My exhaust is giving off white smoke whether engine is cold or warm and smells like raw gas. Can this be caused by the engine being out of timing?? Also have a small knock under valve cover things APPEAR to be working properly? Could timing also be the cause of the knock?? Engine shakes heavily but not uncontrollably motors mounts have been checked and are good. Could all this be related to the same issue or am I looking at several repairs??

 

Welcome to the forum

White smoke is coolant or water, which ever you run in radiator
Smells like gas because you are having misfires because of the coolant in the cylinders so gas is not being burned up

Too much gas makes Grey smoke, no, it would not be close to white smoke, you for sure wouldn't call it white smoke

Oil burns as black smoke

Is engine over heating and/or is coolant disappearing without a visible leak on the ground?

Also check the oil on dipstick, should look like oil not chocolate milk

 

So the oil on the dipstick look normal and there is no coolant leak. I also just recently replaced spark plugs and they looked normal no milky look on those either.

 

Hello my name is Troy
I have 1989 Ford Ranger 2.3. I had the same problems but I had black smoke coming out my tail pipe. Replace every Sensor on the truck Put the timing perfect and It still was acting up. I found my problem with my Truck. I Replace the Engine Computer ( ECM ECU ) 2.3L I took it a part and found a burn spot on the computer board. I went to the junkyard and replace the old one with the junkyard one. I then started my truck and it stop smoking, acceleration came back. No more problem. P.S. My Truck was setting for at least 10 or 15 year before this happen. Now today I having that same problem. I had the truck setting up for 10 years again Now I'm driving it and its doing the same thing 20 years ago. I check the computer box No burn spots but I'm seeing some corrosion on the Board. I guess its time to buy a new Engine Computer. Something about the Engine Computer going bad over the years if the Truck is setting up for a long time.And that's my story about my Ranger 2.3.

 

im going to check mine as I've never done this before. I think mine was replaced over a year ago with this image I will attach.

1989 2.3 sohc automatic with 4plugs

 

Welcome to the forum

You have a bit of an odd-ball Ranger
1986-1988 2.3l Ranger would have fuel injection(EFI) computer but used a distributor and only 4 spark plugs
1989-1994 2.3l Ranger used EFI computer but no distributor and used 8 spark plugs

Your computer has this part number E8TF-12A650-CT3A
Part number breakdown
E8 = 1988, E9/1989, E7/1987
T = Light truck
F = Ford electronics department

12A650 = Ford engine computer, still used in 2024 as the base engine computer part number

CT3A = the software/firmware used in this computer, it includes engine size, trans type(manual or automatic) and emissions(EGR or no EGR)
Ford never published a cross reference for these suffix numbers

So your computer is a 1988 model and 4 spark plugs with distributor would confirm its a 1988, so not an 1989 Ranger in practical terms, so post it as a 1988
You should start your own thread, with details of the issues you think might be computer related

Go here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/genera...discussion-15/
That's the General Discussion Forum
On the left you will see "+ New Thread", click on it
Put in a Title like "1988 2.3l problems"
Then post the questions

If you post it, or search for info as a 1989 you will get bad info as 1989 was a different 2.3l setup

Also just to confirm your year
1988 was the last year of this front end body style: https://www.velocityjournal.com/imag...99814_1200.jpg
1989 got a newer front body style: https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/0a...ebp&width=1200

Different headlights and signal lights

 

Yes I will creat a new thread there thank you so much for this info and Im sorry I forgot to mention this is a mustang!