[jyrks]

ok, so i'm looking at a -94 IDI turbo to buy, 160K, manual trans, 4x4, looks fine, but:

--Starts, but smokes white like NOBODY'S business at 30F, even after warming up some.
--motor shakes, and makes a putt putt noise out the tailpipe, sound like a miss.
--coolant is low, and has bubbles surfing around when looking into the rad.

Soooo, does this sound like problem with the injection pump, injectors, head gasket, cracked head, cavitated bores, messed up cam/lifters, or some combination of the above, or none of them? Or maybe just gelled up fuel in the filter?

Any input is appreciated.

 

[Plywood]

Soooo, does this sound like problem with the injection pump, injectors, head gasket, cracked head, cavitated bores, messed up cam/lifters, or some combination of the above.

Uh huh

 

[jyrks]

Uh huh

ok, that counts as input.

Now, I guess I should have continued.....if so, which problem is the most likely one, in your opinion.

 

[Plywood]

Sorry, just cracking myself up.
I figured it's appropriate since you don't own it yet, otherwise I wouldn't have.
If you have bubbles in the coolant, could be head gasket or pinholes, or just because it's low and getting churned by the water pump.
White smoke and missing could be lots of different things, if it only does it cold, it may be just a bad GP or two.
Try elaborating some on when, what temp and how it goes putt putt.
How does the oil look?
How much blow by?
White smoke smells like diesel or antifreeze?

 

[jyrks]

Well, the smoke just keeps coming even when the heater is already blowing warm air.

By putt I mean the typical exhaust sound when a cylinder is missing, you hear it every once in a while, hopefully emanating from other people's vehicles. This one was doing all the time cold or warmish. I didn't drive it enough to fully warm it up (auction parking lot).

The motor oil was black thick goo, but not contaminated.

White smoke did not smell like antifreeze, but that might have burned off immediately after startup if there was just a little bit in a cylinder. So no massive leak anyway.

I didn't check the blow by, dumb me, I forgot.

Also, throttle response felt weak/slow, but i have no experience on IDIs.

 

[yaric008]

Sounds bad whatever it is. It could be as simple as a bad head gasket or as bad as a cracked head, a cavitated block, and a bad head gasket.

Only one way to find out too, pull the head off.

Before you buy it you may want to send an oil sample to blackstone so they can tell you what kind of damage this engine has from these problems. If you're planning on rebuilding it all then it may be a good buy, but if you plan to just run you may as well keep looking....

 

[Plywood]

If the white smoke smells like diesel it could be an IP or injector issue.
If the oil is exceptionally thick, someone may have added something thick to cover up a knock or ring issue.
Sounds like you would have to get it real cheap.

 

[abogacz]

white smoke means air in the fuel system, hook avacuum gage to inlet on low pressure pump(passenger side) pump could have a diaphragm hole or supply lines are weeping. Sometimes thye just replace the pump and buy gas hoses instead of diesel, use silicon or hnbr grade rubber.

 

[Snotzalot]

I'd pass.

 

[WhiteGardens]

I'd pass.

Ditto, sounds like it's toast and too much a hassle.

 

[jyrks]

Alright, not a very promising outlook here, then.

For any price negotiations, the assumption needs to be that the motor is going to need a complete overhaul. Wonder if they realize how expensive these motors can be.

The initial asking price was $4500, which they already said to be negotiable.

If it goes to auction, their reserve is probably $1500-2000, if any.

I might offer $1000 at most, and call it a project vehicle. I'm not really set up for a project like that yet, but maybe relatively soon. Of course there's the possibility that the problem is minor, say bad fuel and a bad injector, and the rad bubbles are just turbulence from the pump....yeah, right...dream on..

Great thanks for your comments so far.

 

[WhiteGardens]

No Motor, High Mileage on the Tranny,

I'd offer 500 bucks, then find a cheaper used 6.9/7.3 to drop in.

 

[7.3L F-250]

white smoke means air in the fuel system, hook avacuum gage to inlet on low pressure pump(passenger side) pump could have a diaphragm hole or supply lines are weeping. Sometimes thye just replace the pump and buy gas hoses instead of diesel, use silicon or hnbr grade rubber.

according to my old auto teacher (and our book confermed it) white smoke means that your eather burning coolant or a little bit of oil but the oil has more of a blueish kind of smoke

not saying your wrong because both the teacher and book were wrong on things before but thats just what we were tought

 

[yaric008]

man, $4500 for a 94 with a blown motor. That's way too high. I picked up a 92 mercedes in mint condition with a blown head gasket for 600 bucks...

 

[jyrks]

Here's some light entertainment for you.

So I went to the auction to see what happens with the 94 IDIT truck.
It's cold, so truck had to be jumped again. The truck comes in belching white smoke.
TURN IT OFF QUICK, yells the auctioneer to the driver, and starts the bidding:
ANYBODY GOT $7000?? SOMEBODY IS GONNA MAKE MONEY WITH THIS TRUCK! etc, etc.
Chuckles and rolling eyes in the audience.
The price quickly comes down to $3000, and then probably the owner's bidders bid $3200 and $3300, trying to make somebody to take the bait and bid 3500$, which is probably the reserve. Nobody takes it, so the auctioneer tells them to get the truck out of there. The driver turns the key, and of course nothing happens. They bring a battery. Still nothing. Another battery, and the truck finally fires, and lets go a tremendous blast of smoke right into the face of the people sitting in the front row. The hall fills up with smoke before they get the truck out, and people start bailing out coughing and running into chairs with their burning eyes closed.

So, auctions can be fun. I'm still considering making a lowball offer.

Speaking of cheap vehicles, i bought a -92 crown victoria from the same place for $650. No rust, mint interior, faded paint, 108K. It's been my daily driver since september, and i have a total of five bucks in repairs, nothing wrong with it except no a/c. I did buy a new battery just to make sure it starts up in the winter, though.