Just replaced thermostat and air bleeder housing on a 2005 2.7L Sebring convertible. Have never worked on these engines before, and as everyone knows...what a pain!! Anyway, started car to check for leaks, etc, and white smoke was coming from exhaust (a lot at first, then tapered down some but never went away). Also, wisps of smoke were coming from under the intake manifold just to the right of the bleeder housing. Coolant had been spilled near the bleeder housing, and a very small amount of coolant got into the oil pan where the dipstick tube sits ("stopper" was not secured well enough at first). Checked oil on dipstick, and it did not appear milky. Having only lifted the intake manifold enough to get to that fourth stubborn bolt, might I have somehow damaged the gasket? Or can I run the car for a bit to see if the coolant "burns off"; ie stops smoking from exhaust? I know these are probably silly questions, but I'd appreciate any advice.

 

White smoke from exhaust usually means that engine burns coolant. Now how it got into the cylinder is the main question. I am not sure (I did not saw personally) if coolant from oil system can get into the cylinder if everything is OK. I would say it cant. So if it gets into the cylinder most common issue would be cracked head or head gasket. You wouldn't be glad... If coolant got into oil then you should have emulsion (mix of coolant and oil)... In bad cases the oil becomes all gray (when mixed with a lot of coolant). Well, maybe guys will correct me or give some more ideas...

 

You should have come here to the forum first to find out how to remove the coolant outlet manifold without touching the intake manifold, but it's a little late for that.
If the intake manifold gasket got messed up, that could account for the steam in the exhaust, but that could also be accounted for if some coolant got spilled into the intake manifold without ruining the gasket. If the gasket is wrecked I would expect there to be a vacuum leak with resulting high idle speed and other symptoms of such a problem.
If there's no vacuum leak then letting the coolant cook off inside and outside the intake manifold may solve the problem.
I don't believe there are any coolant passages in the upper intake manifold, so damaging the gasket should not result in introduction of coolant into the combustion chamber once the external puddles are cooked off.

 

Thanks for the input dcotter. I did search this forum, but also could not find the swivel wrench locally. Friend cranked it up today, & said no more smoke, but we'll stay on the lookout for the other symptoms you mentioned related to the gasket, just in case. Thanks again