What you described is what i saw - a brown mayonaise
looking goo on the tailpipe when it was started cold -
and speckles of water shooting out with the exhaust
BUT it did't smell sweet :>)  After running 15 or so
mins at near highway speeds the exhaust pipe was dry
and no sweet smells and never was there any white
smoke....

When I checked the coolant tank behind the license
plate, after driving, it was completly dry, as it was
before driving -- does this mean anything?  I didn't
open the other tank

BTW - what is the function of the two tanks?

Thanks,

Tony
--- Joel Walker <jwalker@bama.ua.edu> wrote:
> > a. Now for big news - when I got there it had been
> > moved across their parking lot.  There was
> dampness in
> > the tail pipe and a brown spot of rusty water on
> the
> > ground.  When I started it specks of water flew
> out of
> > the exhaust pipe.  A mechanic I phoned told me
> this
> > means either: bad headgaskets or a cracked head.
> > Note: after I drove it I checked the exhaust pipe
> and
> > it was dry
> > Any ideas anyone? A mechanic i've visited b4 -
> Bela
> > Auto in Burbank, CA said over phone this is
> probably
> > at least headgaskets or maybe cracked cylindar
> heads
> > (as i figured) and would be around $1500 - 2000.
>
> depends on the humidity of the local area and how
> often the bus had been
> cranked. it's normal for water to drip and steam
> from the tailpipe for the
> first 10-15 minutes after cranking for the first
> time in the morning ...
> it's condensation in the exhaust system being heated
> up and forced out the
> tailpipe. in winter, you can easily see the plumes
> of steam from the other
> cars ... unless, of course, you live where 'winter'
> isn't really cold. ;)
> as the metal of the bus cools overnight, the
> humidity in the air condenses
> (dew) on the INside of the bus as well as the
> outside. particularly on metal
> parts. it also condenses on the inside of the
> engine, and if you do NOT
> drive it long enough (to get the oil hot enough to
> boil off the water),
> you'll get a brownish-mayonaise-looking stuff on the
> inside of the oil
> filler cap.
>
> so while your description to the mechanics might
> have caused them to guess
> the worst, it's also possible there's nothing wrong
> with the engine. the
> trick is to check the two coolant tanks: see if the
> one behind the license
> plate is below MAX or empty, and if the left one has
> a bubble in the top of
> it. those two symptoms are reason for suspicion of
> head gasket leaks (not
> proof, mind you; just suspicion).
>
> > (b) Engine stumbles sometimes when starting out -
> and
> > also when cold - any ideas anyone?
>
> coolant temp sensor. possible idle stabilizer valve
> clogged up. both cheap
> fixes.
>
> > b.  Was hit in right rear, had broken engine
> > mount/frame problems (fixed per repair records)
>
> uh oh. ;( this is NOT good. if they didn't do it
> right, the motor could be
> in a strain ... that is, not straight. :(  the trick
> is: where was it done?
> how competent was the repair shop?
>
> > General Stuff:
> > (1)Has wheelchair swing lift - old model - no
> longer
> > made - works
> > (2) Regular radials -not LT tires
>
> check the sidewalls of the tires. they should say
> "reinforced sidewalls" or
> "2-plies sidewalls". if only "1-ply sidewalls" they
> are passenger-car tires
> and not good. they'll work, but the handling will
> suffer. the Max Load xxxx
> lbs at Max Pressure xx psi should be at least 1500
> lbs per tire (stamped on
> the sidewall). lower than that is getting kinda
> close to the gross vehicle
> weight and not leaving anything for safety margins.
>
> > (3) Ran VIN# search - sold 1st in Illinois - was
> there
> > for 4 years (had 80,000 when came out to calif)
> > (4) Rust under sliding door track, under step-ups
> at
> > front doors, at lower left windshield
> > (5) No rust found in wheel wheels front or rear
> (maybe
> > a new undercoat job???)
>
> don't like rust. might want to keep looking.
>
> > (6) Missing: spare and jack
> > (7) small chip in windshield
> > (8) Interior in great shape - new headliner; seats
> not
> > worn or squishy; carpet ok
> > (9) gauges worked to spec
> > (10) ran cool during/after drive
> > (11) new front rotors/pads - rears unknown
>
> how many miles? if more than 80,000 miles, it's a
> good bet that the rear
> shoes (at the very least) will need replacing.
>
> > (12) new power steering pump
> > (13) A/C is down the middle - and doesn't blow
> cold---
> > any ideas anyone?
>
> probably lost all its freon, sitting out like that.
> unless you run the a/c
> at least 20 minutes every couple of weeks, the freon
> seems to leak out.
> especially as the bus (and hoses) get older. :(
>
> > (14) Drove ok - no pulling; brakes worked good -
> no
> > pulling or diving to one side/other
> > (15) no weeping of water/oil/fluids around engine
> > before test drive or after
> > (16)Dipstick showed no water beads before/after
> > driving
> > (17) Engine oil didn't smell of exhaust
> excessively
> > before/after driving
>
> i don't like the rust and the original-illinois-car
> part. i used to live in
> chicago and i know what 3 or 4 years can do to a car
> up there. on that basis
> alone, i'd suggest you keep looking. unless this guy
> comes way down on his
> price ... rust CAN be fixed, but it's expensive and
> time-consuming. :(
>
> the water out the tailpipe doesn't worry me, though.
> if you go back, check
> the coolant levels in the two plastic tanks.
>
> good luck!
> joel
>

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