WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[FordFETruck]

I took the truck to work today. For the past year or so I've noticed if I let the truck sit for a few days then drive it, the exhaust steam gives off this bright blue color after it runs for a minute, but it does not smell like oil at all and it dissipates just as fast as steam does. This will go away less than a mile down the road. Anyone else experienced this? if I drive it every day it doesn't seem to do it. Every engine I've ever seen that needed valve stem seals puffed out a cloud that lingered around for a while. Kinda have a hard time believing it needs valve stem seals, the heads only have like 14,000 miles on them from brand new. It doesn't consume much oil either, maybe 1 quart every 1000 miles at the worst. Shift modulator is new, so it's not sucking ATF and burning it.

I can't imagine what it could be that causes a bright blue color in the exhaust but isn't oil. On the other hand, I agree that it shouldn't be valve stem seals with only 14K miles on them. Unless one came off?

Have you checked the PVC valve? Perhaps it is plugged? (I'm grasping at straws.)

PCV valve isn't very old and works freely. It only does it when the choke is on but the afr are in the normal 12.5-14:1 range depending on temperatures when it does this. It doesn't even smell rich at the tailpipe or like coolant or oil at all when it does this.

I have suspected a valve stem seal popping off, it came with positive flex body valve seals. Our old dodge van had flex body positive valve stem seals and one popped off, that thing smoked the whole neighborhood up since it was pouring oil into the exhaust manifold. THAT lingered around.

[Gary Lewis]

PCV valve isn't very old and works freely. It only does it when the choke is on but the afr are in the normal 12.5-14:1 range depending on temperatures when it does this. It doesn't even smell rich at the tailpipe or like coolant or oil at all when it does this.

I have suspected a valve stem seal popping off, it came with positive flex body valve seals. Our old dodge van had flex body positive valve stem seals and one popped off, that thing smoked the whole neighborhood up since it was pouring oil into the exhaust manifold. THAT lingered around.

Sorry for the late reply. I'm stumped. Don't know what would cause that kind of blue smoke.

As for my truck, we took it for a spin today as I wanted to check out how Janey like's the angle the passenger's seat is at and to see how I like the new front camera. I'm happy to report complete success on both issues!

So now I'm getting the last little bits ready for the trip to NM in 3 weeks. The next issue to resolve is the inboard seatbelts as they disappear down below the seat platform each time you get out of the truck. So that's why I have the Bucket Seat Seatbelt Standup Thingee? thread going.

[Nickelplate]

Sorry for the late reply. I'm stumped. Don't know what would cause that kind of blue smoke.

As for my truck, we took it for a spin today as I wanted to check out how Janey like's the angle the passenger's seat is at and to see how I like the new front camera. I'm happy to report complete success on both issues!

So now I'm getting the last little bits ready for the trip to NM in 3 weeks. The next issue to resolve is the inboard seatbelts as they disappear down below the seat platform each time you get out of the truck. So that's why I have the Bucket Seat Seatbelt Standup Thingee? thread going.

I got really sick of vibration and tire noise going down the road, so I swapped from my aluminum turbine wheels and Dick Cepek Extreme Country tires to the original Ford steelies and some Falken Wildpeak A/T3w tires of the same size.

We did a before and after test to see the difference it made. Loaded a decibel-meter app on the phone and held it in the same place, then went down the same road at the same speed (75mph) before and after the wheel swap.

Before: 89dB with so much vibration that it literally backed out the starter bolts last weekend after 200 miles of driving.

After: 82dB with very light vibration that might be due to my driveshaft.

Before, it would have noise and vibration at literally any speed. Now, up to 45mph there is neither. from 45 to 65 there is very little. From 65 up it gets louder and shakier, but still quite improved.

[grumpin]

I got really sick of vibration and tire noise going down the road, so I swapped from my aluminum turbine wheels and Dick Cepek Extreme Country tires to the original Ford steelies and some Falken Wildpeak A/T3w tires of the same size.

We did a before and after test to see the difference it made. Loaded a decibel-meter app on the phone and held it in the same place, then went down the same road at the same speed (75mph) before and after the wheel swap.

Before: 89dB with so much vibration that it literally backed out the starter bolts last weekend after 200 miles of driving.

After: 82dB with very light vibration that might be due to my driveshaft.

Before, it would have noise and vibration at literally any speed. Now, up to 45mph there is neither. from 45 to 65 there is very little. From 65 up it gets louder and shakier, but still quite improved.

Glad it's better.

Our Suburban had a vibe at 65-75 MPH. Kept checking things and all was good.

Finally went to the tire shop and told them I think something is wrong with the one or more of the tires.

He comes out and looks things over and said one thing they have found is aftermarket wheels will move after they're torqued, you wouldn't think so but they do.

OE wheels, as I understand it, are made to fit on the hub better.

They had some OEM style rims, put them on and the vibration was gone.

Maybe a tire guy on here can add to this.

[Gary Lewis]

I got really sick of vibration and tire noise going down the road, so I swapped from my aluminum turbine wheels and Dick Cepek Extreme Country tires to the original Ford steelies and some Falken Wildpeak A/T3w tires of the same size.

We did a before and after test to see the difference it made. Loaded a decibel-meter app on the phone and held it in the same place, then went down the same road at the same speed (75mph) before and after the wheel swap.

Before: 89dB with so much vibration that it literally backed out the starter bolts last weekend after 200 miles of driving.

After: 82dB with very light vibration that might be due to my driveshaft.

