Hey everybody, hope you're doing well. I have a 1999 Ford Ranger XLT 4.0L v6 with 195k miles. When I bought the truck last year it ran fine, if anything it idles a little low but not so low that it is stalling. I let the truck sit in the garage after buying it for about 1 month as I saved to do some tune ups. After that month, I replaced the serpentine belt, tensioner system, idler pulley, and cleaned the MAF sensor with MAF sensor cleaner and cleaned the inside of the throttle body system with throttle body cleaner. I let everything dry out for a day (the throttle body and MAF sensor). This was about a 1 month process because I was waiting for shipping of parts and learning how to install them.

At that point the truck had been sitting for 2 months in the garage before I cranked it up, which I know is not ideal. After I cranked it up, I drove it around the neighborhood and let it run up to temp where the temperature gauge was slightly under the middle. I started to notice some very faint white smoke come out of the engine bay so I turned the truck off and opened it up and saw some smoke coming out from somewhere below I assumed that I did something wrong and have let it sit until now, about 5 months later. Now that it isn't so blistering cold I am getting back into the project. Cranked it up today and after driving around the neighborhood same thing. I took a video of where the smoke is coming from and it looks like it's coming from somewhere on the lower side of the engine by this big bolt. I attached a link to a video for reference (If you need a direct video I need to find out how to compress it because it's too large to upload on the forum):

Video of Engine Bay Smoke: https://photos.app.goo.gl/kQNBvuT9fhg13vN2A

The engine is definitely pretty oily so I assume as it sat, oil or something leaked out (it definitely leaks in the rear main seal, and possibly elsewhere on the engine). The oil levels are still full even after sitting all this time. I also attached an image that shows how much oil has leaked from this plate sitting under the engine below the oil pan screw over the course of 7 months or so.

Could this simply be oil or some other fluid that is burning off?

Oil leaked over 7 months



Smoke either from here or below here

 

Did you smell the smoke?
How's the coolant level?
Try longer drives.
Get some brushes, sticks, rags and wire (to affix rags, etc.) and clean the engine.
Check the PCV system for proper operation. A clogged system will contribute to higher internal pressures and exacerbate some leaks.
Make sure the valve cover bolts are tight.
Maybe the 27 year old VC gaskets are shot ?