Something to be concered with?? (white smoke)

[84 400]

I know there was a thread about this a while back but my situation is a bit different. Okay to start with my truck has been off the road for 2 going on 3 years now. When it was last on the road in 06 before taking it off I had the coolant system flushed. I filled the tanks with fuel and added staybil because I new it would be up for at least the winter. It got started some but mostly sat. The next summer the water pump was leaking out the weep hole so I replaced that and lost a little coolant on the driveway in the process. everything seemed fine and I think I got all the air bubbles out. Anyway fast forward to last month when I installed a new high torque mini starter. The old starter went the fallowing spring so the truck had sat all summer. It seems to run fine but white smoke is still visible even after running for 15 min. I drove it around and it still had a bit of white smoke. I checked the oil and it looked good (no milkiness on the dip stick) I did not check under the fill cap tho.

When we opened the rad cap it was low. So coolant was added. Also the resivar was bone dry . I think That I filed it after doing the water pump but am not sure how much was added. Also when the pump was done it was ran without the cap and fluid was added.

So my question is:
1) Could the smoke be do to water/ moisture in the tank? the tank is now on half full and sat that way all summer.
2) with no coolant leaks evident the only two places I can imagine it could be leaking is the intake gaskets and or head gaskets. there is no leak from freeze plugs .

the motor has about 3,000 miles on it since it was built.

Do you think it is simply moisture in the fuel or a bad gasket.

Thanks for the input and if you have test i can do besides a pressure test (not street legal and the salt is coming out soon I would appreciate it.

[grinch4om]

pull the plugs and compare...sounds like you are burning the coolant

[AceX]

I have this exact same issue. I haven't found the cause, but I haven't really looked all that hard either. My guess is that one of the seals dried out, probably during the summer that it sat without being started.

My truck was basically stored for years as well and Has had these issues since I bought it, its just getting worse now.

Run down to the local auto parts store and get some seal repair stuff for the oil system and see if that helps at all. I run so many cleaners through my systems so often that my engine has to look brand new internally...

[84 400]

I know it would be hard to tell without pulling parts but does this sound more like intake seals or head gaskets? My friend offered the idea of checking and retourqueing the intake manifold bolts is this worth trying?

[grinch4om]

sounds like head gasket to me or a head problem. Some small block heads are prone to craking inbetween the valves. if this smoke is evident when first firing up, then dissapates, then comes back when warmed up, I would suspect a head crack...pull the plugs and compare them to each other. If youare indeed burning coolant, that hole's spark plug will be wicked clean and look different than the rest. Do you have dual exhaust so you can tell which bank is smoking?

[AceX]

I agree, pull the plugs and inspect them. That will tell us more.

[84 400]

okay I will do. It has fake duals not true duals. Also it is white at start up and does not go away and come back. If anything it fades the longer the motor runs. I am surprised it is having an issue as I have had motors sit for a lot longer then this with no issues what so ever. I will check the plugs and let you all know.

thanks

[tgh117]

I notice you are up north, could it be possible that the coolant was not strong enough and possibly froze up in there and caused a crack to form? Not really sure, just throwing it out as a possibility.

[84 400]

thanks for the concern. That is a good point but the coolant was brand new. after the flush. I suppose the shop that flushed it could of messed up the ratio but I would be SOL as far as proving that. My dad filled the rad and checked the oil today and ran it. He thinks it is just cold weather smoke and not burning coolant. He said there is a lot of condensation in the pipes as well. I guess a plug check is going to be the only way to tell for sure. that or a pressure test.

[72lb4x4]

You can do a hysomethingmeter (hygrometer or hydrometer? bad memory) check of the coolant but a 50/50 mix is usually good for south of Canada/Minnesota.

You could just be paranoid if you haven't run it a while. water in the muffler, or hust moisture in the air?

Keep an eye on the oil and coolant levels and colors!

[84 400]

Originally Posted by 72lb4x4

You can do a hysomethingmeter (hygrometer or hydrometer? bad memory) check of the coolant but a 50/50 mix is usually good for south of Canada/Minnesota.

You could just be paranoid if you haven't run it a while. water in the muffler, or hust moisture in the air?

Keep an eye on the oil and coolant levels and colors!

I think your probably right. At least that is what my father thinks. The air here is very high in moisture heck our cars rust sitting inside. So I guess for now I will just moniter it until I get a chance to check the plugs. (truck is at my parents place a good distance away from me)

[Moostifer]

miosture in the air/cold weather = white smoke when you VERY FIRST start your car.

white smoke for several minutes usually equals leaky intake gasket... as the motor heats up, parts expand and it re-seals, and the smoke goes away.

white smoke for a long time (say 10 min. or so) then tapers off usually equals blown head gasket, and usually between #2 or 4 and the water hole between them, or #3 or 5

stick your hand in the smoke for a few seconds, then smell your hand, if it has a sweet odor (like anti-freeze) you have a leak

like the others have said... pull the spark plugs and look at them also

[Tony@AirRideTech]

I have seen crappy fuel do that too.... thats easy, drain that junk out of the tank and put freash fuel in it. Then if it is still doing it and it is still white.... I would plan on pulling the heads