High rpm idle, no gauges, white colored exhaust

Up until this past weekend I had the gas tank dropped and both manifolds out to fix a cracked exhaust. I have also changed the clock spring.

I put everything back together yesterday. When I start up the engine it immediately revs up and holds there. Not sure what rpm because nothing on the dash works. I have cruise control and replaced the clock spring with one that was not set up for cruise control (got it cheap). I checked the fuses and they are all fine.

While it was running, I checked the throttle body to see if it was stuck open. It was closed. Which leads me to believe there could be a massive vacuum leak somewhere. Nothing obvious is popping out at me though.

Also, whitish smoke is coming out. See this pic:



I am no sure but I think the exhaust may smell a little sweet. It could be in my head though. IF that is the case I would assume a coolant leak. But, I changed the oil while I had the manifolds off and the oil showed no signs of coolant.

I have searched around on many forums and found a diagnosis for each individual symptom but not for all of them combined. None of this was happening when I bought it 6 weeks ago.

Can someone point me in a direction to start diagnosis? The only thing I have thought to do is check the TPS voltage which is reading at around 5 volts.

Sounds like a vacuum leak or tps sensor for the idle issue. The smoke sounds like a head gasket.

white, sweet smelling exhaust definitely points to a bad head gasket...check the dipstick oil is it milky?

Every part of me wants to agree with you guys on the exhaust. But, before I took everything apart, that wasnt happening and the oil was clean. Literally the first time I started it up since I took everything apart. It just doesnt make sense to me although everything points in that direction.

I will check the oil when I get home.

Every part of me wants to agree with you guys on the exhaust.  But, before I took everything apart, that wasnt happening and the oil was clean.  Literally the first time I started it up since I took everything apart.  It just doesnt make sense to me although everything points in that direction.

I will check the oil when I get home.

I dunno. Time and time again I always picture worst case scenarios that fit my symptoms best, and time and time again it ends up being related to something that was just done.

If it didn't do it before the changes, then I would concentrate on examining things you touched.

I would put my money on it being a leak from the intake manifold gasket, since you had it off. I had a leak in mine around the injector and my idle would skyrocket to 2-3k rpm.

As for the white smoke, you throw off the mixture that much and something's going to happen.

Spray some brake cleaner around the various edges of the manifold while it's running and listen for any changes in RPM.

*Especially* since you just had it off, I would bet an intake leak is your culprit, whether by unsealed gasket or by a hose left disconnected.

Guages don't work,,,Did you unplug anything under the dash when changing the clock spring?
No Guages,,,Does the check engine light still work ?

Is the valve cover breather hose some how hooked up to vac= sucking oil making it smoke,, and causing high rpm?

Did you use a 2 piece intake gasket ?
Enging stone cold===Run engine for 1  minute, shut it off, remove the radiator cap and if there is pressure already,  you could have a bad head gasket.
Or stone cold=== leave the cap off and see if fluid immediately  spews out of radiator when you start it.
Remove the spark plugs and pressurize the cooling system then crank engine over ,,note if coolant pumps out of one of the spark plug holes.

The only thing I disconnected when I did the clockspring was the plugs for the clock spring. Yes, the check engine light does still work.

crawling forward - I was gonna try the propane method when I got home later tonight. Will update.

The propane method is much safer than using extremely flammable brake cleaner.
Dis connect battery for a few minutes and start fresh .

Oh shoot. Yeah, or WD-40 also works, albeit a bit more messy.

Geoff, I have had a few scarey experiences with Brakleen catching on fire.
After cleaning off the oil filter mount while doing an oil change some got on the floor and it caught fire.
Had to scramble to extinguish it, meanwhile the flames roared under the jeep stuck in my garage, thought I was going to have to drive it outside without oil in it just to save my house from burning down.
You can use a propane torch, turn it on just don't light it HAHA and you can use to check for vacuum leaks.
I now keep 2 fire extinguishers, a gallon of water and a spray bottle at arms reach.
WHEW!

So one of the bolts in the center top row is stripped and doing nothing.  I shot propane all around the intake with no real change in rpm.  I am grabbing a OBDII scanner tomorrow.

Also, I bought a helicoil kit to fix the stripped threads. cant wait to pull everything apart again:evil: 

A friend of mine had the two top center bolts stripped out, I drilled and tapped the holes and installed 7/16 bolts.

Yeah I already ordered the kit.. should be here today. I dont mind having it around for future use anyway.

So the gauges are a matter of a loose connector. Smacked the dash and they came on. Apparently, an all too common problem.