What happens if I don't fix this?

My jeep is belching a little white smoke during decelleration. After doing some research on this site and starting a thread a couple weeks ago it sounds like my valve seals have gone bad. My question is this....what if I don't fix this for a while....like until I have more money and time?
Also, how big a job is this?
Other than a little smoke during decel' the jeep is running great.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

Hmmm, sounds like a bad head gasket to me. Keep an eye on your coolant level.

 

Could be but I've sniffed the exhaust a little and there is no hint of coolant. Also, the coolant level doesn't appear to have dropped even an inch since I first noticed the problem.

 

Well, if it IS just the guide seals, you'll probably just foul some plugs. If it's NOT the guide seals, then you could cause even more damage or create new damage elsewhere. I'd avoid running it any more than necessary until you can pinpoint it closer. JMHO.

 

I think you're probably right Rondog and that's kind of what I was thinking...just needed to hear it.
It'll have to wait until after the holidays though.

 

White smoke on deceleration is a classic sign of a head gasket leak into a combustion chamber. It only takes a small amount of coolant to make the smoke. Might not detect it in the coolant level, but since you know you may be using coolant, It would be a good idea to monitor it.

 

Yup, yup. I second
Typically smoke is as follows.
Blue= oil
Black= fuel (too rich)
White=coolant

 

if you really want to be sure, take it to a cylinder head specialist. they use a "test strip" and all it it is dipping a strip of paper on your coolant. if it changes color, then its detecting combustion gases in your cooling system indicating blown heads or gasket. its very inexpensive to have this checked out. you can also buy the test kit from a tool truck such as snap on or mac. depends on how many blown head gasket you want to check with this kit

 

Wouldn't a compression test help?

 

Maybe. It's pretty much the standard first-pass test. A better test is for cylinder leakdown, but you need an air compressor to do it. I believe a leakdown test is described in the FSM, and there are a few different articles on the web about making your own leakdown tester (or you could buy a commercial one $$).

 

Thanks for all the good advice gents.