Engine Smoke
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Junior User
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Engine Smoke
I have a 1997 Ford F-150 extended cab 4x4 with the 4.6litre.On acceleration a Puff of white smoke shoots out the duals not all the time just sometimes,I was wondering if this could be caused by not having a tuneup for 2 years+ and or oil change could cause this?Was hoping it was not the Rings, it does have 140k Miles on the engine.
Also is there easier solution for now or any tricks besides tearing the motor apart.
Thanks
Also is there easier solution for now or any tricks besides tearing the motor apart.
Thanks
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,493
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End of last summer? how often you change the oil? and how often has it been changed in the past?
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2010
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Any sort of smoke after initial start up, is a fluid burning, usually. You say yours has periodic white smoke ? Oil is almost always a blue tint, heavy smoke that sort of hangs in the air. White quite often is coolant being burned off.
Check your VIN for engine type. A "W" 4.6 is the Romeo engine, and they had numerous issues with head gasket leaks, more often oil though.
Next time it does it, get a smell of the exhaust if you can. If it's coolant, you should be able to tell pretty easily. Check the coolant level ( put a mark on the tank and see if it goes down (over night cold, then check it). If you are really ambitious, pull a couple of spark plugs, like #'s 3-4. See if they have a glazed look.
Dave
Check your VIN for engine type. A "W" 4.6 is the Romeo engine, and they had numerous issues with head gasket leaks, more often oil though.
Next time it does it, get a smell of the exhaust if you can. If it's coolant, you should be able to tell pretty easily. Check the coolant level ( put a mark on the tank and see if it goes down (over night cold, then check it). If you are really ambitious, pull a couple of spark plugs, like #'s 3-4. See if they have a glazed look.
Dave
New User
Joined: Feb 2011
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After a visit to my local engine rebuilder I was shown a dimanteled 4.6 modular engine that had the compression rings removed but still had the oil rings on the pistons.
They could be reinserted back into the block without using ring compressors as the oil rings were basically glued to the pistons.
He stated he was no fan of engine additives but suggested I try something like rislone to clean some of the gunk off the rings rather than tear down a 25 year old engine in a car that isn't worth that kind of expense.
Any body had a similar experience?
They could be reinserted back into the block without using ring compressors as the oil rings were basically glued to the pistons.
He stated he was no fan of engine additives but suggested I try something like rislone to clean some of the gunk off the rings rather than tear down a 25 year old engine in a car that isn't worth that kind of expense.
Any body had a similar experience?
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
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Any fluids that are hydro carbon based will burn with a darker blue/grey/black color.
Transmission fluids and coolants are different and often result in a whitish color as vapor as they don't really burn but change phase state due to heat and pressure.
If you have true duals on each side and they both are puffing white vapor I would suspect coolant.
Keep an eye on coolant level over time. If it tends to go down, your found the source but still don't know where it's getting into the combustion act along with the air/fuel.
Could be intake, head gasket or a crack.
Good luck.
Transmission fluids and coolants are different and often result in a whitish color as vapor as they don't really burn but change phase state due to heat and pressure.
If you have true duals on each side and they both are puffing white vapor I would suspect coolant.
Keep an eye on coolant level over time. If it tends to go down, your found the source but still don't know where it's getting into the combustion act along with the air/fuel.
Could be intake, head gasket or a crack.
Good luck.
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