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1993 Acura Legend

Question: Have a starting problem

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meher, Mooresville, NC, September 14, 2009, 18:55

 Rookie

My car recently developed the starting problem. Last time I had to tow it to the mechanic shop. The mechanic says my car has blown head Gasket and it is smoking. So when the engine is heating up it is having the starting trouble.
My temp gauge does not show that my engine is heating up but I definetly thin white smoke coming out of the exhast for the last one week. I have recently changed the engine oil in Walmart. They have put Castrol.
I am not able to believe that it has a head gasket blown. What could be the cause for the starting trouble it has?

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• Answer #1

  Wilsonite September 14, 2009, 20:29
  

   Journeyman

  It sounds like a head gasket to me. If you have white smoke coming from the exhaust, it is usually coolant. Have you noticed a kind of sickly sweet smell? If so, that's coolant you smell.

  Oversimplified smoke color test:
  white = coolant or water
  blue = oil
  black = fuel mixture too rich

  As for not wanting to start, when you shut down the engine, the pressures in the cylinders will leak down to atmospheric. However, the cooling system will still be under pressure, blowing coolant into the cylinder. The heat in there will cause some steam, which can condense on the plug thereby shorting it out so there is no spark. This coupled with the partial loss of compression in the affected cylinders will prevent the engine from starting.

  Some parts houses have a tester that will "sniff" your radiator to check for blown head gaskets. It uses some color change fluid that detects gasoline or exhaust products in the steam.
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