White smoke on acceleration and overheating - Honda Prelude Forum

crazyredlude · 01-16-2010, 02:11 AM

Just finished building my JDM H22A and it started right up. The only problem is at first, it idles beautifully and doesn't smoke or overheat at idle. I took it for a test drive and white smoke was blowing out of my exhaust while i was accelerating but not at idle. After about 5 minutes of driving, I overheat. I did notice a dripping from somewhere on the rear of the motor looking like coolant. I figured for whatever reason, i blew my headgasket. I took the head off and my headgasket was intact (a new one when i built it) and i didn't notice any residual coolant in my cylinders. No cracks on my cylinder walls, no milkshake oil. No loss in power, i love the power. I bought a new head gasket and the head is on. I just have to put my timing belt on and hope everything is ok. Any ideas? It WAS white smoke. Water pump? Radiator? Thanks

95PreludeNAed · 01-16-2010, 11:14 AM

White smoke indicates water/coolant. If there was white smoke coming out of your exhaust it could be the head gasket. If you said that the condition of the head was good then Im not sure what else it would be other than the head gasket. Did you do the right sequencing? Plus there's initial and final torque when torquing the head down.

2000h22a · 01-16-2010, 12:03 PM

I would first locate the source of the leaking coolant, that may help answer some questions

crazyredlude · 01-16-2010, 10:45 PM

Well i traced the leak to the thermostat housing where the pipe connects. I changed the o-ring and added high temp gasket maker. Yes i used the helms manual for the torquing sequence (both times). I even tightened them a little tighter this time. I inspected my water pump before i installed it and it was good. Well, ill be back after i put the timing belt on and fire it up again. Thanks for the help guys.

crazyredlude · 01-19-2010, 08:06 PM

well, i finally put the head back on (again) with a new headgasket. When i drive it though, you can still see white smoke but its not as heavy. It just looks like a haze behind me. It doesn't overheat any more. It doesn't smoke at idle, just when i gun it. WTF? I'm starting to think its oil even thought the smoke looks white to me. Oil levels are fine. No oil light. Any help.

crazyredlude · 01-20-2010, 12:55 PM

checked my oil today and it looks like i am burning oil. Looks like i only have about a quart left in the engine and i just took it to work yesterday. Valve seals?