O.K., first time poster long time member Tried the search and research method but still puzzled so now I’m asking for some advise! I have a 1979 GL Brat that smokes like a freight train when you start it up,… but only 4 out of 5 times. It takes it forever to warm up, and once it does there is bubbles coming up in the radiator. I know this usually means a bad head gasket (cracked head or block), however, the oil on the dip stick looks as new as when it was changed, last year! Which is really puzzling since when you take the breather cap off, you can hear an air sucking noise and you can see something being spit up in the pipe, can’t tell what it is? The smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe does not have a sweet smell to it, in fact the smoke has a very light bluish white color to it, tons of it, for about four minutes then it goes away, and all that is left is a clear liquid dripping out of the tail pipe? Plus, my radiator fluid level doesn’t really seem to be dropping, especially considering all the smoke! I’m just not sure what to do first to find the Gremlin in my Brat,.. thanks for all your help!

Just a few suggestions/comments:

The fact that there is no water in the oil does not necissarily mean that the problem is not the head gasket/cracked head. A common problem (at least on ea82t) is for the head to crack between the water jacket and the exhaust port, so that most or all of the water goes out the exhaust.

A little water coming out of the exhaust as you describe is normal, as water is a product of the combustion. Its only if there is a considerable amount that you should be worried.

Blue somke = oil. Valve seals? Does it blow smoke when driving? if so, may also be piston rings.

hope this helps.

O.K., first time poster long time member find the Gremlin in my Brat,.. thanks for all your help!

Sorry, Brat's in the driveway, one Gremlin is parked next to the garage and my 15k original mile '74 Gremlin (the original sport compact) is parked in a rented garage about 8 miles from home. On a more serious note, it really sounds like a bad head gasket or a hairline crack by an intake valve to me. Gary

I'm guessing a combination of the two aforementioned leaks. With theblue smoke only happening for a short while, I'd say bad rings that are allowing oil seepage, and then after they heat up, they expand enough to fix the problem. Just a guess?

Thanks gang, I just wanted decide where to begin the repairs,. i.e., re-torque the heads instead of replacing head gaskets, etc.! Don't want to spend a lot of time on money on the wrong fix!

During my message board search I found a thread that said

The Hitachi has a section that attatches to the manifold where coolant runs from the manifold to the carb. The weber has no such port, so you need to make sure its blocked off good or else coolant will leak into the intake, it would cause the problem you describe.

Does anyone know about this? At this link: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=26199&highlight=white+smoke

 

Thanks again, and no harm intended to actual Gremlins:D

Does your Brat have a Weber? There is a water port that runs to the bottom of the Hitachi and, indeed, this needs to be blocked off if you run a Weber. When the carb is removed, it becomes obvious which water port is being referred to.

 

When I installed a Weber on my '79, I used a 3/8" NC16 tap to tap the water jacket hole in the intake and then I installed a 1" long 3/8" NC16 allen head setscrew with teflon tape wrapped around it. Only one of many possibilitities...

Lack of water loss would indicate the smoke is more oil than anything else. Probably valve seals. Water dripping from the tail pipe is also OK. As stated above just a product of the combustion process.

 

As far as the Weber install. I am not sure what the problem is. The only vehicle that has had water issues from the heat tube is the EA82. The EA81's do not have an issue with leakage at this point. I have installed many Webers on my own and other people's vehicles(read, EA81's and one EA82) and have never had a problem with leaking. Good gaskets and a proper torque will eliminate this problem.

 

Thanks again, and no harm intended to actual Gremlins:D

NONE TAKEN! Gary in Cleveland:grin:

Thanks gang, I'm pretty sure the carb is a Hitachi. I looked at the PCV valve and its was plugged to the hilt! I replaced it and cleaned the hoses out, but alas--no difference with the smoke! I think I'm going to re-toque the heads, throw in some Marvins Mystery Oil or Sea Foam and hope for the best!

I keep you'all posted at to the outcome.