New to Fourm _ Blue Smoke @ take off
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Gainesville, Ga.
congrats on the new to you truck at a great price, but you might be a little too attached to it 
the blue smoke is most likely valve seals. you can test this and other aspects of the engine condition by running a compression test. you can likely drive it as is for another 100k miles, just by changing the oil regularly and keeping it tuned up every 2 or 3 or 4 years. the excessive oil burning might clog up the cat, if you still have one, and depending on where you live, you might have emissions problems.
i would have expected a small drop in oil level after 1000 miles. i had an old caravan with bad seals that i drove for a long time - just keep it full of oil and drive on.
if you decide to fix it, you can replace the seals using string in the cylinder to hold the valves up. you can search on it. it'll be lot cheaper than pulling the heads.
the blue smoke is most likely valve seals. you can test this and other aspects of the engine condition by running a compression test. you can likely drive it as is for another 100k miles, just by changing the oil regularly and keeping it tuned up every 2 or 3 or 4 years. the excessive oil burning might clog up the cat, if you still have one, and depending on where you live, you might have emissions problems.
i would have expected a small drop in oil level after 1000 miles. i had an old caravan with bad seals that i drove for a long time - just keep it full of oil and drive on.
if you decide to fix it, you can replace the seals using string in the cylinder to hold the valves up. you can search on it. it'll be lot cheaper than pulling the heads.
Retired Moderator - RIP
Joined: May 2008
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From: NH
Although I agree that with 271K it probably is the valve seals,(could be a severely blown plenum, or pcv valve for that matter) what the heck does "Would blue smoke at take off (not seen under load from a stop)" Mean? How do you take off without stopping? Maybe I had too many Redhook's!
Record Breaker
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: NB, Canada
Does it belch out blue smoke occasionally when starting up? That would point to a leaking plenum, wouldn't it? Most people I've talked to around my area who have a Magnum engine also have the smoke at startup, myself included. My dad's 99 only has ~150,000 KMs on it, and it does it. His is mint shape and runs and drives like it just came out of a showroom, and still has the plenum issue... 
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Joined: Oct 2010
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I have changed over to synthetic oil and have 3000 kms since oil change and there is less oil drop on dip stick then with regular oil. Motor has 203,000 kms and I notice the oil pressure on gauge goes to normal pretty much instantly. And no leaks yet.
Record Breaker
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,048
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From: Wisconsin
I was lucky enough to be the proud parent of a 94 1500 Reg Cab 4X4 with a 5.9 with 271,xxx miles by only paying $800.00. I drove the beautiful baby girl 150 miles home and immediately bathed her. I have driven her now for a week with no real issues other than the birthmarks I got her with (Broken rear drive-rside window and middle slider, motorcycle/stars headliner (I KNOW... I', have to change this quickly), and slight blue smoke @ takeoff.) I am working on the windows and thinking of what I'll do on the headliner but have the over all question....
Would blue smoke at take off (not seen under load from a stop) be piston rings, or valve jobs, or any thing else?
Over all the truck is VERY solid for the monies paid, drive with no issues, no feeling of lack of power, no visible large drop in oil from dipstick over 1000 miles. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Would blue smoke at take off (not seen under load from a stop) be piston rings, or valve jobs, or any thing else?
Over all the truck is VERY solid for the monies paid, drive with no issues, no feeling of lack of power, no visible large drop in oil from dipstick over 1000 miles. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
They are your valveseals. When you let your truck sit parked for a few hours, the oil will settle and get past the valveseals and into the combustion chambers. Thus burning and showing blue exhaust.
Just get new heads. YOu can drive like that for a while, but don't use synthetic oil, EVER for your truck.
Here is what I would do:
1. Hughes plenum kit (and intake bolt kit): 145 from www.hughesengines.com
2. 180* thermostat (JET performance $14 at summit)
3. SCT Tuner from Hemifever $275 (just PM hemifever)
4. Get stock heads from EQ/Clearwater on ebay. THey are new castings and better than what you have now. But for a couple hundred extra, you can get some really good heads.
As for performance heads:
1. Clearwater/EQ heads from Ebay (Monster Magnums brand new) about 900 for the set.
2. Iron Magnum Heads from Hughes (2.02 valves) $999
3. Edelbrock Heads (Aluminum) with 58CC combustion chambers $1500. Personal preference is NOT to get aluminum heads for a truck.
