my engine soundslikeits missing a piston while idling, moist white smoke coming out of the muffler.the muffler is dripping water. i unclipped a intake hose and found moisture around the top of it. i just replaced the spark plugs and distributer wires. any ideas on wat is goin on?

 

ok so the exhaust is dripping water not a big deal what truck or car doesnt drip water from the tail pipe. ok thats out of the way you need to check the motor oil if it looks like a choclate milkshake then your motor is more than likely gone. check the raditior and if it stays at a certain level then your good but keep an eye on it though. ok next is there any other noises like a loud clanking or anything at all we kinda need some more info on whats going on like power loss?,is it smoking?,

 

If it wasn't doing this before the work you did, then there is a good chance one of the cylinders isn't firing because of a plug problem (the electrodes can get pushed closed from an impact or dirt from around the plug hole can get between the electrodes and cause a short.) or wires could be in the wrong spot.

First double check that the wires are all going to the correct plugs and if they are, pull the plug wires off one at a time. A good spark in a cylinder will make the engine run worse when you pull off the wire. A bad cylinder will not change the idle when it's wire is pulled off.

When it's cold out (pretty much everywhere these days) the exhaust will have steam coming out, but it will smell like normal exhaust.

A blown headgasket will put out much more white smoke and it will smell like antifreeze.

Check your oil by looking under the filler cap and on the dipstick for a chocolate milkshake looking mess. This indicates a head gasket.

A compression check will give you a definitive answer on the head gasket.

 

when i try to start'er up there is a loud clank.when it sits at idle the entire truck rocks. there is some power loss. it keeps getting overheated and i just replaced the thermostat. there is some smoke coming out of wat looks like the head/ sparkplug area. there is alot of smoke coming out of the exhaust. i revved it for a couple minutes and thenput it in gear and took a small drive up my road and it stopped.for a while the engine wouldnt even turn over at all there would bea loud clank and nothing would happen. but i messed with the distributer a little and it finally turned over. the compression from the pistons was 160, 140, 170 on the passenger side and 170, 190 and 180 on the driver side. also the resevoir next to the radiator smells like gas. also the water dripping was creating a small puddle, more then usual.

 

also i replaced the spark plugs and wires because of this problem.sorry i forgot to mention that

 

i would have to say ur headgaskets r wasted for sure and ur heads r prolly warped to if it has overheated more than once

 

wat should i do? drop a 3.4 in? or replace the heads/headgaskets

 

if u have to replace the heads it will prolly be the same cost as doing a 3.4 swap but if the heads r saveable it will be cheaper and quicker to just replace the gaskets

 

how much would the 3.4 mess me up on smog? wat would i haveto do to make it pass?

 

if you put it togther right you should pass without a problem its a newer motor. to make you feel better what you can do is replace the EGR and such on the donor 3.4 and and keep it running good with good plugs and wires and make sure the mass is clean and set properly same with the TPS. just remeber the 3.4 is a newer motor they didnt start putting them in till 95.5 i think so get one out of a newer truck like a 2000 or so and you should pass with flying colors if the 3.slow you can pass with the 3.4 we are here to help

 

thanks a bunch. on your truck how were you able to do a 3 inch body lift i can never find one that works. our trucks are almost identical.

 

the PO put it on but if you have questions pm me and i can answer a good bit of them after puttin on the suspension lift i had alot of time to look at the body lift