87 ranger, white smoke comin out

[chalkfood]

We just replaced the header gasket and finally got everything put back together (we think) today. Upon test drive the truck poured white smoke out the tailpipe and from the engine, looked like it was from the exhaust manifold. Anybody know where we might start to fix this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-chalkfood

 

[adsm08]

Did you replace an exhaust manifold gasket, or a cylinder head gasket?

Also, WHAT ENGINE?!?

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

From my experience
Black = fuel
Blue = oil
White = water

Did it go away after it warmed up? Was it an excessive amout or just a lil bit? Check your water level in the radiator maybe your head is cracked and water is leaking into your manifold?

 

[adsm08]

From my experience
Black = fuel
Blue = oil
White = water

Did it go away after it warmed up? Was it an excessive amout or just a lil bit? Check your water level in the radiator maybe your head is cracked and water is leaking into your manifold?

I'm thinking the same thing. I just want him to come out and tell us it is a 2.9 so that we can be sure he didn't do all his homework and then went and replaced a head gasket over a cracked head.

 

[jhammel85]

I was thinking cracked heads too...

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Adam- ha ha sorry. I'm assuming its a 2.9 too.

 

[chalkfood]

Did you replace an exhaust manifold gasket, or a cylinder head gasket?

Also, WHAT ENGINE?!?

2.3 liter. we replaced a leaking head gasket (original project) and replaced a few others since we were already there, including intake mani gasket and exhaust mani gasket.

we took it around the neighborhood and ran it about ten minutes, smoked the whole time with no noticeable change. checked the coolant before posting this, it was empty as we forgot we drained it.

the head isnt cracked.

um... anything else?

 

[chrwilkins30]

Did the smoke stop after you added coolant?

 

[upnsmoke]

Did you drive it around for ten minutes with no coolant in it, or put coolant in it, then drive it?

 

[David88]

I'm not to familiar with the older vehicles. I was 2 when your truck was made. Does it have O2 sensors that you may habe unplugged? Running lean can cause a white exhaust emission. Or could be you pinched the gasket when you pit it back together? I usually use a dab of silicone to make sure my gaskets don't move any when I'm reassembling. Might need to tear it back down and check.

 

[509lifted]

from ur last post it sounds like u ran it without coolant then posted this so what are u doing asking if u havent ran it with coolant yet that could be ur problem

 

[adsm08]

2.3 liter. we replaced a leaking head gasket (original project) and replaced a few others since we were already there, including intake mani gasket and exhaust mani gasket.

we took it around the neighborhood and ran it about ten minutes, smoked the whole time with no noticeable change. checked the coolant before posting this, it was empty as we forgot we drained it.

the head isnt cracked.

um... anything else?

Ok, now I can give you a good answer. Go run the piss out of it. If it seems to be running ok, get it to temp, get on the highway, and run it hard.

A bad head gasket can let coolant into the exhaust system. So can removing the head if it runs down right. Then it sits in the cat and boils out and you blow a big white cloud out the back. Since you say you forgot to fill the coolant (I'm guessing you saw the cloud while the system was still empty) it probably wasn't leaking out of the engine.

 

[chalkfood]

ran it today and it seems to have burned off whatever was in there. haven't taken it on the freeway yet but we've run it about twenty minutes now and i think it's workin all right.

thanks for your help everyone. if i run into any other troubles i'll be sure to put them up here. you've all been very helpful.
-chalk