OMG its smoke

[RedLT]

I have a problem with my toy. For some reason it started smoking real bad the other day. I had it in 4HI and it was sitting kind of on a hill running. I put it in drive and started to drive off when this thick cloud of white smoke just came roaring out of my tail pipe for about 30 seconds. When I got driving down the road it went away. I switched out of 4HI when I was driving but the smoke went away before I took it out of 4HI. It has done this once before in the past when it was never in 4HI just 2WD. The first time it happened I though one of my rings was broken or something and oil was getting into my combustion chamber. Anyone (LT maybe) know why this has happened more than once??

I might as well go check my vaccum hoses and clean a few things like the EGR right now because I know LT will throw a fit if I don't after bugging him about telling everyone to check them.

So, any other suggestions beyond the obvious?

[wolfox]

Does she smoke up on you when you first start it in the morning? Does it get better, or worse when acellerating uphill or decellerating down a long, steep hill? Is your coolant overflow tank low on fluid? If it isn't, check the radiator when the truck is stone, dead cold after sitting overnight. Is there coolant in the neck under the cap? Have you had the cooling system pressure checked for leakdown for a few hours or overnight? Have you had a cylinder compression check done?

The reason why I ask this is because the water content of the coolant can make the exhaust blow sweet, white smoke and it may be leaking past internal seals or worse, head gaskets. Oil smoke tends to be a grey-blue in color and hints at other problems. COnsider the checks I mentioned and let us know which one you have done and what the results were.

[RedLT]

I have experianced a blown head gasket in the past. This is nothing like it. There is only the smell of exaust but its really think and white maybe grey. It has only done it twice and both times it was just ideling. My fluids are all at normal and the oil was just changed about 800 miles ago. The first time it happened my service engine light came on and I had my cat. gutted and a sensor changed then it was fixed for a while when something gave way on the interstate. I got that fixed getting a new flowmaster exaust and everythinghas been fine since then until the other day when it blew smoke out the tail pipe again for about 30 seconds. It always stops but what is causing it.

[wolfox]

If it does it at idle, or startup - I suspect valve seals allowing oil to seep past them to be sucked in on the intake stroke of one or more cylinders. But checking/replacing your PCV first wouldbe a step in th right direction. They are quite noisy and buzzy when the engine is first started in the morning. It will quiet down as the engine warms. Do a nice long, moderate climb up a hill at highway speeds and peek in your rearview for any clouds of smoke. Reverse course and drive down that hill with your foot off the throttle to also see if this induces some smoke. But grey-blue smoke at start up or idle may be malfunctioning PCV or valve seals that are gone. Neither is a huge job to do, thankfully.

[RedLT]

Thanks for the info, I live in the mountians so that test won't be very hard at all.

[BlazerLT]

White smoke is a coolant leak.

[dmbrisket 51]

white= water vapor, which is a coolent leak
bluish= oil burnoff, bad pcv or valve seals
black= rich, to much gas in the cylinder to air mixture (a/f) bad maf, iac, or even a tps to name a few

[RedLT]

Thanks

[vballfun]

RedLT,

I've got the same vehicle... just different paint scheme.. red/silver... Anyway.. I just had the exact same thing you discribed happen to my blazer this week.. I was in 4HI due to some flash flooding on interstate with poor drainage.. and when I went out of 4HI to 2 WD I got the same thing.. the white cloud of smoke behind me for about 30 seconds... and went away.. next day on way to work.. i got the same thing.. and on the way home as well.. but not everytime I drive.. and it only lasts for about 20-30 seconds.. and it's like leaving a white smokescreen behind me on interstate... unfortunately I don't have any hills around here.. Va Beach... to perform the recommended test.

I was just curious what the problem ended up being and what was the fix...

Thanks,
VBallFun.

[blazee]

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