97 lude that just started smoking a few days ago and it's causing me to lose power. In 3rd gear when i hit the gas pedal it'll just rev like the clutch was slippin, but it's not the clutch. I'm pretty sure it's my head gasket. But then today i drove it about a quarter mile and the headers were hot just in that short drive, and the smoke was coming from the headers.. running a pressure test on it tomorrow and a few other test's. Anybody have any idea what this could be?! Pretty sure it's the head gasket like i said but i'm posting this to prove a point lol.

 

Well if it's smoking I wouldn't recommend driving it lol.

 

This makes very little sense...

If the engine rpms go higher when you press the accelerator and your mph (speed) does not increase or barely increases then you have a slipping clutch which WILL smoke.

If it has a blown head gasket it will smoke almost a pure white smoke out the EXHAUST pipe.

if you start up a cold engine and drive it even a 1/8th of a mile, the exhaust manifold or header WILL be hot/warm.

You need to figure out what the problem is and get back on here and post what you think is happening. I am not trying to be a A hole But your description is so vague and it points to several different things. I highly doubt you blew a head gasket and burned your clutch to pieces at the same time.

 

exactly! i really don't think it's my clutch.. and like you said what are the odds of the gasket and the clutch going out at the exact same time.. idk what the problem is and was tired of trying to figure it out.. i got it in the shop now and he's running a pressure test and a few other things he wants to run through on it.. and btw i haven't drove it since it started doing this lol. thinkin of just doing a swap from the h22a4 to a spoon. you know of any sites that have new spoon engines?!

 

actually yeah i did drive it a quarter like i said only cause i did some stuff and wanted to see if that helped any.. but obviously not lol.

 

Is it the blue oil smoke? If you're losing power then it could be bad compression (cracked piston ring.) Mine smokes blue and I'm getting an h22a from a local jdm motor shop. That compression test will tell you if thats the problem.

 

check your oil to see the color. If it looks like chocolate milk stop driving immediately! A head gasket can blow out 3 ways as far as im aware.

1 out the side and cuase a classic car break down with clouds of smoke coming out the hood.

2 blowing into the combustion chamber and burn white clouds out the rear exhaust

3 blows into your oil and doesnt allow the oil to lubricate your engine anymore. IMO worse case senorio but happens.

Anyhow GL