I have a 1994 Ford Ranger 4.0 6 Cylinder with around 226,000 miles on it. The other day I was helping my dad do a little work and it required the use of my truck. I turned the engine off for a few minutes and when I tried to start it back up and it acted like it was trying but I never could get it started back up and when I turned the key on it made a whirring and bubbling noise in my fuel tank. We figured that my fuel pump had went out so we pushed it out of the way. The next day I went out to my truck and just figured I'd try it out and it started right up with no problem. I tried it a few more times and it started every time without missing a beat. I knew that I still probably needed a fuel pump but I drove it a little bit not too far away and it did fine. Well today I started it up and it seemed a little hard to start but I finally got it started and proceeded to drive down the road a bit to my moms house. A few miles down the road it started losing power and I knew it was about to die so I pulled it off the road. The second I stopped white smoke started pouring from the hood and when I popped the hood I seen it was coming from the tappet valve cover. I tried to start it and it did the same thing it did a few days ago. I got it hauled home a few hours later and when we tried to start it it started but loped really bad. I back it up a few feet and pulled it forward a few feet and shut it off. I turned the key again and it did the same thing, it wouldn't start. Does anyone know what it could be? It was due a oil change and the radiator was low but there wasn't any water in the oil. PLEASE HELP!!!

 

White smoke usually mean water or antifreeze, maybe a blown head gasket or water hose; anything leaking under the truck !

The gurgling you heard could have been the coolant in the radiator.

Check the coolant level, if up then not sure.

 

You sure it was coming from the valve cover? I think the pcv vents through the valve cover. It just seems unlikely it would come out there. But if it's certain, then the pcv could be bad. It's easy to check. Otherwise it sounds like a bigger problem, such as a head gasket, or warped head. But then if that was the case it probably wouldn't run good sometimes,and sometimes not.

 

I went out to start it this morning and it wouldn't start. It tried to turn over but it acted like it had no fuel which I know is not the case. And I know I said it was coming from the tappet valve cover but thats not what I meant. Im sorry it was coming from the motor and how would I check the pcv?

 

Pop it out, and give it a shake. If it rattles, it's good. There's not much to them things. Mine is wrapped in a metal tube. With hoses connected to either end. Those hoses have coolant running thru. You gotta pinch em down, so they won't make a mess when you pull em off. You need to know where the smoke is coming from, if you're gonna use that to help diagnose the problem. Otherwise you'll have to go with the symptoms. Check fuel, fire, compression. See where you're at.