Not good.

[Tin Medic]

Fired her up today and I got A LOT of smoke and some top end rattle. It only happens when taking off but I think the head gasket is done.

 

[mtnwhlr]

I would do a compression test that will you if its a head gasket.

 

[alpha6]

Oh boy...sorry to hear that.

 

[csuengr]

What color smoke? White, blue, or black?

 

[Tin Medic]

White mostly from what I could tell while driving. Checked the oil and it wasnt down and I'm not smelling anti-freeze. The inside of the tail-pipe is a sooty black. Drove home from the hospital tonight and I saw one little puff and that was it. Weird. This morning it was really bad. When I went through the gate onto post I almost killed the MP from the smoke and smell and driving in town it poured white smoke every time I left a light but was fine once up to speed.

 

[Les]

You may indeed have a blown head gasket, but when you said it "rattled", that made me think you might have a damaged valve. If you do, it would tend to suck more oil down the stem on start up versus when it's up to temp, or when you are leaving a stop.

 

[csuengr]

Like mentioned, do a comp test. You might also have cracked a head. Check your coolant level also.

 

[johnnyreb]

smoke on start upfirst thing in the morning could be worn valve stem seals leaking down over night. Which make it smoke during acceleration as well.
how many miles is on the motor? Does the rattle clear up and the smoke stop?

 

[Tin Medic]

over 165000 on the original motor. The rattle goes away almost right away and the smoke is only on on acceleration from a stop.

 

[johnnyreb]

sounds like the lifters are leaking down over night and the smoke sounds like leaking valve stem seals. Have you ever flushed the crankcase? I used to run a half quart of kerosene through my falcon every other oil change. I would do the comp test test for giggles. But that my opinion.