[Healeys] 100 blown gasket?

[Alan Seigrist]

Mike -

None of this suggests you have a blown head gasket.  Typically a blown head
gasket will result in a HUGE amount of visible vapor clouds coming out of
the tailpipe and the exhaust will have a sweet antifreeze smell, either that
or if you pull your dip stick the oil is white and foamy.

Water dripping from the tailpipe is normal in all Healeys.  It happens when
the exhaust pipe cools down after being driven, then as the air cools, the
natural vapor in the air condenses on the inside of the exhaust then sits in
a little pool in your pipes & muffler.  Next time you start the car, the
water is pushed back by the exhaust force and forced out the tailpipe,
dripping out.

My guess is you have some sort of fuel or ignition problem, with the pinging
I am betting fuel.  After running the car, when it has trouble, pop the tops
off the float chambers and see if there's fuel in there.  If one of the
float chambers in low on fuel or mostly dry, then you problem is either a
weak fuel pump or if you are lucky a blocked float jet.

Alan

'52 A90
'53 BN1
'64 BJ8


On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 12:58 AM, kaynmike.bham at juno.com <
kaynmike.bham at juno.com> wrote:

> We drive this car through the year when streets are dry. Yesterday was out
> to
> get the oil changed and it starts running quite rough. Cancelled the
> choke-seemed a bit better, but not running on all four. On the way back it
> got
> progressively worse. I'm thinking a plug wire is not right, though I
> checked
> them at the oil shop. The car did not like any work and sort of "pinged" if
> strained at all. Got the car back in the garage (1.25 mile round trip
> downhill
> there,up back) and sort of idling and saw WATER droplets coming out of the
> tailpipe! Blown head gasket? (Do not reply with the dreaded words.."cracked
> head!")
> mike gougeon 56 bn2
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