The truck had exhaust smoke/steam when the engine had a failed thermostat and wouldn't get up to proper temperature.
Now the thermostat is removed, the engine isn't getting up to temp...and the smoke/steam is back.
Sense a pattern?
Put the thermostat back in.
I don't think there is/was anything wrong with the thermostat. I can't keep it running long enough to get up to temperature with or without the thermostat.
The sequence of events WRT smoke/steam:
• Noticed heavy exhaust smoke/steam (thermostat IN). Assumed head gasket even though compression test was fine.
• Purged all coolant and replaced with distilled water. Ran Steel Seal through system in hopes of a successful band-aid repair. (thermostat still IN). Ran engine for two 40 minute cycles and the smoke/steam stopped. At that time I could keep it running by tying the throttle a bit high. (That doesn’t work anymore.)
• Drained water/Steel Seal out of radiator knowing the engine is still filled with only water/Steel Seal mixture.
• Filled radiator with 100% undiluted antifreeze.
• To keep block from freezing I needed to get the antifreeze to mix with the engine water which I couldn’t do without removing the thermostat since it won’t run for more than a minute at any throttle setting. Ran engine and heavy exhaust smoke/steam returned as shown in video.
Questions:
Is it possible the smoke/steam did not reappear at subsequent idle attempts (when thermostat was IN) due to possible low water level in the engine from it burning off?
I have a new thermostat. If I put that in and run the engine, you think the smoke/steam will stop? Or will it just stop after the engine burns off the coolant and the coolant in the radiator remains since the thermostat won't ever open by running the engine for a minute at a time.