engine smoke problems..

[ae_ce23]

My truck was sitting for some time before i bought it.. it was used to go mudding... ive been driving it for about a month and no real issue... it had codes for some miss fires in a 3 pistons... i havnt gotten around to fixing it... and was puttering around... I noticed the fuel tank vent was clogged... so i loosened the gas cap a bit... I was later doing 65 mph(hardest it been pushed since I bought it) when.... my speed started creeping back to 45mph... another issue... my oil breather started venting gas vapor... and my exhaust has some light greyish smoke(smells gassy)... it isnt coolant...
Im was thinking maybe misfires... causing the smoke....
I started with the new plugs(second set) and new wires(a month ago)...
all the new plugs are sparking... old plugs(month old) some were good, some were rich looking and some having heavy deposits bridging the gap in a month...

I was thinking i might have clogged injectors...

I seem to remember having all the plugs out and turning it over... and only seeing fuel vapor leaving a couple spark plug holes.. in the past... (maybe bad wind that day)

i even while the engine was idling unplugged and replugged the spark plug wires... some didnt affect the rpm at all... 2 had major effects... 1 had a little effect maybe 50-100 rpm

and get about 150-200 miles per stock 14 gal tank

just wondering it anyone has some thoughts
maybe something else broke...? or it something else

its a 89 ranger 2.9l

 

[IMenriched]

My truck was sitting for some time before i bought it.. it was used to go mudding... ive been driving it for about a month and no real issue... it had codes for some miss fires in a 3 pistons... i havnt gotten around to fixing it... and was puttering around... I noticed the fuel tank vent was clogged... so i loosened the gas cap a bit... I was later doing 65 mph(hardest it been pushed since I bought it) when.... my speed started creeping back to 45mph... another issue... my oil breather started venting gas vapor... and my exhaust has some light greyish smoke(smells gassy)... it isnt coolant...
Im was thinking maybe misfires... causing the smoke....
I started with the new plugs(second set) and new wires(a month ago)...
all the new plugs are sparking... old plugs(month old) some were good, some were rich looking and some having heavy deposits bridging the gap in a month...

I was thinking i might have clogged injectors...

I seem to remember having all the plugs out and turning it over... and only seeing fuel vapor leaving a couple spark plug holes.. in the past... (maybe bad wind that day)

i even while the engine was idling unplugged and replugged the spark plug wires... some didnt affect the rpm at all... 2 had major effects... 1 had a little effect maybe 50-100 rpm

and get about 150-200 miles per stock 14 gal tank

just wondering it anyone has some thoughts
maybe something else broke...? or it something else

its a 89 ranger 2.9l

you would wise to do a compression check...especially the on the cylinders that are not doing well...really, all cylinders. Soo you can get a over all picture of health this engine is in. fouling plugs in that short of time is not a good sign.

if this sat for some extended time...yes you may have some injector issues.
being that this was used to go mudding in a former life....I have reservations about how correct that the valves are & or rings. it might have swallowed a slug of water or something other than what it should, and to say the least, it didn't digest well.

concidering that you have 3 suspect lungs...your doing well with your MPGS

 

[ae_ce23]

smoking...

sounds like a good suggestion... Ill get the compression tested tomorrow... I'm worried its a exhaust valve related... last night and today I seafoamed the hell out of it... even letting some sit overnight in the system... it still has a huge performance loss... during the last 7 years it was quoted being used as a hunt truck for its 4x4... it was muddy..... I replaced the air filter which was very muddy... that was 3-4 months ago...

the other day
the performance drop(25%)... had no weird noises... when I bought it, I needed to do some work to get it running... expansion plug and waterpump... both work good now and the block wasnt cracked... so I'm hoping the fuel(4-5th fillup) might

 

[ae_ce23]

smokie

So I dropped it off this morning. my local shop is charging 79$ to do their engine diagnostics... seems better then I thought it would cost... still just hoping its not a valve... I saw they charged 4$ in parts maybe injector o-rings and anti seize for plugs... i didn't go into details on what they will test...

 

[IMenriched]

So I dropped it off this morning. my local shop is charging 79$ to do their engine diagnostics... seems better then I thought it would cost... still just hoping its not a valve... I saw they charged 4$ in parts maybe injector o-rings and anti seize for plugs... i didn't go into details on what they will test...

the more details that you give the many helpful folks here on TRS...the better.
at least then we can help heard/direct the your local shop to look at a particular area...& maybe help weed down the diagnostic time ...not saying that they are bad...probably very good at what they do.

even if they fix it...chime back with what it took...odds are good someone will find the information helpful to their cause or similar situation

 

[ae_ce23]

smokie

they found a bad fuel regulator... on my fuel issues
on the smoking issues... #4 has no compression and with the valve cover off. the spring and rocker are ok... its compression is being lost to the crankcase...
and they found a silvery paste mixing with the oil...(metal parts must be grinding) while looking under the valve cover... the oil is less then a month old... and was changed 3 times in the last 1000 miles... i used seafoam in the oil 2 oil changes ago... and a short oil change to help ensure nothing floating loose....
they commented saying
the piston is moving up and down
they dont know if its piston rings or/and maybe a head gasket failure...
I'm going to probably look at it myself... I can afford anymore labor from the shop... i was little when i saw a engine taken apart... i have a manual... and some tools... worse case i cant make it worth a whole lot less taking it apart....

