2 Questions...?

[bmonee5]

1. I think i may just be paranoid but even when my truck gets up to temp i can notice small amounts of white/grayish exhaust. After driving a couple miles last night and getting fully warmed up i got out and let it idle and with a maglite i noticed small amounts of white exhaust, would that be water in the gas or what? Or is this nothing to even worry about. It doesn't smoke when i'm driving or anything, plus it is still a little chilly around hear maybe i'm just semi ignorant/paranoid?

2. My 3rd brake light and white lights on the top of the cab never come on? Open doors or unlocking the doors with my keychain are not turning the lights on. Would this be a bad relay or fuse? or could it be a bad switch in the door? I know the bulbs are good i did check them...any help would be appriciated thanks ahead. BTW i drive a 2000 4L 4x4

 

[daniel3507]

1. I think white smoke is burning coolant. Im not sure if thats really your problem though since it doesnt smoke when driving.

2. The white cargo lights should come on when you turn on all your lights inside the cab. Im not sure how it is in your truck but on mine you just turn the knob that turns the headlights on all the way to one side. The brake light only comes on when you hit the brakes.

 

[bmonee5]

hmmm....i'll have to check that i thought they would come on even when the doors were open. yeah i knew white smoke was burning coolant but it looks like it does when its warming up in the morning like its still cold. I'm not losing any coolant, or burning any oil....its also not a thick white smoke its kind of sparse in the exhaust. The truck only has 100,000 miles so i hope its nothing major...i sure hope i'm being paranoid.

 

[cr_the_machinist]

One of the two most major part of exhaust gases IS water vapor. The best thing you can do is keep an eye on the coolant tank, engine oil, and air pockets in the coolant return hose. I'd keep an eye on it just in case. I've heard that a good way to find out if you do have an internal coolant leak is to;

1. Start the engine when it has COMPLETELY cooled down
2. Throw it in gear, hold the brakes, and give it some gas for 20~30 seconds (1750~2000 rpm or so)
3. Put it in park, pop the hood and feel the coolant return hose. If it feels like there's some pressure in the system, you have a problem. If the hose is limp, it has passed the test and its on to further diagnosis if your problem persist.

I wouldn't know much about the light issue though.

 

[riverviewcontracting]

did you just do a head gasket or some thing (it may just have coolant in the exhaust pipe that is burning off mine took like forever and still smells like burning coolant and i have drove it over 1000 miles after my head gasket replacement)

 

[bmonee5]

The head gasket has never been replaced. It has never leaked oil, burned oil, leaked coolant or burned coolant to my knowledge. The oil level always stays the same, also the coolant level. Nothing has really stuck out to me that made me think of a blown gasket but sometimes i'm just paranoid of things like this. I don't drive the truck much, about half mile to work and thats about it, so i think it just doesn't get all the way up to temp that much. I did change my thermostat and lost alot of coolant and filled it back up then ran it and kept filling it when i noticed the level went down until it wasn't dropping at all. I assume it burped itself of any air pockets and haven't noticed the coolant level drop at all?

 

[Big Jim M]

bmon sounds to me like you simply don't drive it far enough to get the condensation completely out of the exhaust system.
If the coolant and oil are at normal levels forget about the exhaust.. Until you drive it a hundred miles or so at one setting...then look at the exhaust and it should be nice and clear.
Remember WATER is what the EPA is trying to get all of our exhaust to be.
Big JIm

 

[bmonee5]

wow thanks, stupid as it sounds it kind of puts my mind at ease knowing that. Its kind of what i figured but hearing it from some smart ford guys makes me feel better. BTW i also found my 3rd brake light and other white lights on the cab DO work they come on with the cab light override switch by the headlight switch. Thanks you for the feedback!!!

 

[Doofy]

Ditto on what Big Jim says. More than likely, it is just condensation in the exhaust system. No need to fret.