2001 Ford F150 4.6 liter V8 - when start engine sometimes get belch of smoke from exhaust - worried about reliability of engine

# 17 for May 16, 2003

Complaints.com received the following on May 15, 2003:

From: George Timlick [Email User]

RE: 2001 Ford F150 4.6 liter V8 - when start engine sometimes get belch of smoke from exhaust - worried about reliability of engine

I took delivery of a 2001 Ford F150 with a 4.6 lt.. V8 in November of 2000. I previously owned a similar vehicle which was a 97 with a 4.2 V6. As our climate is well below freezing at this time of year, I did not notice anything unusual until the spring of 2001.

The concern that I have is that every once in a while when I start the engine, I will get a belch of bluish /white smoke from the exhaust. The dealer claims that this is steam from water residue that is left in the muffler and is quite common with this year and model.

The loss of liquids between servicing ( 5kKms) is not enough to raise an alarm. As I have talked with a number of Ford owners with the same type of engine and they are not having the same concern I can't help but feel that I am being given the royal shaft by Ford.

I am at a point now where I have to invest upwards of $1800 on extended warranty to protect myself against engine failure in the future or put the $1800 towards a new vehicle manufactured by someone other than Ford. I would like to know from other Ford owners who is blowing smoke, the truck, the dealer, or Ford Motor Co.?

Thanks.

Comment On This

hi, no worries about those 4.6 engines making gray or even blue smoke, I've learn that there is a failure on th engine but did not affect HP at all, six months ago we purshased a 03 ford expedition w/85k miles on it, has the 4.6 and surprise!!!smokes once in awhile too and this is the 4th vehicle we owned that has that 4.6 and all of them smoke, linconl's, marquis,expeditions all what has the 4.6 will do this but even w/that smoke they will pass emission test easy. i love those engines and that smoke doesnt matter to me now, i love my expedition. ohh dont even put money into the 4.6 because after 6 months they will smoke again, plz believe.