trouble with a ford 429

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79ford - 18 Jul 2005 06:15 GMT

its smocking white smoke but not loosing water.fouls plugs at or above
3200rpm.over heating at idle and road speed. can u help?

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Backyard Mechanic - 18 Jul 2005 21:38 GMT

> its smocking white smoke but not loosing water.fouls plugs at or above
> 3200rpm.over heating at idle and road speed. can u help?

Are you SURE it's not losing coolant?

Check out the transmission Vacuum modulator... does the vac line have
tranny fluid in it?

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Tom Adkins - 19 Jul 2005 12:39 GMT

>>its smocking white smoke but not loosing water.fouls plugs at or above
>>3200rpm.over heating at idle and road speed. can u help?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Check out the transmission Vacuum modulator... does the vac line have
> tranny fluid in it?

It's been a while, but, yes, a severely blown modulator will cause white smoke out
of the tail pipe and, curiously, not much difference in transmission operation.If the
line is pulled off the trans won't shift?. The overheating at idle may or may not be
connected. If the vehicle is equipped with a fan clutch, it's likely bad if original.
Model and year would help greatly. Is this a stock car, or a 460 in something modified?

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doc - 19 Jul 2005 01:14 GMT

This is a tuff one. It could be running to lean. The white smoke has me
stumped. Only way on the white smoke is a cracked cylinder or blown head
gasket this will also cause it to over heat (putting pressure on the coolant
system). One way to check this is warm (not hot) engine and while running
remove radiator cap. If the coolant come out (look for water with air
pressure behind it) you have cracked cylinder or blown head gasket. It don't
take much coolant to make white smoke. Over heating will foul plugs too.

> its smocking white smoke but not loosing water.fouls plugs at or above
> 3200rpm.over heating at idle and road speed. can u help?

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Tom Adkins - 19 Jul 2005 12:57 GMT

> This is a tuff one. It could be running to lean. The white smoke has me
> stumped. Only way on the white smoke is a cracked cylinder or blown head
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>>its smocking white smoke but not loosing water.fouls plugs at or above
>>3200rpm.over heating at idle and road speed. can u help?

Hey Doc, I've seen your posts and figured you for an old timer. ATF will burn "white"
too. May not be his problem, but I remember seeing (owning) Fords with with white
smoke pouring out of the tailpipe(s) caused by a bad Trans Modulator. I used to check
this even before the coolant level on late 60s and early 70's Fords. I bought many
with "bad head gaskets" at "reduced" prices at used car lots due to blown trans
modulator valves. That ATF would sure clean the intake tract on an engine.

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