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White smoke and bad shake

Tiny
BILLIOT33
  • MEMBER
  • 2011 DODGE RAM
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • TURBO
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 124,000 MILES
Driving one an just all of a sudden started shaking real bad an blowing white smoke
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014 AT 2:11 AM

48 Replies

Tiny
JOHNNYT73
  • MECHANIC
  • 924 POSTS
White smoke would typically be a sign of a head gasket failure. You may be burning coolant in the combustion chamber. Check the oil dip stick tube to see if the oil looks milky, or look in the radiator for the same.

This guide can help

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/white-smoke-or-steam-coming-from-the-exhaust-pipe

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014 AT 3:39 AM
Tiny
SANDRA RIDER
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2005 DODGE RAM
  • 4.7L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 140,000 MILES
Had water pump change at a shop. Drove it home and it was running a little rough. So I stopped and had it put on diagnostic tester at AutoZone said number one coil misfiring. Changed all coils and plugs. Code went off. Got home parked and sat overnight. Started the truck it started to smoke white smoke heard gargling sound next to fire wall. Shut it off let it cool. Checked radiator no bubbles fluid full in radiator and reserve bucket. Checked oil no milky oil. Check cap on oil no discoloration. Also hose on top was not hot and it was soft. Could this be a thermostat issue or a temperature sensor issue. New radiator and hoses all changed at the beginning of this year. Not wanting to think blown head gasket. And no I'm not a mechanic. I am a disabled woman who can't do my own repairs. And can't afford to keep putting good money after bad. Help please! Mechanic said they saw a small oil leak at head gasket and changed gasket also. Had my oil changed at the end of August and haven't even put 800 miles on it. But when I checked my oil it was very low to the point I couldn't even read it on the stick. Never ever ran low on oil I'm the only owner and have always changed oil every 3,000 miles. Thanks for any advice.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
Did the other shop replace the water pump upon your request or did they diagnose a cooling system concern? I ask because if they diagnosed a cooling system concern they are on the hook for their good or bad diagnosis, meaning that it is a recheck that they have to re-diagnose at no charge. But if it was at your request they should still work with you on checking it out to see if it is a head gasket issue, which can be verified a few different ways because it does sound like a head gasket issue.

This guide can help.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/white-smoke-or-steam-coming-from-the-exhaust-pipe

Please run down this guide and report back.

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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SANDRA RIDER
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
They diagnosed it. Thank you
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
Okay, very good. So give them the opportunity to make it right.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SANDRA RIDER
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I will try, but just think I will be chasing my tail on this one.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SALAMA1976
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE RAM
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 127,500 MILES
I have a 2003 ram 1500, and check engine light is on and white smoke is comming from tailpipe. What could be the problem?
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
A scan will tell us the code indicated by the check light, but the white smoke is often a sign of a head problem, are you using coolant?

Mark (mhpautos)
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,602 POSTS
BMDOUBLE is one of our best! Please let us know what happens
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SALAMA1976
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  • 3 POSTS
Yes I am using coolant, but it was extremly low, I also noticed it stops smoking after engine warms up. Any idea what could be the problem?
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
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We need the scan done and the code, any coolant loss however small must be investigated first, the white smoke could be coolant or a sign of incomplete combustion due to a low comp or as suggested a faulty glow plug, I would be doing a compo test as well.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SALAMA1976
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Well being is that I have a gas engine I doubtr it would be a glow plug. I am bringing it in to the shop tomm. I will ask them what code was given to make check engine light come on. I will get back to u tomm. Thanks
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
Got yours mixed with another post, sorry about the glow plugs.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JRIVES
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE RAM
  • 4.7L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 183,000 MILES
Vehicle is blowing out white smoke from the exhaust and dripping liquid as well. Added coolant and ran the truck for twenty minutes did not help. Vehicle did not overheat.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good evening.

White smoke is a result of burning coolant. It sounds like you have coolant coming out the tail pipe as well.

You have internal engine damage. It may be a head gasket but needs to be confirmed. A shop can do this by performing a leak down test on each cylinder to determine if a gasket has failed.

Roy
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
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Or you could just remove all the sparks plugs and the one spark plug that has coolant on it is where the head gasket is blown.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
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Yes, you can check your plugs but the root cause is what you need to check. Coolant in the cylinder could also come from a bad intake gasket. That is why you need to do the leak down test.

Roy
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • MECHANIC
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Master, how would a leak down test confirm an intake gasket leak? The intake valve is closed when the piston is up at TDC compression stroke, when the leak down test is performed.
You are scaring the customer saying, "You have internal engine damage." when that might not even be the case, it may just be a gasket.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JRIVES
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
So which one would be more beneficial? Internal engine damage is not settling and from what I have looked at I am hoping it is just the head gasket.
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
This is why you need to have the leak down test done. That will tell you the direction that you are going.

The leak sown test will not confirm the intake. It will confirm the head gasket. If the leak test is good then I would suggest going after the intake gasket.
Roy
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Friday, October 9th, 2020 AT 4:51 PM (Merged)

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