When I start my car cold, it starts normally with no smoke or problems what so ever. After my car is warmed up, if I go to start it up after letting it sit for a couple of minutes, it will be a lot harder to turn over. It sounds like it really wants to turn over but as if it has to burn something off before it can. It smokes really bad after it finally does fire up and smells of coolant. It then will sound like a boxer motor for a couple of revs, until the smoke clears. After I rev it up and the smoke clears, it drives normal and does not show anymore signs of anything being wrong.

I'm pretty sure it is my head gasket but I just dont know why it would drive so normal and not overheat or anything after start up. I am going to do a compression test on it asap.

It is a d16y8 with a built bottom end and a Cometic Head Gasket. We just finished the build in July and have only put about 10k miles on it since then.

I just wanted to know anybody elses opinions on this and if anyone had an explantion for this.

Thank You in advance,
Steven

 

A leakdown test would be a better choice to diagnose a head gasket.

 

Will do

 

try using a block tester goes in place of the radiator cap and checks for combustion gases in coolant. interesting issue that you are having

 

Thanks

There has to be a logical explanation but it seems everyone I have talked to is still kinda stumped

 

Is this maybe just signs that the head gasket might be going?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by IAD_ek &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is this maybe just signs that the head gasket might be going?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Could be. What happened with the leakdown test?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chiovnidca &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Could be. What happened with the leakdown test?</TD></TR></TABLE>

We just did the leakdown test yesterday and coolant bubbled on 3 of the 4 cylinders. Im pretty sure my head is just warped and my head gasket was starting to go from that. My head is getting milled today along with a new head gasket and intake manifold gasket. Im just hoping that my head isnt cracked at all.