White smoke comeing out muffler....engine?

[kmm2736]

Hi my truck has high mileage 200+...My plan was to buy a new or rebuilt engine at the end of the year. I'm worried the smoke is a sign of something bad to come or if its a something a little work could fix temporarily?

If I need to get a engine I know a guy selling a gm 400 small block. I dont know much about engines but a small block 400 sounds pretty cool? i was told I would have to have steam holes drilled for the top end to make work. The guy selling said he had the block but in a ampro oven?? Is this a good engine worth spending money on?


Thanks everyone!

 

[LoudnLifted88]

Hi my truck has high mileage 200+...My plan was to buy a new or rebuilt engine at the end of the year. I'm worried the smoke is a sign of something bad to come or if its a something a little work could fix temporarily?

If I need to get a engine I know a guy selling a gm 400 small block. I dont know much about engines but a small block 400 sounds pretty cool? i was told I would have to have steam holes drilled for the top end to make work. The guy selling said he had the block but in a ampro oven?? Is this a good engine worth spending money on?


Thanks everyone!

what year is the truck and is the white smoke consistent? when does it happen? and where are you located in maine?

 

[94_C/1500]

The smoke could just be from condensation in the exhaust. But more than likely your valve seals have gone bad. Always the possibility something major has gone wrong, like bad rings, but that's usually not the case.

If you use the 400 block and 350 heads, you will need steam holes and it's best to get the valves unshrouded. And the 400 will use a 2 piece rear main, unlike your current engine. And if you have a '96+ plus, there's even more to using an older style engine, such as a 400.

If you don't know much about engines, then I suggest you leave them alone until you learn more.

 

[kmm2736]

what year is the truck and is the white smoke consistent? when does it happen? and where are you located in maine?

Its a 94, and the white smoke is not constant it seem to be when i first start driving it for a bit and then it goes away. I live in Naples.

 

[ChrisAU]

Its a 94, and the white smoke is not constant it seem to be when i first start driving it for a bit and then it goes away. I live in Naples.

Sounds like its just the condensation in the exhaust pipes boiling out to me.

 

[jeff's88silverado]

agreed on condensation.

But if you get constant smoke: Blueish - Oil, Black - Gas, White - Coolant

 

[jmc1997ck]

Yes the 400 "sounds" cool. Upping your displacement can lead to headhaches (pun intended) with all the mods required. A well aspirated blue-printed 5.7 will give you the performace you want and should run for another 200k (if not longer) if maintained properly. My 5.7 has 202k on it with minor intermittent oil spotting. Could care less until it starts burning. Set aside the dough for a new motor and educate yourself more about what you really want to do and what it will take to do it. IMHO...

 

[stevehayes01]

Do you get any fuel smell at all when it smokes? My '90 454 Burb does this for about 1-2 minutes when I first start it and is running super rich at startup. So far I think i have tracked mine down to EGR valve but will have to see after i test it.

I would personally just rebuild the 350 you have if it were me... the 400 swap could lead to a lot of other issues as previously mentioned in the thread.

 

[DGA1]

If it's a nice cloud of white exhaust, it could be the head gasket. Is the truck eating coolant? See any white stuff when you open up the oil fill cap and look in there? When draining the oil is there any antifreeze in there (antifreeze is heavier than oil and will come out first).

 

[illinoisboy]

It sounds like its time for valve guides to me. Our 94 used to smoke at start up an until it warmed up. Once warmed up you couldnt notice the smoke as much, but it really could be a number of things too.