing something in a particular way to seal the crack.
as stated above check compression and a cylinder leakdown wouldnt hurt either while you are in there while doing the leakdown if you see bubbles in the coolant you know you have a problem. also i would do a colling system pressure test at cold temp and also with an operating temp (USE COMMON SENSE WHEN TESTING AT OPERATING TEMP DO NOT REMOVE THE RAD CAP IN ONE SWIFT TURN!!!!)
when you have those results one of us will be able to help better diagnose your issue
valve stem seals show up as a puff of smoke on start up or with your foot off the gas coming down a hill and as u get to the bottom and you step on the gas you will also see another puff of smoke.
your are still smelling coolant in the exhaust because there is/might be coolant still in the exhaust (not sure of how long ur car has been back together) OR you might have a small crack that goes away as the engine warms up and the engine expands, pushing something in a particular way to seal the crack.
as stated above check compression and a cylinder leakdown wouldnt hurt either while you are in there while doing the leakdown if you see bubbles in the coolant you know you have a problem. also i would do a colling system pressure test at cold temp and also with an operating temp (USE COMMON SENSE WHEN TESTING AT OPERATING TEMP DO NOT REMOVE THE RAD CAP IN ONE SWIFT TURN!!!!)
when you have those results one of us will be able to help better diagnose your issue
![Thumb Up](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
#17
Driver School Candidate
![Default](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I'd suspect a cracked head, since the problem goes away once warm. Bad seals or head gasket would more likely show up constantly since the rubber seals don't expand as much as metal does. When you replaced your head gasket etc, did you send the head to get x-ray and machined? If you didn't, then that's almost certainly the problem. The good news is that you can keep driving like that for a good while before your engine blows up. Probably best to get the head checked and machined now, though.
#18
Rookie
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![Default](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
^^^ that's what i'm thinking too. and I did have my head sent off to a machine shop my dad has been going for like 30 years. we trust them big time and he said there was nothing wrong with it. But when I checked my oil today I saw the milky residue on the dipstick and I could smell coolant.
Needless to say I left the car with my dad to try and figure it out and I got a ride from my gf back to college. I'm probably just going to sell it now sadly :/ I can't be having these sort of huge problems.
Oh and I put this all together in like September. And it worked flawlessly for a Looong time, until it got cold out then it went fubar.
Needless to say I left the car with my dad to try and figure it out and I got a ride from my gf back to college. I'm probably just going to sell it now sadly :/ I can't be having these sort of huge problems.
Oh and I put this all together in like September. And it worked flawlessly for a Looong time, until it got cold out then it went fubar.
#26
Rookie
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![Default](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
well i left the car with my dad when i left to go back to college, last weekend he went to our machinist to get some block repair stuff that you put into the cooling system and let it run.
guess what?
the stuff worked. The car doesn't smoke anymore and runs great apparently. And apparently the disappearing coolant doesn't happen anymore, if anything its just a VERY little amount. So yeah..
guess what?
the stuff worked. The car doesn't smoke anymore and runs great apparently. And apparently the disappearing coolant doesn't happen anymore, if anything its just a VERY little amount. So yeah..
#29
Rookie
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![Default](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
It was an OEM head gasket, with ARP head studs. And yes I used the proper torque sequence. I looked it up on multiple sites/areas to make sure it was correct and I torqued them correctly and triple checked it to make sure. I cleaned off the block and made sure it was leveled. The head was sent to our machinist who decked it, cleaned it, and made sure it was ok. Car ran great for a while then that happened.
but with the coolant fixer, it fixed the leaking problem.
just hope it stays that way.
but with the coolant fixer, it fixed the leaking problem.
just hope it stays that way.
#30