Blown headgasket? (preliminary pics)
Blown headgasket? (preliminary pics) Tried starting the car last week. Turned over a couple times but didn't fire up. Tried a few more times and it finally fired up and a white smoke cloud lingered behind the car for a good 30 seconds. Didn't get a chance to smell it though. Started it up a few more times over the past week, but there has been no smoke come out. I have noticed some oil seeping out of the passenger head and the #2 sparkplug (front passenger side). On startup, I can see smoke come out of the sparkplug hole... I'm guessing it is oil burning off. I pulled the first 2 plugs on the passenger head for comparison. Left one in the picture is the #2 plug where smoke has been coming out and oil can be seen on its threads. Also, I see some oil collecting around the top passenger front headbolt as well. More "gunk" than usual is all over my rear bumper as well. These are 243 heads on an ls2 block. Patriot gold springs with titanium retainers. Engine was built about 8 months ago. Driveablity seems to be normal still, but for how much longer... so I'm thinking I wanna pull the head to see whats up. Does it sound like a headgasket?
TECH Resident
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From: Holmes County (thats right Amish Country), OHIO
Your spark plugs look like the motor wants fuel... Look quite lean. Hard to see timing but seems ok. who did the tune? How does the oil look? Have you drained it and it there metal on the magnetic drain plug?
Reputable local tuner did my tune. Last time I changed my oil, a very small/skinny spring was attached to the magnetic oil pan bolt. Talked to the guy who built my bottom end and he said it looks to have come from the front main seal, but so long as there isn't any oil loss or oil pressure drop, I shouldn't worry too much. The only oil I'm seeing come out are from these pics I posted. No puddles of oil on the ground after a night of being parked
