White Smoke from Tailpipes

[Notchy Adam]

Guys,

This is my first post here at Stangnet. I'm somewhat new to Mustangs, but not to cars. Just bought my first 5.0, a 1990 Notch. It has a 306 supposedly rebuilt 8k miles ago, If it's not true then it has 87K on original 302 block that has been NOS’d. Stock heads, intake, MAF, throttle body & 19 lb. injectors. Cold air intake with K & N in the fender well pass-side. Cam is a E303, high pressure oil pump with the stock pan, 190 lph fuel pump with BBK adj. fuel regulator. 15 degrees base timing. MSD 6AL with MSD cap & rotor and stock coil. Gears are 3.73 and a 5 speed. 1 ½” full length headers, no cats with O2 sensors screwed into headers. 2 ½” exhaust all the way back. It runs real strong, idle steady at 800 rpms, great throttle response and plenty of power to boil the tires to 3rd gear but my concern is the bluish/gray smoke/vapor that is coming from the tailpipes when idling and at full throttle. It also has a rich fuel smell to the car as well, not a burning/oil smell or that sweet burning coolant smell. Any ideas what might cause this? I've heard things from leaky injectors to pistons rings put on backwards. Are there some thing I can check without being too invasive or spending money??? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[LXSTASY]

From what I know...
Blue = oil
Black = fuel
White = water a.k.a. headgasket

If there is a chance like you said that it might not be the low mileage motor, 87k hard miles with nitrous running lean could blow that head gasket.
Does it have stock injectors?
Was it a wet or dry nitrous kit?
How much did you pay for the car?

 

[RacEoHolic330]

It might not be a headgasket.. could be a bad intake gasket causing anti-freeze to drip down the intake runners.

 

[Black Sun 5.0]

I had white smoke. totally blew out the intake gasket (somehow). Could be a headgasket, though.

 

[Paul Perreca]

My explorer has white smoke, but it is caused by a modulater on the transmision, letting trans fluid into the motor and burning it blowing out white smoke from tailpipes.... didnt see if your's was aod or 5spd, and i dunno if stangs have that modulater
Paul Perreca

 

[jaackal]

i had white smoke before and it was caused because i put the thermostat gasket on the wrong way so check that if u replaced the t-stat

 

[Carney Woods]

My explorer has white smoke, but it is caused by a modulater on the transmision, letting trans fluid into the motor and burning it blowing out white smoke from tailpipes.... didnt see if your's was aod or 5spd, and i dunno if stangs have that modulater
Paul Perreca

Huh? What am I missing here how could tranny fluid get even close to the combustion chamber????????????????

 

[spyne]

The only times I've ever seen white smoke on my cars has been because of a bad modulator valve on an auto trans. It's happened twice to me (although it was on a C6 trans in a 70' Mach 1 that I owned about 25 years ago).

If you've got an auto with a modulator valve I'd replace it first before digging into the engine. They're cheap and easy to replace.

 

[cevtv]

1 ½” full length headers, no cats with O2 sensors screwed into headers. 2 ½” exhaust all the way back. It runs real strong, but my concern is the white smoke that is coming from the tailpipes when idling and at full throttle. It also has a rich fuel smell to the car as well, not a burning/oil smell.

Is there a "sweet" coolant smell? Are you sure it's white smoke, and not light grey? - which would be fuel.............. No cats will give you the rich fuel smell.........

 

[_jb_]

From what I know...
Blue = oil
Black = fuel
White = water a.k.a. headgasket

If there is a chance like you said that it might not be the low mileage motor, 87k hard miles with nitrous running lean could blow that head gasket.
Does it have stock injectors?
Was it a wet or dry nitrous kit?
How much did you pay for the car?

19lbs injectors=stock

I'm guessing a head gasket. My car burns a little coolant.

 

[Black 93 Fox]

White usely means coolant being burned. Check your gaskets, headgaskets, intake gaskets. Also check your oil see if its milky milky oil means water in the oil pan.

 

[BlackGT89]

The only times I've ever seen white smoke on my cars has been because of a bad modulator valve on an auto trans. It's happened twice to me (although it was on a C6 trans in a 70' Mach 1 that I owned about 25 years ago).

If you've got an auto with a modulator valve I'd replace it first before digging into the engine. They're cheap and easy to replace.

We've had this happen on our 67 Coupe with a C4 transmission. The modulator valve is vacuum controlled and when the diaphragm goes it sucks trans fluid into the engine. The smoke would be worse on deceleration when the vacuum is highest. I don't remember the smoke being really white like water / antifreeze though.

Might also make sure the throttle body isn't leaking coolant into the intake.

 

[Paul Perreca]

exactly what the last guy said, i honestly cannot explain it to you, but the modulator makes the white smoke happen, and the car needs 2 quarts of trans fluid every single WEEK and it is bone dry under the car, so its being burnt and sent through the tailpipes somehow or another, you can investigate lol
Paul Perreca

 

[Notchy Adam]

White Smoke

It has a 5 speed guys...

 

[DMAN302]

exactly what the last guy said, i honestly cannot explain it to you, but the modulator makes the white smoke happen, and the car needs 2 quarts of trans fluid every single WEEK and it is bone dry under the car, so its being burnt and sent through the tailpipes somehow or another, you can investigate lol
Paul Perreca

Not likely..tranny fluid is not going to be getting into your engine..if it is you have major issues. I also don't think tranny oil burns white...oil base products are blue when burnt..sounds like you have some issues with that vehicle you need to sort out.

 

[BlackGT89]

Not likely..tranny fluid is not going to be getting into your engine..if it is you have major issues. I also don't think tranny oil burns white...oil base products are blue when burnt..sounds like you have some issues with that vehicle you need to sort out.

I'm guessing you've never had a car with a C4 or C5 transmission then !

Notchy says it's a 5 speed, so it's a moot point anyway.

 

[DMAN302]

I'm guessing you've never had a car with a C4 or C5 transmission then !

Notchy says it's a 5 speed, so it's a moot point anyway.

Not sure I understand how the oil can get into the internals of the engine..but hey I could very well be wrong...if so my appology.

 

[The Shape]

The modulator is vaccum controled it has a vaccum line attatched from it to a vaccum port on the engine. If the modulator fails it can let fluid past it and the vaccum line will ... well Vaccum the trany fluid into the intake. Not likely in a modern mustang unless you have swapped to a C4 since the AOD/AODE doesn't use a modulator valve.

 

[jef302boss]

Could be a cracked block from one of the coolant runners.

 

[Notchy Adam]

Traction Devices

I'm getting a headache trying to sort this problem if any at this time.

Oil is clean not frothy white, I've driven it a total of 125 miles these past 2 weeks in highway and stop light traffic and oil level is dead on the mark. Plugs are clean, nothing dripping, engine temp is always 165 - 170 degrees even in this heat... It's a mystery only the Ford Gods can figure out...

On to next question.

Anyone use Lakewood's Lift Bars on their LX's?? Any recommendations on tractions devices that won't cost over $250.00?

Thanks,

Adam