All of a sudden! Blowing white smoke and sucking gallons of gas???

[wabbit]

We drove to town today and everything was running great. I came out of the store and started the Explorer and it cranked for about 10 seconds before starting. It usually starts right up. When it did start, it bellowed white smoke and would hardly run. I barely managed to drive it home. I have no idea what is wrong.
There are NO clunking or banging sounds from the engine, just running REALLY CRAPPY and belching white smoke. One important fact- it seems to have used almost a half tank of gas to drive 6-7 miles home. Also, the oil level is elevated 2-3 qts on the stick, presumably from gas in the oil. How could so much gas go directly into the oil???
Any help on this one would be appreciated.
This is a biggie...

 

[Perry]

Wabbit, sorry to hear you won't be able to make CCR2001.
I'm not sure, but it almost sounds like a head gasket.
If so you could get it fixed in a day or two and still make the run..................
Just a thought................

 

[wabbit]

Here's hoping it's a head gasket...

Perry,
I don't know alot about the internal specifics of the motor but how would a blown head gasket cause it to dump gas into the oil? Not just a little, a bunch. I filled the tank yesterday and have run 15 miles since doing so. My gauge now reads half a tank. I'm trying to think where the gas went??? The dipstick now reads two quarts over full and smells of gas. But half a tank is over 9 gallons and I have no external leaks.
????

 

[Perry]

I'm not sure, it was just a thought. I know the water and oil will mix.

We had a Tauras that blew out white smoke and that is what it was so I was just guessing. Maybe someone that knows motors better then I do will be able to help. I just hope you are able to fix it real easy.

 

[TheMattDaddy]

I think I got this right..

Gas burns black smoke
Oil burns white smoke
Coolant burns blue smoke

I'd say you're burning oil like a ****, but you say your oil level is way up there mixed with some gas. So there's probably no doubt that gas is getting in there.

I'm not familiar with the X's 4.0L OHV engine.. so I'm afraid I can't offer much more advice. I'm much more experienced w/ SBC's

 

[wabbit]

I'm hoping for an easy fix but this is gonna hurt...

Whatever it is seems to be internal so thats gonna be $$$ in labor plus whatever parts. I try to do what I can in repairs and mods, but this is ugly.
Half a tank of gas in 5 miles?!?
Still looking for answers on how gas could be pumped into the oil and who knows where else???
Were is the " gas bone connected to the oil bone" ???
9 gallons of gas in the oil would be running out the dipstick hole.

MattDaddy,
Close...
Gas- black
Oil- blue
Water-white

Or in my case, possibly, 9 gallons of unburned gas/air mist- white.

 

[toad]

This dosent sound good Wabbit my experience with white smoke usually means coolant/oil gettin into cylinders which means head or intake gasket . I cant explain the gas though usually if its a gasket the oil will go up due to coolant getting in it ,if so the oil will be a milky colour and runny . A compression test will tell you if its a head gasket. the gas may mean intake gasket not sure . Anyway have a look at the oil colour ,hope Im wrong, good luck

 

[Dan E.]

Originally posted by TheMattDaddy
I think I got this right..

Gas burns black smoke
Oil burns white smoke
Coolant burns blue smoke

I'd say you're burning oil like a ****, but you say your oil level is way up there mixed with some gas. So there's probably no doubt that gas is getting in there.

I'm not familiar with the X's 4.0L OHV engine.. so I'm afraid I can't offer much more advice. I'm much more experienced w/ SBC's

I thought gas was white when it burns.

 

[Jefe]

not that I'm a mechanic but. . .

what if you blew up an injector, so you're pumping lots of fuel into a cylinder and since it won't compress you're forcing it into the oil, and the white smoke is fuel vapor.

What does the exhaust smell like? that should give you a big hint.

 

[tdavis]

my 2cents..

What did the oil look like? Brownish, with foam? Or was it clear, and runny?

If it was brownish, blown head gasket. Replace both sides.

If it was clear, and runny, smelled like gas, check the Fuel Pressure Regulator, and if that's not it, you've got a stuck open injector. To find that puppy, you'll have to take it in to a good mechanic.

 

[wabbit]

OK, some good ideas here...

