Frustration!
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Erie, PA
Frustration!
First of all I want to apologize for the numerous posts, but this truck I bought is literally giving me a headache. I love the truck, but I am really starting to question if I made the right decision. After being bent over by the mechanic, I was driving it home and it stalled. I was on my way to Autozone to have the codes read. I got there and steam was coming out from the driver side wheel well. My first thought was the gasket. I could not spot any leakage and the coolant level was right where it should be. Oil was fine too. I drove it about 20 miles after that to see if I would have any other little suprises and nothing. This morning coolant still at the correct level, oil still fine. It does have a small oil leak when you look in through the wheel well. Who knows? I have had such good luck with Fords until now. I ready to drive it into the lake if it will make it there!
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Erie, PA
I have thought about that, and I think you are probably right. I was concerned because it had just stalled 5 minutes before that happenend. Probably just a weird coincidence. I have said in an earlier post that paranoia is getting the best of me because I did alot of research on the gasket issue. If the turn signal blinks too fast I am checking the coolant level. LOL
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,532
Likes: 5
From: Trussville, Alabama
First of all: NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE! That is what this forum is here for. We are here to share experiences, help each other out, and maybe even socialize a little! Join the crowd, we don't bite!
So you had JUST left the mechanic's place? Any chance that either by accident, or on purpose, the mechanic could have left something under the hood that got hot and smoked? Can you find any residue indicating where something touched something hot and got melted/toasted?
Are you SURE it was steam? Could you smell anitfreeze?
I'd suggest cleaning the motor (NOT high pressure / steam cleaning.) so you can try to identify where the oil leak might be coming from. The oil filter is on that side. Any chance it is coming from the filter?
Stay with it. You can get it resolved.
So you had JUST left the mechanic's place? Any chance that either by accident, or on purpose, the mechanic could have left something under the hood that got hot and smoked? Can you find any residue indicating where something touched something hot and got melted/toasted?
Are you SURE it was steam? Could you smell anitfreeze?
I'd suggest cleaning the motor (NOT high pressure / steam cleaning.) so you can try to identify where the oil leak might be coming from. The oil filter is on that side. Any chance it is coming from the filter?
Stay with it. You can get it resolved.
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Erie, PA
Thanks Brian, I really appreciate all the help. Once I get done with this truck I will be able contribute a bunch of experience! lol. The mechanic wasn't really supposed to touch the engine. He was installing rotors, a tie rod end, and rear brake shoes. I didn't see any residue, and it did not smell like antifreeze burning. I will try to clean the engine, and see if I could see any new residue or marks. Your'e right, they could of been checking the fluids, and drip any one of them on the manifold. Then when it heated up it burnt off. Once it was done smokin, it didn't happen again. Once I get these things resolved I am sure I will be pleased with the truck. Thank you for the advice.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 914
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Fl
if your guy changed the rotors on the truck the "steam" you seen may have been the new pads breaking in...it happens....also you may have hit a small puddle and got it on the hot rotor and that causes steam as well....make sure you catch a nice whiff of whatever it is next time so that you can know what it is....brakes smell like burnt wires or clutch kinda sweet chemical type smell and the anti-freeze will smell like a sweet smelling, leave a taste in your sinus type smell...keep us posted
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 35
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From: Erie, PA
Since then I have been driving it, and nothing. I think something was just buring offf that had been spilled on it. I think most of the issues are taken care of now, the only thing I have to do is fix the rattle coming form the cat. I think it is the shield.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 752
Likes: 32
From: North Carolina
Probably not, I fought the rattling cat problem also. Driver's side, drove me nuts. Turns out the first cat on that side had broken up into pieces. I was able to remove the pipe from the manifold to the first slip joint, and dump the loose pieces out. It came out in small pieces at first, then in chunks. I put it back on, and have had no problems or codes. The second converter is still intact for now. I'm considering high flow cats, because one high flow will replace two standard cats.
I even replaced my flowmaster trying to solve the problem. I thought the baffles had broken loose. Turns out that some pieces of the bad cat had blown down stream and been caught by the baffles, and couldn't get out. I hope this is not your problem, but if it is , then high flow cats are going for about $65-$85 ea. I do not recommend removing them altogether, to many potential problems.
I even replaced my flowmaster trying to solve the problem. I thought the baffles had broken loose. Turns out that some pieces of the bad cat had blown down stream and been caught by the baffles, and couldn't get out. I hope this is not your problem, but if it is , then high flow cats are going for about $65-$85 ea. I do not recommend removing them altogether, to many potential problems.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,013
Likes: 6
From: Cajun Country
Could it have been brake fluid burning off of the exhaust? Normally,when you do front brake work,like compress the calipers to change the pads,you have to remove some brake fluid from the master cylinder.You said you had your rotors replaced; he might have spilled some brake fluid on the exhaust. 
