Well pretty sure my "New" Cobra is BUSTED!

[stangaholic280]

Well I've had this new Cobra for about 3 months now.

Started having the infamous "white smoke" from the exhaust shortly after buying it. The car had a catch can installed on it, but it didn't seem to be helping much at all. It had an out of the box wideband and tune on it from a company called "Daytona Sensors LLC".

Long story short. It was white smoking like crazy last night. (Only does it on startup) and people were making comments. Smelled antifreeze, and popped the hood to discover that the coolant reservoir had spewed all over the passenger side of the engine and was now empty. Put some water in it and puttered home.

Today we busted it open to begin an overdue investigation of WTF is going on with this car...here's what I found:


1st spark plug bay driver side

2nd, 3rd, and 4th bays on driver side looked like this but still had remnants of oil around the top and on the coil packs.

and the driver side spark plugs...looking like garbage. In order from front to rear.

So you guys got any ideas? I know a compression/lead down is probably the next step, but if anyone has any additional ideas or input I'm sure it could only help.

Probably time to start looking at MMR shortblocks lol. oke: :cryyying:

 

[Blueline]

I have a couple of questions:

- You said the coolant tank on the passenger side lost all the coolant, you mean the IC tank?

- Was the car running hot?

- Usually when you burn coolant in the combustion chamber, the top of the piston looks shiny and new, not oily and carbon built up like yours... It would basically be steam cleaned?

- That last plug looks like it may have burned some coolant. Thats the stuff that looks like mold growing on it.

- Post up the results of the leakdown and/or compression test.

- Is that oil on all your coils? Blowby?
GL!!

 

[xtremeskime21]

head gasket? those plugs look horrible.

 

[stangaholic280]

I have a couple of questions:

- You said the coolant tank on the passenger side lost all the coolant, you mean the IC tank? Yes, the IC tank.

- Was the car running hot? Didn't seem to be running hot, but all I had to go off of was the stock gauges. They all read normal. I have nothing to read the IC temps.

- Usually when you burn coolant in the combustion chamber, the top of the piston looks shiny and new, not oily and carbon built up like yours... It would basically be steam cleaned? I'm hoping that I'm not burning coolant!! I would much rather deal with a few bad seals on my valve covers than a blow head gasket.

- That last plug looks like it may have burned some coolant. Thats the stuff that looks like mold growing on it. Yeah, I saw that. I'm hoping it is just coincidence that it looks like that

- Post up the results of the leakdown and/or compression test. Will do. Need to get some tools and buy some time.

- Is that oil on all your coils? Blowby? Not familiar with blowby. I assume that is when oil blows by the spark plugs due to bad seals? If so, I'm hoping that is what it is...should be an easy fix.
GL!!

Something just hit me like a brick. My valve covers are ones that have been take off and powdercoated and then reinstalled. I have the stock ones sitting on my shelf.

WHAT IF.....the guy who had them powdercoated, perhaps they were damaged somewhere along the process and once they were reinstalled they seals no longer functioned properly due to them getting f-ed up somewhere along the lines.

Now oil is leaking through them to my spark plugs which is causing smoke on startup and oil all over my spark plugs. Solution: replace valve covers or seals and boom..fixed.

Anyone like that theory? :shrug:

 

[DHGTerminator]

Something just hit me like a brick. My valve covers are ones that have been take off and powdercoated and then reinstalled. I have the stock ones sitting on my shelf.

WHAT IF.....the guy who had them powdercoated, perhaps they were damaged somewhere along the process and once they were reinstalled they seals no longer functioned properly due to them getting f-ed up somewhere along the lines.

Now oil is leaking through them to my spark plugs which is causing smoke on startup and oil all over my spark plugs. Solution: replace valve covers or seals and boom..fixed.

Anyone like that theory? :shrug:

There are gaskets of sorts that go onto the spark plug holes where they meet up with the head on the valve cover, maybe those didn't get put back on? But none the less it's still happening in the combustion chamber, and i'm not sure it would cause problems there. Unfortunately I think this is a bigger problem :cryying:

 

[RamboCobra]

i have the same problem my valve cover seals are bad so evry few das i have to blow out all that oill with an air hoes and a rag :nonono:

 

[stangaholic280]

There are gaskets of sorts that go onto the spark plug holes where they meet up with the head on the valve cover, maybe those didn't get put back on? But none the less it's still happening in the combustion chamber, and i'm not sure it would cause problems there. Unfortunately I think this is a bigger problem :cryying:

Why would you think it's a bigger problem?

I have the stock valve covers and the gaskets are missing from them. Perhaps the old owner tried to reuse them and they either were too worn or were just installed properly. I'm gonna stick to thinking the problem isn't any bigger than this for now. I really have no reason not too. Other than the smoking, the car still performs well and hauls ass. Smoked a new 5.0 last night! :beer:

 

[Tifosi2003GT]

def. replace the valve cover gaskets. the oil is leaking down into the cop's ( the oil is leaking from the top of the cop's and running downwards into the threads of the spark-plugs )

 

[Parts-is-Parts]

Sounds like the intercooler or tubes are leaking.
Start simple.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Possible dead or intermittently dead I/C pump.

Very likely hurt piston in cylinder number 5.(drivers side front)

Oil cannot leak past the spark plug threads and down into the cylinders. Oil in cylinders got there by going past the rings. The gaskets still appear to be bad, but that oil can't get past the plug. It can make the coil ground out, and that cylinder then skip.

White antifreeze smelling smoke is from coolant getting into the combustion chamber.
Possible causes are: Leaking intercooler under the S/C, leaking head gasket, cracked head or block.

This thing is HURT and appears to have multiple problems.

 

[MoKo_03SVT]

wow...sorry to hear this about your "new" cobra! hope you are able to get her fixed!

just curious...but what ever happened to the other cobra you had/dumped a bunch of money into (with the KB, etc, etc,)?? you have gone thru 2 terminators, all while i have had mine (same one) for almost 3 years, and mine has been my DD since owning it! are you THAT hard on cars?

 

[SVTDice]

Man, I'm sorry you ended up in this situation. Wish I could come wrench with you and help you out some. Anyways goodluck and if you need any advice, we are here for you buddy!

 

[AKcobra]

I'm with Jimmy. Seems like you may have a few issues to deal with. You should really do a Cylinder leakdown test and Compression check. Even if you feel its irrelevant, I would do it for peace of mind. I would also pressure test the I/C System and the Engine Coolant System as well. Good Luck!

 

[stangaholic280]

wow...sorry to hear this about your "new" cobra! hope you are able to get her fixed!

just curious...but what ever happened to the other cobra you had/dumped a bunch of money into (with the KB, etc, etc,)?? you have gone thru 2 terminators, all while i have had mine (same one) for almost 3 years, and mine has been my DD since owning it! are you THAT hard on cars?

I sold the KB Cobra and got a C6Z. Then I decided I missed having a Cobra so now I have this junker.

 

[timbo3282]

I sold the KB Cobra and got a C6Z. Then I decided I missed having a Cobra so now I have this junker.

Did you ever figure out what was wrong?