Before, it would have noise and vibration at literally any speed. Now, up to 45mph there is neither. from 45 to 65 there is very little. From 65 up it gets louder and shakier, but still quite improved.

That's a huge difference in sound! And it is probably what I experienced when going from the Cooper Discoverers to the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W's, although I didn't measure it. But 7dB is huge, so I'm sure you are happy.

[FordFETruck]

Glad it's better.

Our Suburban had a vibe at 65-75 MPH. Kept checking things and all was good.

Finally went to the tire shop and told them I think something is wrong with the one or more of the tires.

He comes out and looks things over and said one thing they have found is aftermarket wheels will move after they're torqued, you wouldn't think so but they do.

OE wheels, as I understand it, are made to fit on the hub better.

They had some OEM style rims, put them on and the vibration was gone.

Maybe a tire guy on here can add to this.

Huh, never heard that one before. I went from my OE 16x6 steel wheels with LT235/85/R16E to 16x7 procomp aluminum wheels with LT265/75/R16E Pathfinder AT tires and have no problems with vibrations even at 85 MPH. I did find the lug nuts needed retorqued after about 50 miles worth of driving the first time they were installed; some lug nuts were a little on the loose side.

[Nickelplate]

Huh, never heard that one before. I went from my OE 16x6 steel wheels with LT235/85/R16E to 16x7 procomp aluminum wheels with LT265/75/R16E Pathfinder AT tires and have no problems with vibrations even at 85 MPH. I did find the lug nuts needed retorqued after about 50 miles worth of driving the first time they were installed; some lug nuts were a little on the loose side.

Well I did repaint the wheels so there might be some paint between the lug nuts and the wheel. But I really cranked em down.

Btw, Van Sickle "J.I. Case Power White" in a spray can matches the original off white of my ford steelies perfectly.

[grumpin]

Huh, never heard that one before. I went from my OE 16x6 steel wheels with LT235/85/R16E to 16x7 procomp aluminum wheels with LT265/75/R16E Pathfinder AT tires and have no problems with vibrations even at 85 MPH. I did find the lug nuts needed retorqued after about 50 miles worth of driving the first time they were installed; some lug nuts were a little on the loose side.

I hadn't heard it either. I'm sure there are good wheels that don't.

And I don't know the history on the wheels as they came on the Suburban when we bought it. And we've had it for fifteen or more years.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Huh, never heard that one before. I went from my OE 16x6 steel wheels with LT235/85/R16E to 16x7 procomp aluminum wheels with LT265/75/R16E Pathfinder AT tires and have no problems with vibrations even at 85 MPH. I did find the lug nuts needed retorqued after about 50 miles worth of driving the first time they were installed; some lug nuts were a little on the loose side.

I hadn't heard it either. I'm sure there are good wheels that don't.

And I don't know the history on the wheels as they came on the Suburban when we bought it. And we've had it for fifteen or more years.

Yesterday I bought a Meguire's clay bar kit, Turtlewax rubbing compound, and Turtlewax paste wax. And today I started "detailing" Big Blue. More specifically making the paint shine.

This was the first time I've ever used a clay bar and I can't say that it made a huge difference. Yes the clay got dirty, but I think most of that was from oxidized paint. However, using a clay bar before polishing has been recommended, so I am using it.

After using the clay I hit the driver's side with rubbing compound. Three passes on the dark blue since it was badly oxidized, and one pass on the light blue as it wasn't nearly as bad. And then I applied the wax, heavily. But while the result was a big improvement the reflection in the dark blue wasn't impressive.

So I looked my supplies over and found that I had a little bit of polishing compound. I tried it on a spot on the dark blue and after using it and then polish I found what I was looking for - a nice reflection. Given that, tomorrow I'm going to pick up more polishing compound and get after it on the rest of the truck.

But right now I'm icing my shoulder as the tendonitis in it isn't very happy. The side trim on these trucks makes it hard to use a polisher, so most of the work has been done manually.

As for pics, I took some but our internet is out and that complicates uploading, so I'll wait for tomorrow. Hopefully the AT&T guy actually gets here this evening like they say he will and gets the fiber spliced. A contractor for Cox cut the fiber today while installing conduit so Cox can lay fiber.

[Gsmblue]

Yesterday I bought a Meguire's clay bar kit, Turtlewax rubbing compound, and Turtlewax paste wax. And today I started "detailing" Big Blue. More specifically making the paint shine.

This was the first time I've ever used a clay bar and I can't say that it made a huge difference. Yes the clay got dirty, but I think most of that was from oxidized paint. However, using a clay bar before polishing has been recommended, so I am using it.

After using the clay I hit the driver's side with rubbing compound. Three passes on the dark blue since it was badly oxidized, and one pass on the light blue as it wasn't nearly as bad. And then I applied the wax, heavily. But while the result was a big improvement the reflection in the dark blue wasn't impressive.

So I looked my supplies over and found that I had a little bit of polishing compound. I tried it on a spot on the dark blue and after using it and then polish I found what I was looking for - a nice reflection. Given that, tomorrow I'm going to pick up more polishing compound and get after it on the rest of the truck.

But right now I'm icing my shoulder as the tendonitis in it isn't very happy. The side trim on these trucks makes it hard to use a polisher, so most of the work has been done manually.

As for pics, I took some but our internet is out and that complicates uploading, so I'll wait for tomorrow. Hopefully the AT&T guy actually gets here this evening like they say he will and gets the fiber spliced. A contractor for Cox cut the fiber today while installing conduit so Cox can lay fiber.

Clay bars are great for clearcoat. Not sure for single stage paint.

Good to here you are getting s shine, pics??