Here's the story,

I returned from a long highway road trip to the city where the truck started to overheat right after I left the interstate. I shut it down, let it cool and made it home. The truck was there for 2 days before I replaced the thermostat. I hoped this would solve the problem, if not I was going to go on to the fan. I started it up and got a wall of white smoke which makes me believe I might have blown a head gasket.

A day later I started it up and now It won't overheat at idle (I did not drive it) and the white smoke only last about a minute after start up. This is confusing as I thought a blown head gasket would cause it to smoke constantly? It seems I'm not losing much radiator fluid or burning oil.

With aluminum heads could I have a small head gasket leak that allows water in when the heads cools and seals it self as they expand. This would seem to explain why I only get smoke on start up and the lack of radiatior fluid loss.

I'd love any input.

Thanks,
Sam

 

Run the engine from *COLD* with radiator cap open, make sure there are not bubbles coming up?

Check the oil, make sure it's not milky.

If the above two conditions are met; changes are you are okay. Just work on minor cooling problems and you are good to go.

Good luck,

Nam

 

I don't agree, if you have a huge plume of white smoke, you most likely have a HG failure. If you chance it and don't fix it, you could be looking at a new engine. I'm not a gambling man.

Overheating can be a symptom of a HG failure, as can water in the oil and oil in the water. When mine went, I also noticed a gurgling sound in the heatcore and a rough idle.

 

Thanks all,

It's a head gasket. Number one cylinder is full of water! Time to break out the tools. Any tips before I start?

Thanks again,
Sam

 

Change the timing belt and the water pump while you're at it.

 

make sure your head isnt warped

 

i would recommend to drain all of the water from the engine, take #1 plug out, crank engine to expel most of the water, reinstall plug and start it and rev it a couple of times, not to exceed running time of over 15 sec. this will burn the water out of the cylinder and reduce the chances of it rusting while your working on it

 

Put headers on it.

 

My mechanic told me that the head gasket will seal it self back up after the engine gets warm enough, thats why it doesnt smoke after a while.

 

Yes put headers on it while you have it apart!