I have a 1992 Toyota Camry XLE with a 3 liter engine. I just changed the head-gaskets on it, & it starts again, but now is blowing a thick cloud of smoke out the tailpipe when it runs. @ 1st, I thought the worst. I thought the head-gaskets didn't take. But upon further investigation, I found that actually, it's not steam from the cooling system, but appears to be white smoke. There is not sweet sugery smell, that generally accompanies coolant in the exhast, & the cooling system is holding its water just fine.
So then I figured maybe a crossed or disconnected vacuum line, or an unplugged sensor. There is no check engine light on, & I've been over everything 3 times & can't find the problem.
It didn't do this before the head-gasket blew, so it has to be something I did... or failed to do. So if any1 has any insight on what might be causing this, I'd surely appreciate it. Thank you.

 

Make sure it is oil. Place a white paper towel in front of the exhaust pipe and determine if any oil debris accumulates.

Did you change the valve stem seals? If not how long did the head gasket job take? The valve stem seals can harden with non-usage resulting in white smoke at start up.

Did you have the heads resurfaced?

Make sure the PCV system is working. Try venting the valve covers to atmosphere to relieve any internal pressure.

 

Well, I didn't think it was oil. Usually oil produces blue smoke. White smoke is generally some kind of an emission control or air/fuel mixture problem. This is why I think it may be a sensor or vacuum line misdirected. But I performed the tests you suggested anyways, just to be sure. The exhaust didn't produce any oily residue when filtered, nor did the p.c.v. test make any noticeable difference when I pulled & plugged the crankcase hoses.
The heads were pressure tested, resurfaced, & all of the valve-stem seals were replaced professionally by the same reputable machine shop that pressure tested & resurfaced the head. I'm still scratching my head... uhm... I mean my human head, not the car's head...lol... on this 1.

 

As to white smoke.

White smoke can be bad valve stem seals typically at cold engine start up. You would be able to smell the smoke and determine if it was oil.

Blue smoke can be piston ring leakage.

Black can be excess fuel.

The smoke smells like what?

How does the engine run? Rough, poor idle, or OK. If OK then would assume the fuel mixture is OK.

Remove a few spark plugs and check electrodes for oil or an excess fuel condition. In theory if a bad enough coolant leak an electrode may appear steamed cleaned but often there is no sign of coolant leakage.

Unfortunately head gasket issues resulting in a coolant leak can be very hard to run down.

One can do a pressure test or block test of the coolant system. A block test indicates if there is exhaust gases in the coolant.

 

O.k, I finally got my hands on a working compression tester & all 3 of the front bank cylinders failed. So I've removed the cam assembly again to re-torque the head. I didn't use a torque wrench the 1st time around because I don't have 1. But I've never had a problem with this before, & I've done plenty of head-gaskets on other vehicles. But because I've never done 1 on a Toyota before, & I've read on some forums that these Toyota 3 liter engines can be very finicky about getting their head-gaskets to seal, I guess I'll rent a torque wrench to @ least make sure everything is to spec. Hopefully this didn't ruin the gasket. I guess we'll see.
Thank you for your help. I'll let you know how this turns out.

 

The bolts use a combo torque setting and angle torquing method.

 

Yeah, I followed the torque down procedure, but without a torque-wrench, I had to wing it on the tightness. Well, I got a torque-wrench now, & I re-torqued the head with very little change in results.
But I found a website that explained that Toyota originally put a multilayer steel head-gaskets in these. But all the after-market suppliers only sell the perforated core graphite head-gaskets, which is common for most head-gaskets. But Toyota used these multilayer steel gaskets for a reason. The perforated core gaskets just don't seem to seal well, & even if you can get them to seal, they don't hold up. So the answer, according to the website, is to use only a multilayer steel headgaskets, which as far as they know, is only available through a Toyota Dealer. So I guess, in the words of The Queen of Hearts in "Alice In Wonderland", "Off with its Head". Lol! [Sigh]

 

Concur with your findings

As I recall this model engine had a head gasket failure issue when new, Toyota revised the head gasket design to solve it.

Otherwise a very good engine.

 

Well, I'll admit that it's a good engine... when it works. But when it breaks... let me tell you, this car is really not making friendly with me.
So here's what happened. I replaced the front head gasket again, with an OEM head gasket from Toyota. But this gasket wasn't the multilayer steel gasket that I was expecting. Infact, it looked the same as the aftermarket 1 that I got the 1st time. But I bought it anyways, & used it the 2nd time. But still have coolant in the exhaust & low compression readings from the front bank.
I am so confused. I wonder of the block may not be straight. That is the only other thing I can think of. If the valves weren't sealing, then that could cause low compression, but that still wouldn't allow coolant in the cylinders. But the block being made of steel, it's pretty rare for that to be warped, isn't it? & if it is warped, then that means I have to pull the entire engine & strip it down for resurfacing, doesn't it, or is there a way to do that in the car?
I also thought that maybe the intake gaskets could be leaking, & coolant could be going in through the intake. But that wouldn't account for the low compression, because that is outside of the valves.
So any1 have any other ideas on this, because I'm stumped? I hate to give up on it. We've dumped hundreds of $$$ into this for gaskets, a water pump, timing belt, while I was in there. I'd hate to think all of that is wasted.

 

all it takes is not having mating surfaces for the gasket clean or straight, and it starts leaking thereafter. in old gasket, pores are plugged with crud and dirt. you moved it - there you go.
normally - both engine block and heads mating surfaces should be machined to smooth, straight surfaces. heads do warp, you know.
white smoke is coolant leaking, on my books. grey is oil, black is unburnt fuel. do you actually drive her, or simply started and it smoked? a lot of coolant goes into many holes, and cylinders, during such jobs. you leave, eg, coolant in bolt holes, put bolts back in, engine warms up - boom, coolant rips block in that area, as it evaporates.