Chevy Engine running strangely

[TXheat]

That is a manifold bolt and you will likely break more then one by the looks of them. Snap them off, take the heads off, take them to a machinist, have them rebuilt and get the studs out, and put new bolts in. That will take care of the white smoke most likely. When things are let go that long, it costs money. Although the Ram bolts are breaking without the corrosion now a days.

I see, so the smoke isn't a symptom? Rebuild the bolts, wouldn't be more cost effective to extract the stud and take it to a Auto supply and see if it can be matched? Also I can't take the plug wires off without taking those bolts off they are connected to a fitting that secures the plug wires, strange design.

 

[B52Bombardier1]

Please don't replace those exhaust manifold bolts with hardware store cheap steel. That 454 really should have a set of better bolts from a company called "ARP". Summit Racing or Jegs will have a set for that year of big block 454.

Rick

 

[TheLooks]

I think the smoke is a head gasket.....taking off the head and replacing them and servicing the head will get rid of it. I don't think you are going to just back those bolts out. Best of luck with that.

 

[DHudson]

Where exactly is the "white smoke" coming from?
Is the engine still missing?
Water puking out of radiator cap shortly after start up may just be the thermostat beginning to open. this is normal until it's fully open. If it does not stop, then good chance head gasket.
Blown head gasket usually does not cause white smoke from a manifold. Water streaming from a hose onto the exhaust manifold will. Sometimes these are hard to see.
White smoke from tail pipe after it is warm and a sweet smell, yes head gasket. Usually has a pretty good miss.
I would try and extract the broken bolt. That bolt holds the exhaust manifold on. These bolts DO NOT extend into the water jacket, so that would not be the source of a water leak.
I would not worry about the broken bolt until you resolve other concerns.
If the smoke is below the spark plug, the only thing I can think of is a freeze plug rusted through causing water to leak out and hit the manifold or exhaust pipe.
A radiator pressure check will tell if you have a water leak. Leak could be internal (head gasket) or external (hose , water pump, freeze plug). There is also a test that detects hydro carbons in the radiator water ( head gasket, cracked head or block).

 

[TXheat]

Please don't replace those exhaust manifold bolts with hardware store cheap steel. That 454 really should have a set of better bolts from a company called "ARP". Summit Racing or Jegs will have a set for that year of big block 454.

Rick

I didn't say hardware shop, I was thinking more along the lines of Napa Auto. These look like they would work ? Amazon.com

 

[TXheat]

I think the smoke is a head gasket.....taking off the head and replacing them and servicing the head will get rid of it. I don't think you are going to just back those bolts out. Best of luck with that.

I think so too. Thanks

 

[TXheat]

I appreciate your taking the time to explain everything, the white smoke doesn't seem to be there at the moment last I saw it was from below the plug chamber, no the engine is not missfiring or backfiring since I put back the missing vacuum hose. Did the radiator bubble test again, I could see a few bubbles in the liquid but it didn't puke let it run for a couple.minutes. As for the tail pipe no colored smoke, only what looks like vapor and water dripping, As I said early on I take that to be moisture in fuel lines due to the high humidity here, I'm not too worried about the broken bolt, more so about the fitting that goes on the plug wire I attached a photo of it. I can't decide which to do a radiator pressure test, $250 deposit at AutoZone, or a UV dye test. As far as I can tell there is no overheating after 10 Mins running temps are around 140 F, no sign of coolant leaking either, although could be internal and that's why I need to do a pressure test, I guess to be on the safe side I'm going to have to do both. For what it's worth as you can see in the photos, the oil cap has a brownish residue and the oil looks tanned, sign of water getting into the oil and a blown head gasket.

 

[TXheat]

I think the smoke is a head gasket.....taking off the head and replacing them and servicing the head will get rid of it. I don't think you are going to just back those bolts out. Best of luck with that.

Yes those bolts are very old and rusty, I'm going to see what soaking them in PB Blaster might do to help, same for the plugs.

 

[DHudson]

I appreciate your taking the time to explain everything, the white smoke doesn't seem to be there at the moment last I saw it was from below the plug chamber, no the engine is not missfiring or backfiring since I put back the missing vacuum hose. Did the radiator bubble test again, I could see a few bubbles in the liquid but it didn't puke let it run for a couple.minutes. As for the tail pipe no colored smoke, only what looks like vapor and water dripping, As I said early on I take that to be moisture in fuel lines due to the high humidity here, I'm not too worried about the broken bolt, more so about the fitting that goes on the plug wire I attached a photo of it. I can't decide which to do a radiator pressure test, $250 deposit at AutoZone, or a UV dye test. As far as I can tell there is no overheating after 10 Mins running temps are around 140 F, no sign of coolant leaking either, although could be internal and that's why I need to do a pressure test, I guess to be on the safe side I'm going to have to do both. For what it's worth as you can see in the photos, the oil cap has a brownish residue and the oil looks tanned, sign of water getting into the oil and a blown head gasket

That 1st pic is a spark plug boot shield. It helps keep the spark plug wire from getting burned from the exhaust heat. I removed them from my 454 pick up and use high quality silicone boot spark plug wires. Has worked well for 20 years. And make getting wires and plugs out a lot easier.
The brownish tent on the oil cap is normal. If you had water in the oil, it would look milky.

 

[TXheat]

That 1st pic is a spark plug boot shield. It helps keep the spark plug wire from getting burned from the exhaust heat. I removed them from my 454 pick up and use high quality silicone boot spark plug wires. Has worked well for 20 years. And make getting wires and plugs out a lot easier.
The brownish tent on the oil cap is normal. If you had water in the oil, it would look milky.