 

[IMenriched]

they found a bad fuel regulator... on my fuel issues
on the smoking issues... #4 has no compression and with the valve cover off. the spring and rocker are ok... its compression is being lost to the crankcase...
and they found a silvery paste mixing with the oil...(metal parts must be grinding) while looking under the valve cover... the oil is less then a month old... and was changed 3 times in the last 1000 miles... i used seafoam in the oil 2 oil changes ago... and a short oil change to help ensure nothing floating loose....
they commented saying
the piston is moving up and down
they dont know if its piston rings or/and maybe a head gasket failure...
I'm going to probably look at it myself... I can afford anymore labor from the shop... i was little when i saw a engine taken apart... i have a manual... and some tools... worse case i cant make it worth a whole lot less taking it apart....

OUCH somewhere tapps are being played for your loss.

if damage proves to be extensive....might be a good time to up grade to 4.0 or more for a resurrection.

 

[ae_ce23]

smokie the parked ranger

to make matters worse i move in 45 days... this wasn't what I was hoping for right now... yeah a engine swap would be best but its $$$... ill start opening it up when i pick it up from the shop... if time runs out... it will be junked... i just put a passenger window... water pump... freeze plug... spark plug wires... 2 sets of plugs.. brakes, with 2xnew brake cylinders in the drums... replaced rusted exhaust muffler and back... and just did the front wheel bearings last week lol and my wife had me put in a new radio... maybe I should play with some speed bumps in it final days... maybe if im lucky the problem is cheap...

the ford 2.9 is like a turkey in oven you never know how long it'll take to pop

 

[ae_ce23]

smokie the parked ranger

anybody know what size socket i'll need

i'm working my way down to cylinder number 4
almost have the drivers side valve cover back off and there is a stud on the back near the distributor and fuel regulator... it has a nut on it and requires me to buy a deep socket... hopefully not a set... it the last hurdle in the valve cover removal..

 

[ae_ce23]

smokie the parked ranger

judging by the silence... maybe that was some after market threaded rod added by some crafty person . well ill try to find some sockets today... id like to get the head off today.. ill hit up sears today

 

[kimcrwbr1]

No you have to pull the heads to inpect the heads and cylinder walls I am not sure but 10 mm deep socket for the nuts and studs. but I would make sure the valves are closing all the way on #4 cylinder. Back off on the rocker adjustments until you feel clearance then back down to just touching then test for compression. crank on it with your finger in the hole if you dont have a compression tester. It could be a valve not closing all the way. If no compression then go the head route

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Use a socket to turn the crank and make sure both valves are all the way up when you adjust the rockers call me paranoid but if they had the valve covers off some shops at times can be less than honest so double check for compression before you pull the heads. If you get compression by backing off the valve lash then turn them in 1 1/2 turns and check it again if you lose compression you have a bad lifter. This depends on if you have the adjustable lash rockers

 

[ae_ce23]

smokie the parked ranger

No you have to pull the heads to inpect the heads and cylinder walls I am not sure but 10 mm deep socket for the nuts and studs. but I would make sure the valves are closing all the way on #4 cylinder. Back off on the rocker adjustments until you feel clearance then back down to just touching then test for compression. crank on it with your finger in the hole if you dont have a compression tester. It could be a valve not closing all the way. If no compression then go the head route

thanks, ill try that... I bought a compression tester a while back... and was told that the right size but my local napa guy... it wasnt... I am tearing it apart... the repair shop i took it too is really good... i know the valve cover was taken off by them... its was leaking oil like a oil spill offshore in Louisiana..
at this point its compression is like pissing into the wind
1-110psi
2.175psi
3.110psi
4.0psi
5.130psi
6.160psi

the specs of minimal compression is 101 psi
I was told... metal was was flowing through the oil... and the valve train was moving... and told the crankcase was getting the fuel mostly... i know the pcv and oil breather where feeding out fumes...
im going to tear further in when i get off work... im going to check every thing at this point..

 

[IMenriched]

thanks, ill try that... I bought a compression tester a while back... and was told that the right size but my local napa guy... it wasnt... I am tearing it apart... the repair shop i took it too is really good... i know the valve cover was taken off by them... its was leaking oil like a oil spill offshore in Louisiana..
at this point its compression is like pissing into the wind
1-110psi
2.175psi
3.110psi
4.0psi
5.130psi
6.160psi

the specs of minimal compression is 101 psi
I was told... metal was was flowing through the oil... and the valve train was moving... and told the crankcase was getting the fuel mostly... i know the pcv and oil breather where feeding out fumes...
im going to tear further in when i get off work... im going to check every thing at this point..

Looks like cylinders 1&3 are also....high on the "look closer" list

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Yea if the rockers are adjustable go back and adjust them all for the proper lash starting with #1 back them out till you feel lash then just till touching then in 1 1/2 turns. then check the compression but dont start it pull all the plugs and check one at a time. if you still smell fuel in the oil change it that was probably because of the fuel regulator leaking into the manifold dripping down the rings to the crankase. If you have compression on the #4 cylinder start it with good oil to get it good and warm at about 3000 rpm pour about half a cup of water down the throttle body slowly not to kill the motor but it will clean the carbon out of the combustion chambers and the valves the run the compression check again. I am not convinced that it is a head gasket unless you have problems with the coolant also. fuel in the oil is injectors or regulator and it sounds to me someone messed with the valve lash giving you that wide of range of cylinder compression.