Misfire after fuel filter change

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Hi boys, got a weird one today. 190k miles. Tranny has ~130k. 05 sport Trac XLT. Stock engine 4.0L SOHC. I replaced the fuel filter, or tried to and couldn’t get the line going to the engine off. So I gave up, put it back together, and decided to drive it to a professional to get it done. Problem is after I put it back together and started it the next morning, it started smoking white and blue smoke and misfiring. Codes read random and cylinder 1&2 misfires. Oil leak also sprung somehow, it appears to be dripping from the exhaust manifold (an exhaust leak I’ve had partially fixed for a while now). I still drove it to get the fuel filter changed but the problem persists with the new filter. It runs, but not smoothly. Smoke sometimes smells sweet as well. I’m concerned it’s a head gasket, but how the heck did that happen from a fuel filter change? I should mention that I depressurized the fuel system by pulling the fuel pump fuse and letting it stall. Please help, I have no clue how this is related if at all.

 

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Hi boys, got a weird one today. 190k miles. Tranny has ~130k. 05 sport Trac XLT. Stock engine 4.0L SOHC. I replaced the fuel filter, or tried to and couldn’t get the line going to the engine off. So I gave up, put it back together, and decided to drive it to a professional to get it done. Problem is after I put it back together and started it the next morning, it started smoking white and blue smoke and misfiring. Codes read random and cylinder 1&2 misfires. Oil leak also sprung somehow, it appears to be dripping from the exhaust manifold (an exhaust leak I’ve had partially fixed for a while now). I still drove it to get the fuel filter changed but the problem persists with the new filter. It runs, but not smoothly. Smoke sometimes smells sweet as well. I’m concerned it’s a head gasket, but how the heck did that happen from a fuel filter change? I should mention that I depressurized the fuel system by pulling the fuel pump fuse and letting it stall. Please help, I have no clue how this is related if at all.

Oh and the smoke comes and goes. Seems to level out after running for a while, doesn’t disappear at any time I don’t think, but it sometimes produces clouds from start to out of first gear. A lot of smoke.

 

[donalds]

Some steam at startup is normal from condensation in the muffler
If its clouds while hot then may have a blown head gasket
Did it overheat ?

 

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Some steam at startup is normal from condensation in the muffler
If its clouds while hot then may have a blown head gasket
Did it overheat ?

Never seen the gauge go past halfway. So I don’t think so. I need to check the coolant once it cools down. The clouds are much more than steam though, and it smells rich with gas sometimes too.

 

[J_C]

I'd do a leak down or compression test and wonder if some sediment broke loose from the filter change and is obstructing those two injectors, but probably just a rare coincidence because yeah, how the heck would a filter change cause that?!

 

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I'd do a leak down or compression test and wonder if some sediment broke loose from the filter change and is obstructing those two injectors, but probably just a rare coincidence because yeah, how the heck would a filter change cause that?!

Yeah, that’s what I’m beginning to think too.