I'm really having trouble diagnosing what its burning. Its a thick white smoke but doesnt smell like coolant or oil. Is there anything else that can get into the heads or combustion chambers. I think i read somewhere its possible to get trans fluid or PS fluid burning somehow. I've smelled alot of burning coolant on previous cars, and this just doesnt smell like it, although all those times it wasnt mixed with exhaust.
Some small droplets form in the exhaust tips when it idles for awhile, but to the best of my knowledge thats normal. Im losing a fair amount of oil AND coolant. The coolant needs filling every 5 days or so and the oil needs a quart and a half every 1000 miles. I know some oil is leaking onto my rear exhaust manifold because i see it burning sometimes, and im sure im burning some at 170k, but hopefully not THAT much.
Is there any definitive test I can do to be absolutely sure its burning coolant? Just does not smell like coolant or oil to me at all, very frustrating. My gut just tells me its not coolant, but again im no expert. Any input?
Theres no oil in coolant or visa versa so the leak would be strictly between the coolant passage and the combustion chamber. I crank the engine and no bubbles or air surface through the radiator cap. To me that kinda says headgaskets are fine. at 140 psi SOME air would at least get into the cooling system imo.
Sorry for being a noob and bombarding with questions, Just want to figure this out for sure before i decide if I just need gaskets, or if im in for a full rebuild or swap.