I'm betting on a stuck or gutted injector nozzle. That sucker must have literally flooded a cylinder to the extent that liquid gas somehow pushed past the rings or valves on the compression stroke.
I know, I've already said, but we're talkin' NINE GALLONS IN 5-6 MILES!
Geez, I guess I'm lucky no one pulled behind me sporting a good ignition source. That smoke (mist) was thick. I can just picture a fury of flame screaming up the vapor trail towards my Explorer!

 

[Jefe]

hmmm. . .jet propelled Ex =)

 

[Alec]

Hey, you never know......

 

[Lifted95X]

actuallly burning water= white smoke.
oil = blue
carbon = black

 

[JDraper]

Re: OK, some good ideas here...

Originally posted by wabbit

Geez, I guess I'm lucky no one pulled behind me sporting a good ignition source. That smoke (mist) was thick. I can just picture a fury of flame screaming up the vapor trail towards my Explorer!

Can you say "Concorde??"

My guess is that you have a blown fpr or a blown injector. As TDavis said, check your oil color. If it's brownish and foamy, it's probably h20 getting in. If it' just thin and runny and smells like gas, check the fuel system out. I'd bet on the fuel system based on your descriptions.

 

[Longs]

Sounds to me like you're dumping to much fuel into the cylinders, and it's washing past the rings into the pan. The injector or fuel pressure regulator seem like good bets.

I would change the oil ASAP too, since you're thinning it out with gasoline, and you may be foaming it, causing cavitation, because the crank case is overfilled.

I haven't fooled around with the injectors... is it possible to unplug one injector at a time to see if the truck suddenly runs better or stops producing as much exhaust?

 

[wabbit]

no water in the oil...

The oil smells like gas as stated before.
If the blown injector theory is true, I will consider myself lucky if a head gasket is not blown. Dumping that much liquid gas into a cylinder would really up the compression in that bore.
I'm interested in seeing what the mechanic finds.
His first question when I told him the symptoms was if I had accidentally fueled up with diesel fuel. I'm sure I selected the premium unleaded pump. Also confirmed on my gas receipt. I will take a sample from my gas tank and if there is diesel in there, the gas station is in BIG TROUBLE...
So, how much does a replacement injector cost?
Can they be purchased seperately or only as a set?
Dealer item no doubt...

 

[MikeP]

Wabbit It sounds like the excess fuel might be from an injector problem (ie engine will run but one cylinder is getting way too much gasoline). I have not heard much of anything about injectors which get "stuck open"; just about dirty injectors. Have you done anything to periodically clean the injectors? I have been using the Red Line injector cleaner additive in the gasoline and maybe every 2 years have a shop do the injector clean (they force through some sort of cleaning solvent). Please keep us informed on how this turns out. Good luck!
Mike with 91 XLT 4x4 in Seattle

 

[mikeresin]

oil and water burn white.
its also possible you burned up a piston ring. debris might have gotten past the air or fuel filter. if you are looseing that much gas it might be the injectors are fine and are spraying into the cylinder but dumps right back out of it becuase of lack of a ring there. it would also explain the running really crappy becuase there would be no cylinder compression. when a ring burns there is nothing to seperate the gas and the oil. being why the white smoke smelled like gas.
thats my guess.
or it could be a head gasket. who knows. im not a mechanic.

 

[tdavis]

Re: no water in the oil...

Originally posted by wabbit
The oil smells like gas as stated before.
If the blown injector theory is true, I will consider myself lucky if a head gasket is not blown. Dumping that much liquid gas into a cylinder would really up the compression in that bore.
I'm interested in seeing what the mechanic finds.
His first question when I told him the symptoms was if I had accidentally fueled up with diesel fuel. I'm sure I selected the premium unleaded pump. Also confirmed on my gas receipt. I will take a sample from my gas tank and if there is diesel in there, the gas station is in BIG TROUBLE...
So, how much does a replacement injector cost?
Can they be purchased seperately or only as a set?
Dealer item no doubt...

If you want to check if it's diesel fuel in the gas tank, just smell the tank.

Diesel *stinks* big time, way worse than gas.

Let's hope it's not a blown ring - if it is, it's engine rebuild time. Which isn't cheap..

As for the injectors, they are not a dealer part. You can get them from just about any where.

Get a Fuel Pressure Gauge, and check the pressure out. If it's >40lbs, FPR is blown. If it's less than 30lbs, open/bad injectors.

Finding the bad injector isn't easy - best to take them all out, and head over to a fuel injector service shop, which can clean and test them for you.