96 Taco Head Gasket Going?

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue? 3.4 V6 just turned 217,000 mile, looses about a quart of coolant every couple of months but I don't do a lot of driving with it. Don't see any leaks. When I start the truck usually after is sits a couple of days, I notice like a misfire then it smooths out after about 10 seconds or so.Sometimes I get some light white smoke for about 30 seconds. Today after the truck sat for about a week or so I started it and had the misfiring and a crap load of white smoke which took about a minute to subside. Truck smoothed out and ran fine after that and does not smoke at all after she heats up. I'm 99% sure that I have a weeping head gasket into at least one cylinder but just wondering if anyone has had a similar situation or thinks that there is anything else it could be?

 

bud, i had a mustang 4.6 long story same problem.... keep close eye on coolant level, DO NOt ALLOW TO OVER HEAT WILL DESTROY ENGINE, but its just one of those age things...

 

I had a 1986 pickup with 240k miles, with the exact same problems you're having and it was my head gasket. Usually when coolant mysteriously disappears and white smoke shoots out the muffler, it's the head gasket.

 

Thanks, I guess I was just grasping at straws and hoping it could be something minor. With these miles, I'll just keep an eye on the coolant and hope she doesn't blow. It runs cool and has not been overheated. It's a great truck but she's kind of beat up now and not worth putting too much money into.

 

Sounds like you are on the right track suspecting the head gasket, or other issues, allowing coolant into one or more cylinders. I would suggest getting it looked at now, before something worse happens and increases the cost of a repair.