Dex out the tailpipes?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Dex out the tailpipes? Hey guys,
I've got this 98 LS1/T56 combo with 42,000 miles in my '69 Camaro, and it just started smoking white and dripping a LITTLE antifreeze out of both tailpipes. I had a friend following me probably 2 months ago and he said it was putting out some smoke on WOT. The car has a good radiator/fan combo and a 160 degree thermostat, so it's NEVER gotten over about 190.
I haven't been driving it much lately, probably 50 miles in the last month, but I started it last night and let it idle for about 5 minutes, and then was revving it up to ~3k RPM's when I noticed. I was trying to get it to throw a CEL(it does every once in awhile) so I could pull the codes.
Is there any chance it's anything other than a headgasket? I'll be doing a leakdown test soon, but I'm a a little worried, seeing as how it's coming from both sides, and how likely are 2 headgaskets to pop at the same time?
Little background - the motor that's in the car came out of a 98 Z28 that was hit pretty hard in the front passenger's side(totaled), and I've already had to replace the water pump and alternator as they went out - the motor sat, unstarted, for 4 years while I scrounged up the time and money to finish the swap. The motor seemed to run fine when I pulled it out of the car...
Thanks again guys,
-Adam
I've got this 98 LS1/T56 combo with 42,000 miles in my '69 Camaro, and it just started smoking white and dripping a LITTLE antifreeze out of both tailpipes. I had a friend following me probably 2 months ago and he said it was putting out some smoke on WOT. The car has a good radiator/fan combo and a 160 degree thermostat, so it's NEVER gotten over about 190.
I haven't been driving it much lately, probably 50 miles in the last month, but I started it last night and let it idle for about 5 minutes, and then was revving it up to ~3k RPM's when I noticed. I was trying to get it to throw a CEL(it does every once in awhile) so I could pull the codes.
Is there any chance it's anything other than a headgasket? I'll be doing a leakdown test soon, but I'm a a little worried, seeing as how it's coming from both sides, and how likely are 2 headgaskets to pop at the same time?
Little background - the motor that's in the car came out of a 98 Z28 that was hit pretty hard in the front passenger's side(totaled), and I've already had to replace the water pump and alternator as they went out - the motor sat, unstarted, for 4 years while I scrounged up the time and money to finish the swap. The motor seemed to run fine when I pulled it out of the car...
Thanks again guys,
-Adam
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
From: south jersey. again
thats a real nice looking car. any thing is possble with engines, is there water or coolant in the oil? any leaks or cracks on the block, did you change the intake manifold. i dont think there is a magical answer except doing the obvious test's to see whats wrong. you could try pressurizing the coolant system to see if any leaks out.
Sound hike a head gasket to me. Do you have a (H) or a (X) pipe in your exhaust system? If so its probly just one and its mixing in the exhaust system. If it were me I'd pull both heads and replace both gaskets. Nice car BTW! got any pic's of the ls1 under hood?
I think that 4 years of sitting is probably what did the head gaskets in. Dexcool has a tendancy to eat through gaskets when left in an engine for too long, and having that coolant sitting in the heads for 4 years is like leaving acid in the motor. Its going to chew up gaskets, you should see what my 3800 Series II looked like after 10 years of Dexcool.
I would change both head gaskets with GM OEM MLS gaskets, and any other gaskets that appear to be worn or leaking in the process. I assume you're not going to pull the motor, its much easier to work on an LS1 in a 1st gen than a 4th gen.
When you refill the coolant, flush the system with a flush kit and garden hose, and then refill it with the newer Prestone or Peak All Makes/All Models 50/50 Coolant. Its compatible with all antifreeze, and they use distilled water in the 50/50 blend to prevent corrosion from minerals and conatminants found in regular water. Then you should be good to go.
Might want to also consider a heads/cam swap while you have the whole thing apart, you can pick up a set of LS6 heads and an LS6 cam for pretty cheap these days and still retain stock driveability while adding about 60WHP.
