Smokin' Anything to worry about?

[AceX]

My truck likes to smoke on start up. Heard about it before, nothing to really worry about...

Well, tonight when I was leaving work it smoked ALOT and spit coolant out the tail pipe.

Awesome.

I'm just worried that I'm going to have to go in and replace the whole top end on this dam motor because of a cracked head and who knows what else.

Anyone have some input? The last thing I want to to tear that motor apart, but if I have to, I will...

[84 400]

Well I am guessing it is white smoke and not blue? Blue at start up would indicated bad valve stem seals.

IT sounds to me like a white smoke scenario. Was there a huge temperature change? How cold was it? I would not be worried about a cracked head yet. It could just be a blow head gasket I know not much less work..... First thing is to see if there is coolant in the oil. Also check the coolant level in the rad and overflow tanks. In addition I would look around the block for any signs of leakage. Does it smell like burnt antifreeze or is it alot off white smoke and water??

I know on my truck it smokes a good deal of white smoke. Mine is due to the truck seeing little use and the moisture that collects in the exhaust system (sits for months at a time). Also on alot of the Gen III exhaust seem to pee out water.

Yours sound like a bad head gasket or a cracked head if it is infact coolant in the system.

[Albatrossian]

I agree with the valve seals(smoking a little on startup).. is the truck skipping?

[old Rusty C10]

before you go nuts worrying about a top end, did you get gas recently? there are times ive seen water drip out of a tailpipe and it was just cause there was water in the gas.. temperature change could do it too, and dont forget that some people dont respect others items and may put water intentionally in the gas if they can get into the tank.. Id first check the coolant when its cold, check your oil level and monitor it.. if there is no loss id be thinking its water in the gas or condensation, and that could be ignored if its not too bad or you could dump some dry gas in there although that can dry out seals . The other thing to do is a pressure test on the cylinders to determine if a head is cracked or a gasket is bad.. it will narrow down which side too if you have a V8, although if one side is bad id do both
the valve stems is also an idea if its only at startup, but those you can live with until it starts fouling plugs

[AceX]

It might be the temp change. It did get alot colder over the last few days...

Yeah, it is white smoke. There's no oil in the coolant and vice versa, but, interestingly enough, there's rust (yes rust) in my coolant. It's in the passenger side bank. I'm guessing a small crack in the head somewhere.

Opinions?

[old Rusty C10]

well coolant wears out too ya know so id go get some coolant flush and clean out the motor.. rust is common if you dont keep up with the coolant and see what happens... im betting youre doing alot of worrying for nothing

[84 400]

like stated above rust is common in the coolent system if it is not changer. IT is crazy the difference a well maintained coolent system looks like compared to one that was never flushed.

[chevy2ss]

check your oil also and make sure it doesnt look milky
oops just saw you already did

[AceX]

Flushed the coolant 3 times already. Still has rust...

[Low84]

Not to scare you or anything, but that's how mine acted at first. Kind of heavy starting, smoked a bit at startup. Then would warm up and the smoke was gone. Later started smoking when I was at a stop light or such. Then one night my tailpipe became a hose and that was the end of the motor. I think it was a cracked head.

My advice, don't put it off. It'll cost in the long run.