Smoke coming from exhaust

[EzraP]

That is a plan but means you just assume you need an engine. Care to explain what the journeyman said that convinces you of that. Share it here. That is what it means to be a member here. I would at least run the compression test. You said, "not mechanically inclined yet". Not gonna get there if you just end up doing a parts swap. If you go further, then you know why you are doing it and not just because what someone else says that maybe just saw the plug. Your truck, your call, but at least try....ok?

Yes sorry, I showed him a picture of my spark plug, and he told me that it looks like a i have a dead cylinder, we are still going to do a compression test but we are gonna wait until the weekend because our shop is filled right now, he told me if i have low compression in a cylinder to add a little oil in the cylinder and do another test which he said would tell if it was a bottom end or top end issue whether the compression stays the same or is different, im kinda thinking its my piston rings that are worn down and id love to do a rebuild on my engine but unfortunately i dont have the funds to do one at the moment and if i gotta get anything machined the closest machining shop is 4 hours away, and my truck is my only mode of transportation. Thats why im kinda convinced to just drop a junkyard engine in for now that way i have a way to get around and then i can eventually order the parts necessary to rebuild my original motor

 

[movietvet]

Yes, it is called a dry compression test and a wet compression test. Do the normal dry test, again with all plugs out. Any low compression cylinder, you squirt some oil in that cylinder thru the plug hole and run the test again. If the compression comes up, that means you have rings problem-lower end. If the compression stays the same, that means you have upper end problems-usually valves. If you have compression bad in cylinders that are next to each other, two low cylinders side by side, that can also mean head gasket problems. That is the highlights of the compression testing. There are a number of things to consider as to the causes. Holes in pistons, cracked heads, cracked block, valves hanging open....etc. If you got valves hanging open, you should hear the push rod clatter.....again, etc....

 

[EzraP]

Yes, it is called a dry compression test and a wet compression test. Do the normal dry test, again with all plugs out. Any low compression cylinder, you squirt some oil in that cylinder thru the plug hole and run the test again. If the compression comes up, that means you have rings problem-lower end. If the compression stays the same, that means you have upper end problems-usually valves. If you have compression bad in cylinders that are next to each other, two low cylinders side by side, that can also mean head gasket problems. That is the highlights of the compression testing. There are a number of things to consider as to the causes. Holes in pistons, cracked heads, cracked block, valves hanging open....etc. If you got valves hanging open, you should hear the push rod clatter.....again, etc....

Alright thank you for the advice i will do that

 

[Carlosthehandyman]

I've seen intake gaskets seep oil in cylinder that oil fouled a plug. The next and cheapest thing to think of are Valve seals.
Oil burns blue, gas burns black, and coolant burns white.
Question: When you start it, does it smoke? That's what happens when valve seals leak oil down the valve into the cylinder.

 

[EzraP]

I've seen intake gaskets seep oil in cylinder that oil fouled a plug. The next and cheapest thing to think of are Valve seals.
Oil burns blue, gas burns black, and coolant burns white.
Question: When you start it, does it smoke? That's what happens when valve seals leak oil down the valve into the cylinder.

It takes about a 3 minutes or so after starting to start smoking

and sorry for not uploading pictures yet, we had a lot of work this weekend and i got sick

 

[1989GMCSIERRA]

im having an issue with my 99 k2500 5.7, i replaced my sparkplugs around 1000km ago which fixed my misfire but it is back again, and now my drivers side exhaust is pouring a thick white smoke that smells like gasoline, while my passenger side exhaust is not. my coolant levels are good so i dont think its my head gasket. I just got my injectors fixed at a shop because i didnt have a place to do them at the time, i now have a shop to work in and i was wondering if anyone had any ideas what could be wrong. im 17 and not very mechanically inclined yet and im just trying to fix my truck up

If your car ran fine after you replaced the plugs and it’s not overheating you could be throwing away a perfectly good engine for a worn out one. The idea of a mechanic is to troubleshoot a issue not just throw parts at it. It’s not beneficial to the truck or your wallet.

I would check your ignition system. If the smoke “smells like gasoline”… that’s unburned fuel. When you do a tune up you need to change the plugs wires cap and rotor…..not just the spark plugs.

I would start with a compression check and leak down test. Then check your ignition plugs wires cap rotor coil. You could also have bad wires cap and rotor.

At this point throwing a engine at it may give you worse results

 

[DerekTheGreat]

When I first got my '89, it fouled the plug in cylinder #1 within a few hundred miles. Looked pretty much like yours did. Exhaust valve on that cylinder was burned up. Provided your exhaust system is complete, you can test for that. Take some paper towel or a rag and put over the tailpipe while the engine is running. If the rag gets sucked in the tailpipe- you've got a chowdered exhaust valve.