97 Honda Accord - Smokes, low idle upon warm start

240K miles; Have replaced: Plugs, wires, valve cover gasket (oil was getting on plugs), thermostat (overheating - still does once in a while), injectors and engine cleaned.

Cold start: rpms 1100-2000, if I drive it at this, it misses and hesitates - after a mile, it straightens up. Or I wait until the rpms get below 1K and it runs ok. If its short trip to the store, getting gas, etc, go to start it back up…

Warm start: rpms 100-300, white smoke cloud out the back end (smells like anti-freeze), missing, all kinds’a rukus! AfLess than a mile, it straightens up. Tonight, it wouldn’t start at all once, twice, then hit on the 3rd time.

It drives fine.

There is a leak of some sorts in the front of the engine below then valve cover (leak not from there). I am using about a gallon of water a week. I’ve spent over $400 on the things mentioned above and can’t afford anymore guessing. Help?

Codes before all the work done above:
P1457 – Leak Detected In EVAP Control System (could this be causing all the trouble?)
P1399 – Wait To Start Lamp Circuit
P0304 – Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected

Thanks~Jennifer

Blown head gasket, R.I.P…At 240K miles, it’s not worth fixing…

:frowning: So, just keep driving it until it croaks?

You have symptoms of a blown headgasket. One of the things that happens when the headgasket blows (actually a passage blown open between the combustion chamber and the water jacket) is that the oustom on the intake stroke draws coolant in through the breech from the water jacket. The coolant is torned to vapor in the combustion chamber and blown out as a white vapor cloud.

You can get this verified at any shop (it is not difficult) and if confirmed you can change the headgasket…or you can drive it 'til it croaks. Headgasket changes are cheaper than getting a new car, but only you know the current condition of this car and how well it suits your needs. If you choose not to fix it, it WILL croak.

Hi fellas. I have a new problem(?). I added K&W Fiberlock to the radiator as it had good reviews and, hey, it was $25. It seems to have fixed the problem, but now is overheating (moreso than before). Do you think the thermostat is bad now from the leak goop?