Hey guys. Help me out. I've noticed the past couple of months that my truck is kinda hard to start. It sits for 3-5 days before being driven due to my work schedule etc. It's NOT anything electrical. Let me explain:
When I crank the truck, it cranks up but starts spittin and sputtering like its not getting fuel or air or something. Today it did it really bad to where i thought it was going to cut off but I rev'ed it up to about 3,000 RPMS for a couple of seconds and noticed a big cloud of white smoke coming from my tailpipes. What gives? It's like I'm seafoaming without seafoaming. Any ideas?--DirtySCREW

 

Yea, that seafoam is hell on these engines and sensors, it catches up to yuh lol.

Are you losing coolant? Short trips maybe ? Check your PCV valve and system out, make sure it's not half plugged with sludge. That can compromise your IAC valve operation. Also check your fuel system pressure/filter and clean your MAF , then re-boot.

Seafoaming can smoke your O2's and melt your cat cones together if you've done that in the past.

Also, you could have bad gaskets.

 

Lets be clear: I HAVE NOT SEAFOAMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that I think about it, it could be my IAC. I just had to replace one on my inlaws vehicle.

Could the electronic fuel controller cause any of my symptoms??? (Part #3F2A-9D370-BA)--DirtySCREW

 

White smoke? Not good - do a hydrocarbon test on your coolant.

 

No one said you did, -gottuh a guilty conscience or what lol..You did say- It's like I'm seafoaming without seafoaming. - Which might lead one to believe you have before. So quit with your yelling, we clear?

Yea , I believe I mention that and why it could be getting messed up. Maybe you overlooked it, -since you seem to be hungup on that Seafoam stuff.

Since your not answering questions asked in order to help you, well,- good luck .

 

White smoke with a sweet smell is usually a coolant leak. If you are NOT low on coolant, possibly an injector is dripping fuel into a cylinder and the gallop/sputter is caused while trying to burn off excess fuel...................additional exhaust smoke may occur.

 

White smoke is water or coolant. Blue smoke is oil. Pull the plugs to see their condition. They can tell you a lot about what is happening in the engine.

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jbrew--with all due respect, you need to chill. I was ONLY clarifying that I have not nor have I ever Seafoamed a vehicle. I was only trying to clarify so others would not get off on a tangent and give better advice to my problem at hand. We're cool though.

I'll check the coolant tomorrow. I've done a spark plug change about 5-6 months ago and haven't put but maybe 2000 miles on them since the change (and they were MCs by the way also).

arubba---I'm thinking along the lines as you unless it is my IAC.

How can I check the IAC to see if I truely need to replace it?
---DirtySCREW

 

You just remove it, clean it while working the mechanicals. Use Seafoams "Deepcreep" to clean. It's sensor safe and it lubricates and cleans at the same time, - that's good stuff! No harsh cleaners in that sensor. Ford states that it's not serviceable, but if you clean it right you can do it. Use compressed air to assist.

 

Thanks Jbrew...I might have to clean it just to make sure.

I checked my coolant level this morning and it was at the bottom mark. According to the marks on the overflow container it should have been a little higher for the cold mark. I bought some distilled water to fill it up. The truck had sat overnight and was completely cold. I decided to try cranking it to duplicate my results as it only happens (white smoke) every now and agian and always after it has sat for a few days. I cranked her up and she fired right up; no smoke either! I dunno what it is. I may just go ahead and flush and change the coolant as I've been meaning to do so. Any recommendations on brand--Prestone? Peak? ---DirtySCREW

 

Out of laziness I've let 2 of my trucks IAC's go from rough idle and start to no start at all before removing and cleaning.. On both vehicles after 1 cleaning, issues were completely gone and never came back.
I always made sure the little plunger in there could move freely

 

I don't know if I would do that just yet. You see JMC's post. I would at least check # 1,2,5 and 6 plugs first since their up front by the water jacket.

Intake gaskets are know to go bad , up front at the jackets. That might be the problem, not sure. If your losing fluid tho...

I know mine builds up a hell of allot of moisture in the exhaust, specially in colder temps. I have to floor it to clean it out sometimes, but I don't have a problem with that

 

Yea, what locks it up I think is carbon or whatnot on the plunger shaft. That DeepCreep stuff works great for cleaning and getting it moving well again, - if you help it a little lol.