I would change both head gaskets with GM OEM MLS gaskets, and any other gaskets that appear to be worn or leaking in the process. I assume you're not going to pull the motor, its much easier to work on an LS1 in a 1st gen than a 4th gen.
When you refill the coolant, flush the system with a flush kit and garden hose, and then refill it with the newer Prestone or Peak All Makes/All Models 50/50 Coolant. Its compatible with all antifreeze, and they use distilled water in the 50/50 blend to prevent corrosion from minerals and conatminants found in regular water. Then you should be good to go.
Might want to also consider a heads/cam swap while you have the whole thing apart, you can pick up a set of LS6 heads and an LS6 cam for pretty cheap these days and still retain stock driveability while adding about 60WHP.
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 317
Likes: 0
From: Lake Charles La / Mobile, AL
When you refill the coolant, flush the system with a flush kit and garden hose, and then refill it with the newer Prestone or Peak All Makes/All Models 50/50 Coolant. Its compatible with all antifreeze, and they use distilled water in the 50/50 blend to prevent corrosion from minerals and conatminants found in regular water. Then you should be good to go.
Yes. As for the amount of people that have done it...countless, its not a big deal because the new ALL MAKES/ALL MODELS coolant is compatible with both conventional green antifreeze as well as Dexcool...so there is no downside to switching, nothing will be damaged, and you can even add it without a complete flush. Its just better coolant, it has the long life additives of dex-cool with the gasket and metal friendly properties of the conventional green antifreeze.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
From what I've seen, Dexcool really isn't a problem is its changed often as you've been doing. But when its left in the cooling system for many years/100K miles, it starts to eat through gaskets. So with proper cooling system maintanence you should never have a problem, but I'd rather run the universal green just to be on the safe side.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Hey guys,
The motor was DRY when it was sitting for so long, so I don't know if Dexcool could eat it up like that - it was in probably 0 degree temps for 10 days, so who knows what could have happened...I'm pulling the throttle body and plugs tomorrow to see if there's antifreeze in the intake and what chambers have it.
And to answer another question - this car has NO crossover. The right header comes out the right tailpipe, and left out the left.
Thanks for the advice,
-Adam
The motor was DRY when it was sitting for so long, so I don't know if Dexcool could eat it up like that - it was in probably 0 degree temps for 10 days, so who knows what could have happened...I'm pulling the throttle body and plugs tomorrow to see if there's antifreeze in the intake and what chambers have it.
And to answer another question - this car has NO crossover. The right header comes out the right tailpipe, and left out the left.
Thanks for the advice,
-Adam
Hey guys,
The motor was DRY when it was sitting for so long, so I don't know if Dexcool could eat it up like that - it was in probably 0 degree temps for 10 days, so who knows what could have happened...I'm pulling the throttle body and plugs tomorrow to see if there's antifreeze in the intake and what chambers have it.
And to answer another question - this car has NO crossover. The right header comes out the right tailpipe, and left out the left.
Thanks for the advice,
-Adam
The motor was DRY when it was sitting for so long, so I don't know if Dexcool could eat it up like that - it was in probably 0 degree temps for 10 days, so who knows what could have happened...I'm pulling the throttle body and plugs tomorrow to see if there's antifreeze in the intake and what chambers have it.
And to answer another question - this car has NO crossover. The right header comes out the right tailpipe, and left out the left.
Thanks for the advice,
-Adam
Bottom line is it sounds like you have bad head gaskets, you can do a cooling system pressure test to confirm that though.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
From: south jersey. again
As for Dexcool, you can see where it began eating through the gasket around the coolant passages. If left in an engine too long it tends to become corrosive.
You really shouldn't find any coolant in the intake because no coolant passes through the intake. I would pull the intake off and then just go ahead and pull the heads. It sounds like bad head gaskets. Go to a GM parts dealer and get a set of head gaskets for a 2004 gto then pick up a can of copper gasket spray from the parts store, and you are also going to need a new set of head bolts either factory or step it up to a set of ARP's which are reusable.
