White smoke and gasoline coming out of exhaust?

MichaelHouts · 11-16-2010, 03:06 PM

I have a '93 4.0 Explorer with 219k miles. I started it about an hour after using it last and it wouldn't start or run right. She was blowing white smoke and gasoline out of the exhaust pipe. I drove it home from where I was which was about an hour trip and the white smoke eventually went away, but the rough running didn't. I replaced plugs and then wires and once I replaced the wires she ran a lot better. So I shut her off to check my oil, topped that off, went to start her again and she would barely start again. White smoke and gasoline out the tail pipe and all.

Anybody know what the next step is? Mass air flow? Fuel filter? All cylinders are getting some sort of spark, but could it be that the coil pack isn't giving them ENOUGH spark?

Iron Weasel · 11-16-2010, 04:24 PM

Is the smoke / vapor there all the time, or just until the engine has warmed up to operating temperature?

If it's only there for a little bit, it's probably just water vapor from the combustion process - it appears easier in colder weather. Some water (not gasoline) out of the tailpipe is normal.

If it's there all the time, then that is usually caused by a coolant leak via a blown head gasket or a crack in one of the heads or the block.

Pull a couple of the spark plugs and compare them to the chart and also make sure that the gap is around 0.054" (acceptable range is "0.052-0.056").

Lastly, is the Check Engine light or or has it been on recently?

huntman58 · 11-16-2010, 07:08 PM

Possible your FPR just went out and is now letting to much fuel get in threw the vacuum line from it into the intake. Just a thought.

ragajungle · 11-16-2010, 07:33 PM

x2 on FPR / fuel pressure regulator valve

MichaelHouts · 11-16-2010, 11:43 PM

Appreciate it guys. But it feels like a cylinder isn't firing, is that because the fuel//air mixture isn't righ tbecause of the FPR?

Also, the white smoke will go away, but I'm almost positive it isn't just water vapor, just because of the way it puffs out, as if it were coming from one cylinder. And it is definitely gasoline coming fro my exhaust.

Seriously appreciate the input guys.

Iron Weasel · 11-16-2010, 11:57 PM

If the smoke / vapor goes away, then it's probably not a continuous leak, but if you have raw fuel dumping out the exhaust, you need to check the fuel pressure. It should be in the low - mid 30's PSI with the engine running.

After you check your fuel pressure, check your plugs. If only one cylinder is having problems then the plug will look different than the rest of them. Reading your plugs can help isolate which cylinder(s) is/are having the problem.

11-16-2010, 03:06 PM	#1
MichaelHouts Wannabe Elite Explorer MN '93 Explorer Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 2 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	White smoke and gasoline coming out of exhaust? I have a '93 4.0 Explorer with 219k miles. I started it about an hour after using it last and it wouldn't start or run right. She was blowing white smoke and gasoline out of the exhaust pipe. I drove it home from where I was which was about an hour trip and the white smoke eventually went away, but the rough running didn't. I replaced plugs and then wires and once I replaced the wires she ran a lot better. So I shut her off to check my oil, topped that off, went to start her again and she would barely start again. White smoke and gasoline out the tail pipe and all. Anybody know what the next step is? Mass air flow? Fuel filter? All cylinders are getting some sort of spark, but could it be that the coil pack isn't giving them ENOUGH spark?

11-16-2010, 04:24 PM	#2
Iron Weasel Wannabe Elite Explorer Belen, New Mexico 1994 XLT 4x4 Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 589 Vehicle Specs	Is the smoke / vapor there all the time, or just until the engine has warmed up to operating temperature? If it's only there for a little bit, it's probably just water vapor from the combustion process - it appears easier in colder weather. Some water (not gasoline) out of the tailpipe is normal. If it's there all the time, then that is usually caused by a coolant leak via a blown head gasket or a crack in one of the heads or the block. Pull a couple of the spark plugs and compare them to the chart and also make sure that the gap is around 0.054" (acceptable range is "0.052-0.056"). Lastly, is the Check Engine light or or has it been on recently?

11-16-2010, 07:08 PM	#3
huntman58 Wannabe Elite Explorer Raisin city calif. 1993 xlt 4x4 Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 723 Vehicle Specs	Possible your FPR just went out and is now letting to much fuel get in threw the vacuum line from it into the intake. Just a thought.

11-16-2010, 07:33 PM	#4
ragajungle Wannabe Elite Explorer Chicago, IL 89 BroncoII & 05 Taurus Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1,042 Vehicle Specs	x2 on FPR / fuel pressure regulator valve

11-16-2010, 11:43 PM	#5
MichaelHouts Wannabe Elite Explorer MN '93 Explorer Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 2 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Appreciate it guys. But it feels like a cylinder isn't firing, is that because the fuel//air mixture isn't righ tbecause of the FPR? Also, the white smoke will go away, but I'm almost positive it isn't just water vapor, just because of the way it puffs out, as if it were coming from one cylinder. And it is definitely gasoline coming fro my exhaust. Seriously appreciate the input guys.

11-16-2010, 11:57 PM	#6
Iron Weasel Wannabe Elite Explorer Belen, New Mexico 1994 XLT 4x4 Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 589 Vehicle Specs	If the smoke / vapor goes away, then it's probably not a continuous leak, but if you have raw fuel dumping out the exhaust, you need to check the fuel pressure. It should be in the low - mid 30's PSI with the engine running. After you check your fuel pressure, check your plugs. If only one cylinder is having problems then the plug will look different than the rest of them. Reading your plugs can help isolate which cylinder(s) is/are having the problem.