Q&A

 Master

I'm assuming you mean that the valve cover gaskets were replaced because of oil leaks. I don't see any reason that replacing the valve cover gaskets could have harmed the cooling system or allowed coolant into the oil or intake system. I don't see how the head gaskets could have been damaged during this repair either. Coolant does circulate through the intake manifold, and if the mechanic removed any part of the intake system to get to the valve covers, then he could have gotten something wrong like a gasket out of place, and coolant is leaking into the intake manifold and getting into the cylinders. If that's so, then you could get coolant out of the exhaust stream but not into the oil and not get combustion gasses into the cooling system. If there's coolant leaking into the intake system, you will see white smoke and a loss of coolant over time. If this is so, then it needs to be fixed right because coolant into the cylinders can wipe out the lubrication of the pistons and damage your engine. Does the engine blow white smoke and water every time you start it up, or was it that one time only, or just in the morning when the engine is cold? If you see clear water out of the exhaust pipe, then it could be normal condensation which shows more on a cool morning. The weather has changed in the last few days in SF, correct? Hopefully that's all it is.
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