Author Topic: White Smoke  (Read 1397 times)

Offline septantrionalis

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 52
White Smoke
« on: January 26, 2019, 05:57:52 PM »
Does anyone know what would cause white smoke to come out from underneath their truck?  This only happened once while really pushing the truck.

A bit of history.  I have a 1974 Chevy K10 with a newly installed 383 stroker engine and Holley Carb with an NP203 tcase and TH350 transmission.  I live in Denver and decided to take the truck up to Dillon, CO.  I pretty much hauled it going from Denver to Eisenhower tunnel.  However, when I looked behind my truck while going up Eisenhower tunnel, I noticed a ton of "white" smoke coming out from underneath the truck.  I don't know if it was coming out of the exhaust because my exhaust is hidden underneath the truck.  Anyway, I backed off the gas and about 10 seconds later, the smoke stopped.  I pretty much babied it the rest of the way to Dillon, and on the way home and never saw the smoke again.

For those who aren't familiar with I-70 in Colorado and Eisenhower Tunnel, the grade is about 6% climbing to 11,158’ after several miles.

Any ideas?

I thought maybe the transmission was slipping causing the automatic transmission fluid to heat up, but thats just a guess.

Another idea was the high altitude was causing the engine to run rich, but I'd think the smoke would be black.

Offline septantrionalis

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 52
Re: White Smoke
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2019, 06:53:32 PM »
I should also mention that I didn’t see anything physically wrong with the truck afterward. I opened the hood and looked under the hood at the next stop. No leaks, nothing. The truck feels like it runs fine too.

Offline VileZambonie

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18979
Re: White Smoke
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2019, 07:03:11 PM »
White smoke would be ATF or coolant. If the trans vented onto the exhaust you would get white smoke. Check your fluid levels.
,                           ___ 
                         /  _ _ _\_
              ⌠¯¯¯¯¯'   [☼===☼]
              `()_);-;()_)--o--)_)

74 GMC, 75 K5, 84 GMC, 85 K20, 86 k20, 79 K10

Offline JohnnyPopper

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2526
  • Old Goof
Re: White Smoke
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2019, 02:20:58 PM »
Also check your Modulator valve vacuum line.

I had a recent failure, it would smoke intermittently.

If there is any oil inside the vacuum hose at the valve, replace the valve.
1957 Apache 3100 235 Inline 6, 3 on the tree
1973 C-20, 3+3 454 4BBL TH400  Water Injection
1978 K-10, 350 4BBL TH350 NP203 M.M. Part time Kit/Hubs
1980 C-10 under construction