Just get new heads. YOu can drive like that for a while, but don't use synthetic oil, EVER for your truck.
Here is what I would do:
1. Hughes plenum kit (and intake bolt kit): 145 from www.hughesengines.com
2. 180* thermostat (JET performance $14 at summit)
3. SCT Tuner from Hemifever $275 (just PM hemifever)
4. Get stock heads from EQ/Clearwater on ebay. THey are new castings and better than what you have now. But for a couple hundred extra, you can get some really good heads.
As for performance heads:
1. Clearwater/EQ heads from Ebay (Monster Magnums brand new) about 900 for the set.
2. Iron Magnum Heads from Hughes (2.02 valves) $999
3. Edelbrock Heads (Aluminum) with 58CC combustion chambers $1500. Personal preference is NOT to get aluminum heads for a truck.
Thread Starter
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Registered User
Joined: Oct 2010
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That's funny..
Thanks for all the ideas. I am working on the compression tests this weekend to see each cylinder and how it is reacting. I also found a back glass sliding unit from a yard here in town for $50 and will be trying to get it in on Sat.
There is never any blue smoke when I turn her on.. **wink** **wink** I only "see" the smoke in her passenger side mirror when I am pulling away from a stop light/sign.
Depending on what the compression test read, is there any upgrades to the stock heads that can be done without buying "NIB Performance" heads? (ie i replaced my stock 94 5.0 Mustang heads with heads from an Explorer to gain batter flow OR valve job on junk yard heads with Dremell tool modifications?)
Thanks for all the ideas. I am working on the compression tests this weekend to see each cylinder and how it is reacting. I also found a back glass sliding unit from a yard here in town for $50 and will be trying to get it in on Sat.
There is never any blue smoke when I turn her on.. **wink** **wink** I only "see" the smoke in her passenger side mirror when I am pulling away from a stop light/sign.
Depending on what the compression test read, is there any upgrades to the stock heads that can be done without buying "NIB Performance" heads? (ie i replaced my stock 94 5.0 Mustang heads with heads from an Explorer to gain batter flow OR valve job on junk yard heads with Dremell tool modifications?)
Professional
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 102
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I vote for rings.
Valve guides or seals is usually smoke at start-up after sitting. The oil seeps past and then collects in the chamber and burns off once started. It usually doesn't seep fast enough to cause this while running, unless they are really shot.
Valve guides or seals is usually smoke at start-up after sitting. The oil seeps past and then collects in the chamber and burns off once started. It usually doesn't seep fast enough to cause this while running, unless they are really shot.
Record Breaker
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,048
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From: Wisconsin
Just speaking from experience. I had a different situation though, I bought my truck 4 years ago, with 167K miles, for a lot more than $800. All the Mods happened 2 years ago. Even with all the mods and all the work on my truck it is still a worthless, unreliable, POS.
$800 trucks are for beating until something breaks and you throw it away. A year or two ago I bought a 1986 F250 4x4 for $600 and put a little work and money into it. It took me 9 months to sell it for $1000 and I had $1300 into it, and it looked and ran decent.
BTW I bought the F250 because I needed something to drive while I rebuilt the tranny in the POS Dodge I owned and while I had it the Ford seemed indestructable (compared to dodge).
If you can't tell I am less than impressed with the quality of my Dodge but I believe that a lot of it has to do with poor previous owner mantinence.
$800 trucks are for beating until something breaks and you throw it away. A year or two ago I bought a 1986 F250 4x4 for $600 and put a little work and money into it. It took me 9 months to sell it for $1000 and I had $1300 into it, and it looked and ran decent.
BTW I bought the F250 because I needed something to drive while I rebuilt the tranny in the POS Dodge I owned and while I had it the Ford seemed indestructable (compared to dodge).
If you can't tell I am less than impressed with the quality of my Dodge but I believe that a lot of it has to do with poor previous owner mantinence.
Record Breaker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,210
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From: Crystal River, FL
Mine did the same thing with approximately 110k miles. I suspected it was the valve seals as well, but after changing the plenum gasket and upgrading to the hughes plenum plate, I haven't had blue smoke at takeoff since.
