Re: [Amc-list] The oil level is rising and has a lovely greenish hue

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

Not really, I think you'd be wasting your money. You obviously have anti-freeze in the oil (greenish hue and rising level), and you're getting water in the cylinders too (white cloud). Those two things along with the dropping level in the radiator are all you need! Pull the head. You should be able to tell where the head gasket was leaking. Then take the head to a shop to be rebuilt, and specifically tell them you want it checked for cracks before they do any work. Every shop should, but some don't unless you tell them. Before you do that look at the combustion chambers. If it's cracked bad enough to leak the way you describe you should be able to see fine hairlines in several cylinders. 

My guess is that the head warped slightly when it was last run hot and now won't seal. Tell the shop to check for warpage also, I bet they find it! Have them take just enough off to clean it up, you don't need more compression, though it will come up slightly no matter what, not enough to worry about though. 

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Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:36:34 -0400
From: "Bruce Griffis" <bruce.griffis@xxxxxxxxx>

Would it make sense to pick up a Block Test Kit? Think it's supposed
to turn yellow if there are combustion gasses in the coolant. And that
would point to a blown head gasket (although the billowing white cloud
when starting the car after letting it sit for a week or so is about
as plain a clue as one could get).

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)

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