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Is blowing smoke on start up always something serious ?

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yellowboy

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I started blowing smoke on startup Friday-allot of smoke. Is it always something serious or can it be someting out of adjustment ? I am calling the dealer tomorrow.
 
Sudden onset is often bad news. What color smoke? Black might indicate rich fuel/air mix, blue is burning oil, white is usually coolant.
Watch fluid levels, check for error codes, maybe pressure test cooling.
 
Rick3478 said:
Sudden onset is often bad news. What color smoke? Black might indicate rich fuel/air mix, blue is burning oil, white is usually coolant.
Watch fluid levels, check for error codes, maybe pressure test cooling.
Click to expand...
I'll check levels tonight, it's black for sure I have only 2 weeks left on warranty, leaving for a trip Saturday (500 + miles) if I can't get it in here I'll call ahead to PA where I am headed before the end of warranty .
 
Smoke or steam? Its it blue or white? Does it smell like gas or oil or nothing? If you put a paper towel over the exhaust tip does it stain?
 
It's definitely smoke. Because I have only seen it doing a remote start I have not been close. When I have my phone ready up close it has not done it. I am going to keep trying to get it on video.
 
I still see "steam" coming out in the morning even with the warmer weather. Need clarification of which is it, steam or smoke from OP.
 
I had a new 05 F150 wirh the 5.4 L Triten that definitely had blue smoke you could smell the oil burning, brought it to the dealer twice about it both time's they said Ford won't even let us hook it up until it has 30,000 miles on it. Drove it away and traded it in @ another dealership @ 32,000 miles on my first new Ram an 09 TRX and I've never looked back.
 
My truck has smoked on occasion. It is not a 5.7, I have the 6.4 in a 2500, so there are some differences. I have owned it for almost 6 years and have 170,000 miles on it. About 5-6 times over the years, when I started it (usually a cold start) it would put out blue smoke for a few seconds and then it would subside. Then it would not do it again for 6 months or a year.
This same truck will exhibit the "hemi tick" from time to time and it would just stop "ticking". I bought a stethoscope to try to nail down the location, but it quick "ticking" and has not done it recently. I don't remember the last time it smoked, probably about 8 months ago. The truck uses no oil and my oil pressure is about 32 at idle warm and mid-50s while driving.

I am thinking the smoking is perhaps an accumulation of oil from the crank vent, that gets sucked in under certain circumstances. This truck has been almost without issue; I hope the one I have ordered, will be the same.
 
I had that happen about 3 trucks ago. Bought it new, failed at less than 20,000 miles. Only happened at start up, blue smoke. Turned out to be bad seals on the valve guides. Pulled the heads, changed the seals problem solved.
Do you see any oil in the radiator, or radiator reservoir? That would point to a blown head gasket or some other place it is leaking coolant into the cylinders.
What does the oil on the dip stick look like. Normal oil, or is it kind of milky, mucking looking?
If it's black smoke on start up, then it could be a fuel/air mixture problem caused by any one of a zillion sensors in these trucks sending the wrong signal to the rest of the truck.
Is it just at start up, or are you leaving a trail of smoke behind you when you are moving?
Whatever it is, it is something you do not want to ignore. If it were my truck, I would not drive it to PA until you have it resolved.
 
jkm312 said:
I had that happen about 3 trucks ago. Bought it new, failed at less than 20,000 miles. Only happened at start up, blue smoke. Turned out to be bad seals on the valve guides. Pulled the heads, changed the seals problem solved.
Do you see any oil in the radiator, or radiator reservoir? That would point to a blown head gasket or some other place it is leaking coolant into the cylinders.
What does the oil on the dip stick look like. Normal oil, or is it kind of milky, mucking looking?
If it's black smoke on start up, then it could be a fuel/air mixture problem caused by any one of a zillion sensors in these trucks sending the wrong signal to the rest of the truck.
Is it just at start up, or are you leaving a trail of smoke behind you when you are moving?
Whatever it is, it is something you do not want to ignore. If it were my truck, I would not drive it to PA until you have it resolved.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info, I will check some of this in the morning. Oil looks fine. It's just at start up, but only once every five times maybe. Unfortunately I HAVE to go to PA and I don't have another vehicle. I hope I can get in to the dealer before I leave. I have 28,000 miles on it, regular warranty expires on June 19, but I remembered the drive train is 5 years /60,000 , I think ?
 
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Of course now that I am trying to get a video of it by doing a remote start it will not blow any smoke. My oil pressure at idle is at 35 and moving is at 51 PSI.
 
When my '08 did that the Oil Change place over filled it.

Malodave
 
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