I need some advice, help, diagnosis or some prayers for good news on this one guys. Please watch the video and let me know what you think.
Thanks for watching and commenting below. If you can contribute some advice or knowledge of this problem.. I'd be very grateful
Thanks..
-MrWang
Update
This morning
https://imgur.com/a/X2VTz
All my coolant on the driveway
Exhaust manifold, the area it was leaking around in the video
Follow up video in response to @streetstyle
Update #2
Update #3
Now we got @streetstyle & @anotherjoe both helping out trying to diagnose these car problems via steemit.. ya be sure to share this post as we do steemits first official auto diagnostics and try to solve this issue.
in case you didn't catch this on steemit.chat
http://troubleshootmyvehicle.com/ford/4.6L-5.4L/troubleshooting-a-blown-head-gasket-2
before careful ok...read carefully, but I would still look over all water hoses / heater core hoses too
bookmarked and will look over shortly
I can't really see where the leak is but that is what is smoking as it lands on the hot exhaust pipe. Let it cool and try to wipe or clean up the area a little, then make sure you have plenty of fluids in the vehicle, then start it and see where it is leaking. It might be the valve cover gasket leaking, but it's hard to tell.
Does the vehicle run good though??
it was running good till a few days ago.. it started to shake once I turned on the truck but would be fine on the freeway. I only drove it a mile or two last night from my place to my sons mom's house and it was fine once I started driving. I noticed the smoke when I got to her house and immediately filmed the video above. This morning my coolant is empty and, I believe all on the driveway in the image above... but still unsure.
If it is the coolant or oil on the floor, don't start it without either in the vehicle. If it is coolant, maybe it wet the spark plug wire or plugs themselves making it run funny....since you say it runs ok now.
If it is coolant on the floor, it won't be slick like oil, and your radiator will be empty, you probably have a bad water hose. Sometimes, when it is cool of course, you can squeeze the hose or move them, use a flash light and look for tears or cracks (especially on the ends or near hose clamps) but for now that is what seems most likely.
When vehicle was on, any unusual smoke out of the rear tail pipe? if so, was it white or black? if not then things are looking better.
Wait for your next info. to see
@anotherjoe I already put some more oil in too..
Looks like oil. :D As long as you don't see shavings, it's good.
That's encouraging too. The concern was that if there's a head gasket leaking, some fluid could get into the crankcase. Running it then could be catastrophic.
You can't miss the discoloration when coolant gets into it. It gets foamy greyish.
FWIW - I am experienced, but not what I'd necessarily call a mechanic. And not being able to get in and crawl around the truck's engine compartment is really limiting. Hopefully your neighbor will make the right connection right away.
knowledge is power and the fact that you have went out of your way to contribute and share that knowlege with the community is awesome. I feel this post is a perfect example of how the community interacts with each other to solve a problem. Thank you for all the information you have shared today.
Not only do you get free consultancy, but you even get paid for describing your problems! It must be the first time in history? :-)
hahah, I know right... I didn't think about it like that.. if this post makes enough to cover the repairs.. that's freaking awesome.. especially if they end up being very costly.
If that does happen... I owe @streetstyle, @anotherjoe & @egjoshslim big time
@streetstyle just bought some coolant and some Extra oil as it is kinda low.. about to fill these up again and see what happens.. I'll keep you updated, thanks
Follow up.. bout to see what's going on and hopefully an idea and cheap solution
I think @streetstyle is on the right track. It doesn't look like smoke so much as steam as the coolant burns off the hot surfaces under the hood, especially the exhaust manifold.
Because it's toward the back, I'm guessing the heater hose. It probably has an nipple right at the firewall where you can disconnect it to replace it. It shouldn't be a hard job, just a new hose and a couple of clamps. but I'd replace both heater hoses as well as both radiator hoses, if you haven't in a while. Again, easy job - just hoses and clamps, and replace your coolant unless it looks pristine.
If you don't have one, pick up a Chiltons or other end-user tech manual. It'll walk you through the steps to replace all four lines. Might as well do the thermostat while you're at it.
Question: You said it ran rough when you first started it. After you filled it up with coolant, did it still run rough when first started? The lack of resistance caused by the coolant can cause that in some cars. We used to have a Camry that would act up a lot from low coolant, even though it wasn't overheating.
Check the smell too. See what the coolant overflow smells like? Is that the general smell you get coming off the steam/smoke? Burning coolant smells completely different than any burning oil.
yea it smelt like straight coolant
I have another update including my drive back and what happened the moment I turned the truck off, coming up in a bit.. UPDATE #3 ON TOP
Yea it ran rough the past couple of days... out of nowhere, before then it was running fine. I was supposed to get my inspection done last week and the day I was going to take it.. the check engine light came on.. unsure if it was related but here we are, lol. The has been shaky the past couple days and then last night happened. After refilling the coolant earlier today.. the shakiness was gone and the truck ran smooth as if there were no problems. I got home fine and it didn't act up whatsoever on the drive back.. only a mile or so back to the house
That's encouraging that it ran smoother.
On these straight blocks, I don't know how the water flows around the head. It's possible that there's a gasket leak, which could be a little serious, depending on whether the gasket simply failed or if there's structural damage. Your mechanic neighbor should be able to see that better. That's a little bit of a concern, though I still think it's hoses.
It makes sense for it to act up more when you shut it off. While it's running, the coolant is cooling and then flowing over the block. When you first shut it off, the heat from engine will initially heat the coolant in the block significantly, since it's not moving anymore. This builds up some pressure.
Without seeing the actual coolant coming out, it's tough to diagnose. Hopefully it's just the hoses though - probably the cheapest and easiest fix.
How was the color of your oil on your dipstick? Was it still nice and honey colored (or maybe black on older cars)? If it turns grey, even a little, don't start it again until you have a mechanic check it out thoroughly. Grey/silver oil signifies coolant in the oil = no bueno.
Great info and knowledge.. I gotta pic of the oil stick coming your way.. it's dark tho
Dark is fine. In older cars it doesn't stay as clean. It should be a consistent color, no silver/grey, no metal shavings and shouldn't smell burnt. Some on the stick, where it passes the manifold (or block), will smell burnt. But the fresh stuff at the end shouldn't. It should just smell like hot oil. As long as you're changing regularly, you're good.
Remember when doctors used to rely on smell to help make diagnoses? Nah, me neither, but they did. :P
yea, it's in need of an oil change too
so the green stuff does look like coolant. More than likely, when the car gets to full operating temperature, it will build up enough pressure in the water cooling system, and then it will probably smoke again. I think since you were low on coolant, that you have a bad hose somewhere, you need you check the hoses that go from the radiotor to the water pump, they are probably cracked, those need to be changed every once in while, especially on older vehicles
let me know how it goes, and thanks for the shout out. I will resteem this because we are trying to fix or diagnose car trouble over steemit, probably for the first time in a blockchains history!!
full $teem ahead!