My 2008 H3 3.7 had the head gasket replaced a few weeks ago and ever since then it smokes worse than a crop duster every morning. The shop that did the work says they can't find anything wrong.

My question is, could they have put the head gasket on upside down thereby blocking an oil return hole? If not then what could be the cause of this smoke?

We have owned this H3 since 2009 and it has been a great vehicle. And we want to keep it for as long as we can. It only has 127,000 miles on it.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Bill

 

I forgot to mention that they claim they installed new valve seals.

 

Obviously your "shop" caused the issue if it did not exist prior, and if you already paid, they are done with you.

I would like to revisit why you needed to replace the head gasket to begin with? What symptoms were you having leading up to that?

 

Wow! Thanks for the quick reply.

The back story is this. Mid this summer I noticed the car was using antifreeze and I could see no leaks and no smoke. I drove it for a month or so hoping that it would plug itself. It didn't as you would expect. Nobody gets that lucky. Figuring it was probably a cracked head or blown head gasket I took it to what I thought was a good shop. They ran the engine till warm (it never overheated) with hood open and found a hairline crack in the top tank. So they put in a new radiator ($1500 charge) and gave it back. I ran it for two or three weeks and noticed it was still using antifreeze. And when hot the upper radiator hose was swelled up like a baloon. I let it cool down, removed the radiator cap and ran untill the thermostat opened. Yep. Bubbles in the tank.

​So, it was pressuring the system and that it was caused the tank to crack.

I called the shop and gave them this info. They agreed that it was probably a cracked head or blown head gasket. They removed the head and sent it and the head gasket to a machine shop I trust and also use myself. The head was not cracked and the head gasket was suspected to be leaking between layers. They put it back together with new gaskets and seals ($1800) and gave the car back. The very next morning when I started it I got smoke bombed.

​​​​I took it back to them for them to watch it. They had it for two days and said it wouldn't smoke for them. So I brought it home. The next morning.......smoke bomb! I called them and told them I was going to bring it back. That was yesterday. When I got there later in the day he said they wanted to run some chemical through the engine that would free up the rings if they were stuck. I told him no. I don't like to use mechanics in a can. I called this morning to check up. It will not smoke for them. Really?

I'm going to pick it up later today with no hope of getting a proper resolution.

Thanks for your help.

 

I wrote a lengthy reply to your question Doc but somehow it didn't post. So here's the Cliff Notes version.

It was using anti freeze with no leaks.

I'll have another update tomorrow.

 

Quick tests will get it diagnosed.

Take to a different shop and have them test for head gasket issues.
One sure fire way would be leak down at each cylinder. Cylinder compression test. Exhaust and intake.

There is obviously a problem just waiting to be resolved. Lol!

 

I'd guess that a step was missed or over looked unintentionally.

 

I picked up the car yesterday. The shop that has never been able to see it smoke finally did. We talked about possible causes and they said maybe the PCV hoses were plugged. Because I needed the vehicle I said would check those myself in the evening. The hoses are fine and properly connected.

I started the car this morning and got the same massive blue cloud that I get every morning. I called the shop and told them what I found with the hoses and that it was still smoking. I said it's time for them to remove the head and figure this out. They agreed. So tonight it goes back.

I'll update this post when there's an answer.

Smoke 1
And another.

Thanks guys.

 

A new radiator is about $150 bucks, takes about 2.5Hrs to DIY including cleanup. H3s are notorious for radiator cracks because the I5s shake like a Chihuahua. They overcharged the chit out of you for that.

H3s do not use PCV valve, only a vent at the back of the valve cover. It would not cause smoking, just an oil leak.

Check your transmission fluid and look inside the intake at the TB, then report.

Good luck.

 

I just checked the transmission fluid. It is pink and at the correct level. I don't have time now remove the plenum to look at the throttle body. When I had it off last night I glanced at the TB but did not open it. What should I have been looking for?