Hey guys, here's my problem, so I recently hollowed out my cat because I thought it was clogged, anways now it seems to be smoking alot. Sometimes it smokes alot sometimes it doesnt smoke at all. I do have a o2 code that is showing up on my dash. Could the smoke be caused by the second sensor is making my truck run rich? or is this a blown head gasket? I've checked my oil dip stick and it looks kind of orangish but it still looks like oil to me. Any ideas from you guys or way's to check for a blown head gasket or just anything you think it may be please let me know thanks.

- Evan

 

What color smoke?

 

White smoke sorry forgot to add that.

 

That's coolant. Check and see if your coolant is disappearing...... Also, check your oil again. If it looks milky, STOP driving it.

Blown head gasket won't always drop coolant into the crank case though. You can tell if it really is coolant by the smell. If it is REALLY strong, burns the eyes and lungs, pretty good bet it's coolant. (Don't stick your face into the exhaust and sniff.... that is an unpleasant experience, yeah, yeah, don't ask how I know that...... just get close, and wave some at your nose.)

 

And what does it mean if my coolent is disappearing

 

The smell of the exhaust is kind of like a strong smell, like sweet? But let me ask you this, if the head gasket is blown would it smoke alot all the time, mine sometimes doesnt smoke at all.

 

If you are losing coolant, the exhaust smells funky, (which it sounds like it does) you are burning coolant. (and thus, it disappears from the radiator. Don't take much to make a BIG cloud....) You probably just have a bad headgasket. Hopefully. these heads usually crack around the valve seats, they would have to crack pretty deep to get into the cooling jackets. (I don't think that's it though.)

If it is just a minor leak, (and it don't take much.) it may not leak all the time. It will get progressively worse though, and it will get to the point that you start getting cylinder pressure into the cooling system. It really isn't designed for that kind of behavior, so, something usually gives..... whatever is weakest. (which, with a dodge truck, will prolly be the radiator, or, even worse, the heater core......)

It may also be an intake leak.... those are much more likely to get coolant into the oil though. I suspect it is time to tear it down, and see what's what.

 

My mechanic just told me I had a coolant leak coming from my timing chain cover and that if it went completely out I would get coolant in my oil..... if this. Helps any or even sounds right

 

not trying to steal this thread but my 01 smokes black and white really bad in the mornings when its low on fuel... its odd

 

Yep, your mechanic is correct, the would not account for the white smoke out the exhaust though. Since you need to reseal the timing cover, replace the water pump (it has to come off anyway.) and the timing chain and gears. Get a good double roller set. The old morse style guys like to stretch.

Probably some water in your gas.