Hey guys, So I've got an '01 1500 2WD V8. I recently replaced my radiator and thermostat but unfortunately my first thermostat was faulty and my truck got pretty warm before I could pull over. Well since I did this I have mysteriously losing coolant. Also I have had trouble with a misfire in Cylinder 4. My truck sat for a week when I was at school taking finals and when I came home and started it up it blew a good amount of white smoke out the tail pipe and the coolant issue and misfire issue where still present so what should I do from here? Compression test? possible head gasket? maybe worn piston rings? am I just looking for something that isn't there? Thanks for any help guys.

 

Head gasket and or cracked cylinder head. Either way the head has to come off. white smoke is coolant in the exhaust, not good.

 

start with a compression test to identify which cylinders are low. it'll likely be #4. you can follow up with a leak down test to check for air leak into the radiator. that'll confirm it. then pull that head and hope its the head gasket and not a cracked head. search youtube for a how-to on the compression test and leakdown. you can rent the compression tester from oreillys parts and others. not sure about the leakdown rental. maybe?

 

Thanks guys hopefully I can get to doing a compression test tomorrow to get some more information

 

Update: Its been raining all day so haven't been able to do the compression test however I did have enough time to notice the sweet smell to my exhaust and the bubbling from the radiator when I had some one hit the gas for me. Looks like I definitely looking at a head gasket right? and guess I'll find out what the heads look like when I get them off.

 

I wish it were only raining here.....

 

Ha I wish it was more than raining here honestly we don't get snow down in GA to often would be nice to have a little snow for Christmas but question am I going down the right path with replacing the head gasket and looking at the heads when they are off? cause I have to try and get everything together and apart and back together before I have to drive back to school in jan. Oh and I never mentioned it the motor does have 206k on it.

 

What's your budget look like? You *might* be able to get away with just head gaskets, then again, you might be looking at new heads..... (5 to 6 hundred bucks, just for the heads) If you could find a good, low-mileage, used motor, might be the better route to take.

 

Yea I was looking at prices I mean I'm in school so pretty tight budget my moms probably gonna help me out. But she also said if this truck continues down the money pit she may just look into a newer vehicle for me since this is a truck I got from my step dad who didn't want it cause it stopped running(squirrel chewed through the line on the fuel rail-easy fix) and his idea of maintenance and oil changes where put oil in when it burns it cause of the plenum. So I'll replace the gaskets and look at the heads and see if there is any visible cracking.

 

Chances are, you won't be able to see it. If you can, the heads are toast..... If you can manage it, send them to a machine shop to be cleaned and checked. If they are bad..... replace them. Just smile nice at your mom.