1990 2.3L Ranger Smoking

[IronWolf4488]

my 1990 ranger burns white smoke from the rear of the engine after it has ran for awhile. it doesnt smoke or burn while it is running but as soon as i cut the engine off it smokes bad under the hood. its a thick white smoke. anyone have any idea what this could be? oil was low yesterday but i added a quart. it just started doing this yesterday. someone help. i need this truck as a daily driver.

 

[Mark_88]

Could be a leak in the coolant lines as they tend to run to the back of the engine and then over. If you have a coolant line going to the intake around the back of the engine, it could be that one also.

It tends to drip onto the exhaust and creates the smoke...which can be really toxic so avoid inhaling that stuff...

But it sounds like one or more of your lines are leaking...

 

[tomw]

I would check the coolant level in the radiator, engine cold(overnight or 2-3 hours). If low, I would expect there is a leak on one of the lines as Mark_88 suggested.
If it was excess gasoline, and it burned, it would be black in color. Oil smoke from burning tends to be blue. Coolant from the exhaust pipe will mostly be white, and will form steam, also white, if it drips onto a hot manifold for example.
You might have a pinhole in one of the heater lines, a loose hose clamp, or a failing line.
Do you get any liquid on the ground after parking for a while?
tom