Misfire, losing coolant, and smoking

Hello and happy holidays. I am second owner of '99 1500 5.9l with 113,000, i bought it with 65,000 in '06. A year ago a code for a misfire on 8 came with no notice of performance problems, has maybe came up 4 times in that year. I did a tune up plugs, wires, cap and rotor as well as reroute the wires a few months before the code and replaced plugs after the code. A few months ago i replaced the water pump, due to a coolant leak and last week i replaced the coils and shocks.

Christmas at 4 am my cel starts flashing, a first. I stoped and checked oil and added a quart. The light remained on but stoped flashing. Symptoms were a rough idle, loss of heater. My temperature gauge is always at 1/4, in between the lowest temp and the 210 middle mark. That night and since it will fluctuate between that 1/4 and 210, never over. I have never seen my truck run at 210 though, ever.

I got home and had 3 codes p0300, 304, 308. Random/multiple misifre, misfire 3 and 8 cylinders. I replaced cap, rotor, plugs, and thermostat. Nothing was fixed including temperature and heater, which i was thinking was a seprate issue. She has started smoking at startup, blowing excesive amounts of white smoke. It looks just like a typical cold winter white smoke but too much for too long, but it does stop. Im losing coolant with no visible leak and my oil is brown.

Head gasket leaking coolant into cylinder causing misfire and white smoke? I am very amateur, and this is assumption on research. I dont even know what the head is. Sorry for long post id appreciate some thoughts.

Cliffs: Misfire, white smoke, brown oil, losing coolant, heater doesnt work

sounds like you have a bad head gasket, white smoke=burning coolant, you are leaking coolant into your cylinders and also into the engine where it is mixing with your oil, not good for the bearings. Looks like you will need to remove your head(s) to replace the gaskets and have your heads checked for cracks.

im no mechanic but work on my own vehichles because im not a millionaire whom can pay dealerships to but seeing you might have to get into some engine disassembly i figured ide throw this idea out : ive got same truck and every time i get into engine im wishing it didnt have the ac system as it just gets in the way a bunch of times and here in michigan i never use it . well seeing you say your not a mechanic neither figured you might not know but you can buy a pulley for less than 50 to replace ac pulley and remove entire ac system if you dont need it . im doing it next summer , priced the pulley at auto zone but cant recall part name right now . no doubt most guys here no it though . and also if your not up on it many say the intake manifold gasket or whatever exact term is should be replaced as they tend to go bad on these

Sounds like you have multiple issues. The first is the plenum gasket. It causes a leak between the crank case and the intake causing the misfire and oil loss/burning. I would suggest getting the Hughes kit.

http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/p...d&partid=27091

When you replaced the water pump did you put silicon on the bolts that run into the crankcase/timing chain cover? This could be where you are getting coolant in the oil. Is the issue with the temp gauge the sender or the gauge? Since you have all this other work to do get a new sender and put it in. I think the no heat issue could be the blend door but i'd get the all the other stuff done first and then figure out the heat issue.

How do I get all the water and moisture out of my motor? And does the engine have to come out to get to the head and gasket? Is the head and gasket the only way for coolant to enter the motor? And would this cause my temperature to fluctuate and heater not work. Does there need to be diagnosing or is it clear its the head

Thnx for the replies, no I didn't silicone the bolts. Would this cause the white smoke. It appeared the leak was coming from the timing gasket but I just changed water pump and the leaked stopped.

you should do a compression test and a radiator leak test, you can rent both tools at the parts store on thier loaner tool program. You will have to change the oil to get the water out of it, do not run it until you do. When you do both test remove your plugs and then do both test.

I rented both tools and changed the oil. First i did a pressure test on coolant system with the plugs in and didnt lose pressure, the i started the truck and let it warm up for the compression test. I took out all the plugs and connected to the #2 turned it over and got sprayed by coolant out of the #4 plug hole. I stopped compression test and redid coolant pressure test with the plugs out and water/coolant came out of the #4 plug. Presure was pretty steady though. I didnt finish the compression test.

Remove the heads and see if you have a cracked head or heads... or, be one of the very lucky few with only a blown head gasket.

Probably need heads, just about 99% sure they cracked all the magnums suffered from cracks between the seats. A pair of new heads from odessa on ebay should be fine. Got a pair of felpro Q1008 head gaskets, a new head bolt set and I was back up and running. Also get the hughes plenum kit perfect time to do it will be when you have the manifold off for the heads. Got 3,000 miles since new heads now.

I determined my heads one head was bad since it was leaking coolant down the back of the block sporadically. Then once I got them off they were disgusting inside, rust around the valve seats, some valves were white others covered in rust. Also on cold start up truck would idle erratically and miss till warm.

Thanks for the replies. Been busy trying to work as much as possible and havent time to fix any thing. Ive been looking at those eq heads http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-EQ-IRON-...item2322bdb54d

Getting one with springs and stuff is the best option? and im curious about the bigger 2.02 intake, does it need supporting mods and why do they ask about cam? I have few hundred more to spend maybe 6 while in there and dont know what to do, the trucks power isnt very impressive.

Is it worth investing in this motor at 113,000 miles?

if you replace the heads on this motor you can use them on your next build, they ask about the cam so they place the correct springs on the heads

What do you guys think of putting new heads on a old bottom end?

Do it.

new heads will not hurt the short block, it can actually help if the old heads are bad or don't flow right.

Originally Posted by dodgensince74

new heads will not hurt the short block, it can actually help if the old heads are bad or don't flow right.

Originally Posted by thechief

Thanks for the replies. Been busy trying to work as much as possible and havent time to fix any thing. Ive been looking at those eq heads http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-EQ-IRON-...item2322bdb54d

Getting one with springs and stuff is the best option? and im curious about the bigger 2.02 intake, does it need supporting mods and why do they ask about cam? I have few hundred more to spend maybe 6 while in there and dont know what to do, the trucks power isnt very impressive.

Is it worth investing in this motor at 113,000 miles?

they are nice heads! i use them. mods or not 2.02 should be ok. dont use cheap head gaskets though. felpro 1008 is a decent set. always retoque again after 1000 miles!