Truck spewing white smoke at both ends! Help!

[Rust_Sucks]

My 91 is smoking, but it only does it when I`m sitting and running(warming up, red lights) and for some reason its worse in drive than neutral. It smokes from the drivers side of the engine, midway down to the underside of the engine. It smokes so bad that I cannot see where its coming from. After a short while, it smokes out the tailpipe as well. The smoke is thick(does not dissipate easily) and white. It leaks both oil and antifreeze(but both have always leaked slightly). It has been slightly modded, but not in the areas where its smoking(maybe thats why).

Thanks for the help,
Jake

 

[CmdrPopNFresh]

uh oh! time for heads! no dont hold me to that. but pressure test your cooling system and check your oil for that nasty milkshake look. im a technician in a ford dealer and we see those first gen explorers with cracked heads alot. infact i have a 93 that i picked up for cheap that im putting heads on because they were both cracked. im not promising you thats what it is but thats my first guess based on what you explained. hope you figure it out!

 

[cculter]

uh oh! Time for heads! No dont hold me to that. But pressure test your cooling system and check your oil for that nasty milkshake look. Im a technician in a ford dealer and we see those first gen explorers with cracked heads alot. Infact i have a 93 that i picked up for cheap that im putting heads on because they were both cracked. Im not promising you thats what it is but thats my first guess based on what you explained. Hope you figure it out!:d

x2

 

[Rust_Sucks]

That sounds like a fun day or two. Wonderful. Thanks for the help, that is what I`ve been told by others as well.
Jake

 

[hilton850]

does the smoke smell like oil or antifreeze?
Others are probably right about the heads...could POSSIBLY be a blown head gasket too.

 

[Rust_Sucks]

How expensive is this to fix exactly? And any tips on wheres the cheapest, what not to do, anything really. The smoke smelled like it could be both, it also burns ones nose to inhale it. Should I try the gasket first, just to see?

 

[hilton850]

If it were mine, knowing that the heads have been known to crack on these engines (and other members on here have experienced it first hand), I'd pull the heads and take them somewhere to be checked out for cracks. If they check out OK I'd have the valve seals replaced since they're already at the shop and maybe a valve job depending on how the valves and valve seats look. So if all that stuff checks out throw some new gaskets in there...then you know you've got good heads and head gaskets....and you have to take it so far apart to get the heads off you may as well replace all the intake gaskets and valve cover gaskets...as far as cost, I'm not really sure....I'd guesstimate $500 or more for parts & machine shop work if your heads check out good. There are some good links in other threads on where to get new or refurbished heads for a decent price.

did you check the engine oil to see if it's milky...like there's antifreeze leaking into it?

 

[Rust_Sucks]

I checked and my oil is fine(looks like oil not milkshake) and I also came to the realization that my open element air filter could be sucking in the smoke(still not good). And now it has stopped smoking. That would normally be good, but I didn't do anything to stop it yet. Also a tinking sound my truck used to make at higher rpms stopped. It was followed shortly after by a lighter tinking sound at all rpms, which gradually faded out. My exhaust then got louder, felt less restricted, and the truck got more power(all this is subjective of course). Is it possible that one or both of my cat`s insides disintegrated and came out my straight pipe? I don`t understand whats going on. Also I only paid $800 for my ex, which has more problems yet, and I don`t know if it would be worth it to me to fix a potentially $1K problem. Sorry about the length but I need to figure this out before I`m out of a truck.
Thanks again for the help,
Jake