Hey gang... Here's an interesting one... 99 expy, 180k-ish miles, 100k tune up done by previous owners , 4.6 motor, runs strong and smooth but with a little vibration at startup idle. Most of my trips are shorter jaunts, 20-ish miles at 45-55 mph on rural routes but occasional highway jaunts, same distance obviously higher mph, 65-75 mph... This is where my issue comes in is highway driving.
So this problem is intermittent, doesn't happen every time I drive the highway and has never happened at the lower speed trips on the route drives. What happens is after I accelerate to get on the highway, get to cruising speed and set the cruise I get intermittent white puffs of smoke from my tailpipe. Some bigger, some barely noticeable which is why it has taken me this long to figure out it was actually me and not small fog banks... Its happened about 5 times over ten last 3 months so its not even happening evrytime im on the highway.
Scenario... Last trip to tractor supply , get on the highway, set the cruise at 75, go about 5 miles, notice the first puff of smoke... Engine running smooth, no smell of burning oil, no smell of the exhauast being too rich or lean... Go another mile or 2, another puff of smoke... And so on... Drop my speed down to 70, no difference... Drop my speed to 65, no difference... Drop to 60... No difference... Get to my exit and get off t go to tsc and see no more smoke below 50 mph. Get to tsc leave the truck running, gun it a few times, no smoke, smooth idle... Get out check the pipe... Good air flow and clear, no bad smells...no smoke, no dripping, nothing that would lead you to believe there is a problem.
So turn the truck off, do my shopping, maybe a half hour and leave. Get back on the highway, set cruise at 65, no smoke. Go almost all the way home, set cruise at 70, no smoke... Go a couple miles bump it up to 75, and get my first puff of smoke... Get off my exit... Have about 5 miles of route driving at 60 with cruise on, no smoke at all the rest of my trip home.
This has happened With cruise off and on, recently replaced the clock spring but it had done it once or twice before it was replaced as well. My check engine light is currently on, my guess is O2 sensor but have to get the code cecked, Again, doesnt do the smoking every highway trip, just occasionally. My lovely lil gremlin...
Sooo thoughts?
So this problem is intermittent, doesn't happen every time I drive the highway and has never happened at the lower speed trips on the route drives. What happens is after I accelerate to get on the highway, get to cruising speed and set the cruise I get intermittent white puffs of smoke from my tailpipe. Some bigger, some barely noticeable which is why it has taken me this long to figure out it was actually me and not small fog banks... Its happened about 5 times over ten last 3 months so its not even happening evrytime im on the highway.
Scenario... Last trip to tractor supply , get on the highway, set the cruise at 75, go about 5 miles, notice the first puff of smoke... Engine running smooth, no smell of burning oil, no smell of the exhauast being too rich or lean... Go another mile or 2, another puff of smoke... And so on... Drop my speed down to 70, no difference... Drop my speed to 65, no difference... Drop to 60... No difference... Get to my exit and get off t go to tsc and see no more smoke below 50 mph. Get to tsc leave the truck running, gun it a few times, no smoke, smooth idle... Get out check the pipe... Good air flow and clear, no bad smells...no smoke, no dripping, nothing that would lead you to believe there is a problem.
So turn the truck off, do my shopping, maybe a half hour and leave. Get back on the highway, set cruise at 65, no smoke. Go almost all the way home, set cruise at 70, no smoke... Go a couple miles bump it up to 75, and get my first puff of smoke... Get off my exit... Have about 5 miles of route driving at 60 with cruise on, no smoke at all the rest of my trip home.
This has happened With cruise off and on, recently replaced the clock spring but it had done it once or twice before it was replaced as well. My check engine light is currently on, my guess is O2 sensor but have to get the code cecked, Again, doesnt do the smoking every highway trip, just occasionally. My lovely lil gremlin...
Sooo thoughts?