Hello. I’m driving a 2005 Ram 1500 5.7 4wd. 230K miles.
Truck has always ran in safe temperature range, never been close to overheating. I drove about 5 miles yesterday and stopped for about a half hour. When I tried to start truck again, it did not want to run. It would catch for a couple of seconds then die again. Finally got it to keep running and got it back home. Ran at less than full power (like a spark plug wire was loose). Blew white clouds a couple of times on acceleration.
Today I did the Saran Wrap test at startup, and the plastic did rise in around 15 seconds. Blows big white clouds at startup that smelled more on oily side. A little white exhaust smoking after running for a minute.
Radiator reservoir is fouled and oily. Oil level has gone down the couple of times I’ve started it, no oil leaks on ground.
Does start up quickly now. Thanks for any input.

 

Sounds like a blown headgasket..... Are you losing coolant? Or is it contaminated with some other fluid?

 

Not losing coolant that I can tell. The reservoir has a lot of coolant, but definitely looks and smells like motor oil mixed in. Just started it again without radiator cap, and coolant didn’t shoot out or bubble. Also, there was not a big cloud of white smoke this time, just a
small one. The oil level has for sure gone down on the dipstick since this started. Oil is clean on dipstick.

 

How does the oil cooler on your truck work? Is it routed thru the radiator, or is the coolant ran to something on the block?

 

Thanks. I will find out.

 

3rd gens didn't come with factory oil coolers. If it has one it is an aftermarket add-on.

 

Thanks. I’ve been wondering about that. I guess that narrows it down.

 

Diagnostic check at local shop found a cracked cylinder wall and a broken piston. It’s never ran hot. Pretty confusing.

 

Ok, that's pretty much fatal...... How many miles on it?

 

Right at 228K
Combing through Fb Marketplace. 😀