Hello all,
I have alot of thick white smoke at first start up. It did it more in the cold weather, but I've noticed it now in the warmer days. I have always lost coolant, and just add a quart or so this morning. My oil dip stick, and radiator doesn't show any sign of water or oil mix.....I do have build up at the oil fill cap...The truck is a 2002 Ram 1500, 4.7 with 124,000 miles.I have had it for three years, and it had 113,000 miles on it when I bought it.
I haven't checked the compression yet, but I plan to.
If anyone has any suggestions or other things that you might have found or tried, please let me know..
P.S
I do use 5w20 full synthetic oil with an additive. And yes it's always has had the tapping noise at first start up as well..
Thank you for your help...

 

Check the radiator for combustion gases in the coolant. You can get a kit from your local parts store.

 

Thanks,
That should be a a place to start..Its my daily driver, and I've noticed some days it don't smoke at all.....It must be a head with a small crack, or a head gasket seeping.....Just thinking, eather way, if I would replace the heads, and gaskets, it should also help with the ticking sound at start up as well.....Does anyone rebuild what that have anymore? Or do most people just do engine replacements?

Thanks again for the suggestions.

 

Don't know much about the 4.7s...... nor their reputation. Do the test, see what it says, go from there.

Just how much smoke are you getting? What is outside temp like, and humidity? Rained lately when the problem presented itself? Or large temp changes overnight??

 

The smoke is white and heavy at first start up. Thick and more of it when it's cold....Very noticeable as you drive away, then it clears.....I first thought it was condensation that settled in the large muffler over night.....This past week the temperature has been in the 80's, in the evening and it's not as noticeable....I have noticed smoke when I take it out on my lunch break.....I did add a couple of quart's and I'm keeping track of how much I continue to add.......

 

Test the coolant. See what it says. You may just have a seeping head gasket.