well

i drove to work on wednesday.
normal drive, easy going, and even downhill.
stopped at a red light, and noticed someones car was really smoking.

stereo going, birds chirping, easy southern wind w/the sunroof open.

good times.

then, the light turned green, and WOW.

BIG smoke poured from MY truck, and fallowed me (no one else did)(they just couldnt see for hundreds of yard)

got to work, and parked it. bumming out and thinking, i hope its just in the throttle.

but, on the way home, the temp got almost in the red zone, and i had to shut down constantly.
(luckily only live 5 miles away)

parked it, and now its sitting till i have some time.


so,
what do i check 1st.


what should i plan on buying (another 3.0 (easy or what?>)

what is the fastest time frame anyone swapped out a 3.0
and


where can i get a "good" 3.0



not sure if i want the 3.4.
i may just turn my truck into an electric, dual turbine/solar charged thing.


*(right now, i hate my life)

 

I would go with the 3.4 since you have an excuse to. Do you have another way to get to work cause if so do it yourself it would be the most cost effective way of going about things.

 

What color of smoke?

 

Also, what did it smell like? If it's sweet smelling and white it's most likly just a head gasket. Especially if it's overheating.

 

leakdown test is your best bet for diagnosing without tearing it apart. unless, you have oil in the coolant & vice versa

 

Had a water pump go on me once too and had a similar show. Are you sure it was smoke and not steam?

 

I wouldn't spend a boatload on a new engine without first diagnosing what's wrong with your current one.

Rob

 

I just had my HG fail.. Tons of white/almost bluish smoke - and heavy on the sweet smell. That for sure is a HG but can do a compression test on your engine to be sure.l I think you can rent a compression test kit for free (w/ deposit) at a vato zone or auto parts store.

I just picked up my 3.4 last night. I got a killer deal on a 3.4 wiring harness and ECU. $800 However, I still have to buyt the ORS conversion kit! $1,700 Automatic I think?

Not easy to swap an engine... so if you are gonna go through all that work with a 3slow that could easily blow a HG again or even rebuild the HG knowing it could fail again... - that was why I decided on the 3.4

 

thanks everyone.

as for the color= white.

steam- maybe, as it was not sweet smelling. so i WILL be checking that water pump.

lasting smoke though, it didn't dissipate soon, and was very thick,


the 3.4 swap would be great, but wow, the money.and yes, I have rebuilt and swapped out my bmws eng/tranny done the suspension, and basically all the hard stuff on a bmw. so the truck swap will not be totally new.


not saying i can do it alone, but i do have a second car, and even my 1st 4x4 (toy-86 extra cab- 22r carb)

so, no hurry (although i really love the 6cyl.) on the rebuild. i just want to see what all your thought are.


i will look around for a "leak down" tester and do it right (i hope)

 

btw.

at work, i checked my oil and it was honey gold.
coolant foamed into the reservoir, and apparantly burned away on the return trip home.

 

Could be the water pump our your thermostat. Are you sure it was smoke versus steam? I'm not sure how you could check those, without disassembly.

I've heard that when a 3.0 overheats, the head gasket will fail soon after.

 

sounds like a HG to me

 

Keep runnin it until she blows apart and then run it some more

 

it may be steam, im hoping.

but, i think i will try to rebuild it 1st, just for shiggles and gits. (if its the hg)
if its coolant in the throttle body, or anywhere else i will rebuild it too.

then
after it dies again, i should have enough extra money to afford the swap.
i know i really love these body styles and thats why i bought it.

my g.f. wants me to get a new truck, and sell off the old. but i dont do well in payments. (cash on the barrel works best for me)

no. im not driving this truck any more, till i figure out how/why/where its failed.

 

car payments suck, but when driving a older truck, or car, ive found u have a monthly can be cheap payment, or a expencive maybe once a year payment , or upgrade/ new part(s) charge. Screw paying intrest

 

whats funny is that in the past YEAR ive spent more on upgrades to my rig than repairs. ive only spent 200 or so in repairs. prob about 5 or 600 on cool stuff. i mean i spent 150 bucks on a stereo. (and only 92.50 of those repairs were serious... it was a crank shaft seal i just did recently, the others are oil changes. ) (i have expensive oil changes... castrol high mileage 20w-50, engine restore, and marvel mystery oil). lol. i havent spent much.

 

i have 3.0 parts in tacoma.. let me know if you need anyting

 

thanks.


will let you know.

thanks everyone.

 

I second that. that is what happened to mine. but it could just be your water pump.

 

it still had plenty of power, just smoked like the devil in Tennessee


when i remove the water pump, will it be obvious ?

what should i do (besides a leak down test.)