Hi I have a 2000 camaro with a 3.8 engine. It blows white smoke from the muffler and pops when I rev it. It's been like that since i bought it to fix up. I crank it yesterday and the oil smells like gas. I think I need an upper intake gasket or head gasket or heads. Does anybody have experience with these issues ? Thanks in advance.

 

its running rich. is it popping all the time? if so you may have a valve or two not working or are toast not allowing the cylinder to fire, this would not burn the fuel in the cylinder not firing and fuel would drain by the rings into the pan with some fuel making it to the exhaust causing white smoke. could be injector stuck open or sticking. fuel pressure could be to high or to low. check fuel pressure, pull plugs and see what they look like and do compression check on all cylinders while you have plugs out . probably be a good idea to replace or recondition the injectors.

 

Thanks for the reply. Yes it is popping alot when I rev it and it shakes a lil bit. I've swapped the plugs and added a fuel pump us all I've done so far. I havent had it long. But will be checking the valves and injectors this weekend. People told me it might be a cracked head ? The radiator had a hole in it but I'm nt sure about the heads yet

 

You need to do testing. First off white SMOKE indicates a lean condition in the engine. White STEAM would indicate a coolant issue. Smoke should stay around for a bit without wind steam will just fade away and not build up like smoke also if it is steam it will tend to smell like coolant and can even stain the tail pipe.

You need a vacuum gage to check for a sticking valve and a coolant pressure tester to check the coolant system for leaks. Most chain parts store have a loan a tool program but they will need a card to cover the costs if you do not bring it back. Also a compression test could show other mechanical issues.

Check youtube for how too videos for the above tools. Example: Search "How to check for a sticking valve with a vacuum gage" .

Note, one of the most common issues with the 3800 is lower intake gasket failure, The failure was so common there was a class action lawsuit for it and GM agreed to cover the repair 10 years 100,000 miles. If coolant leaks from the lower intake into the oil it will ruin your motor.

 

You may have stuck open injectors. Is your oil level high. The excess gas mixes with the oil and your level goes up......

 

Thank you for all the info the oil stays the same and only recently started smelling like gas it use to jus smoke out my whole yard and pop and idle rough now it's all of the above. I'm going to do the tests payday I've done a lil work on cars but mainly just learning as I go. I have bought a new upper intake manifold gasket bc somebody told me that one but I'll be buying a lower payday might as well swap both. I have head gaskets but if they aren't the issue I'd rather nt go that far in. But I do love the car. Its def worth the effort

 

Jus so im sure these are the tools you mean right ?