The other night I noticed my 92 740 Turbo was smoking and was completely over the red on the temp gauge. I pulled over and also noticed there was oil on the back end of my car. I checked the coolant reservoir and it was dry - and it looked like the smoke was coming from the engine, which was quite oily. I am going to add coolant and check the oil but could the oil on the back have come from the smoke? Or from the tailpipe, perhaps? Does all of this equal severe damage? I just had a tune-up about 4 months ago and was not told that anything severe was wrong with the car. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

what color was the smoke. did the car loose any power or was it still running normal other then over heating. burning coolant is oily and also smells/tastes sweet. if no oil was gone it may be a head gasket. i have seen cars run fine with leaking head gaskets but not ones that ran there coolant dry.

 

The smoke was grey. More white than black. The cra did not lose and power - just rapid over-heating. Everyone I have talked to seems to think it might bea head gasket. I added an entire gallon of coolant today and it went right down the tubes - aka, none of it was retained in the reservoir. This makes me think it is draining into somewhere? Does it take that much coolant to fill it up to at least the min line? If this werea head gasket, about how much is this going to run me? I bet it's the labor that is the killer. Is this something I can do on my own (and maybe with the help of my car savvy bro-in-law)? Thank you so much for any/all info.

 

The system total holds about 1.25 quarts.
Maybe you blew a hose?
When the head gasket blows one of 2 things happen.
1.Coolant mixes with the oil.
2.coolant fills the cylinders.

Maybe try pulling the spark plugs and cranking it over. Look for coolant shooting out of the plug holes.
Pull the coil wire and fuel pump fuse before cranking it over.

 

I will certainly do that. Thanks for all your help!

 

you could taste the end of the plugs, if its bitter sweet then theres antifreeze where it shouldnt be.

 

I had the same problem with an Alfa Romeo. It was a pinhole leak between the cooling channels and the combustion chamber. Had a professional pull the engine and weld over the hole. Hope it is only the head gasket.