Help with my ranger

[fork5o]

I have a 92 ranger with the 2.9 v6 in it. It has over 170k but until recently its been running strong. I had this happen twice over the summer, the first spark plug get all gunked up and then the truck will miss and hesitate. It's only the first plug, all the other are burning just fine. Also, it's a stick, when I'm stopped on any kind of a slope and I go to pull away theres a big puff of white smoke coming out of the exhaust, but it really doesnt smoke any other time (at least that noticable) What could this be? seal, injector?

[chugger95]

I don't know much about the hesitating, or any thing like that but I do know that the 2.9s had problems with the heads cracking on them.

[Viper_ed]

I would guess bad Valve Seal or Ring

[Stangman701]

I don't know much about the hesitating, or any thing like that but I do know that the 2.9s had problems with the heads cracking on them.

+1 I replaced a set of heads on my dad's 88 ranger a long time ago. 2.9's are definitely prone to cracking for some reason.

[Steve-0]

+1 I replaced a set of heads on my dad's 88 ranger a long time ago. 2.9's are definitely prone to cracking for some reason.

And warping. They were decent motors though for what they are.

[lib88stang]

Had similar problems witha 2.9, so I sold it..

[87notch]

Had similar problems witha 2.9, so I sold it..

I had problems with every 2.9 I owned.

[fork5o]

i had an 89 that ran fine 150k when i sold it. this is my pops old truck (4x4 unlike my old one) and i just need it to make it til i graduate so im tryin to fix this so it lasts. ill check it out next time i get home, anymore input would be greatly appriciated

[fork5o]

i actually forgot i had this thread so update!
before i had to come back to school i ripped the heads off my truck to find that two intake valves were really beat up. i changed those two out and reseated all the other valves. everything look really good other than those two for over 176k on it.
eveything went well, the truck runs perfect, no smoke, no nothing. hopefully everything holds up til i graduate and get a job