I have a 2001 Ford f-250 7.3L Powerstroke that won't start when it is cold. It turns over, but does not fire, and blows a lot of white smoke. Any ideas?
-Jaxmedic

White smoke can indicate coolant is being burned. Head gasket or liner leak?

White smoke usually occurs when there is not enough heat to burn the fuel. The unburned fuel particles go out the tailpipe and typically produce a rich fuel smell. It's not unusual to see white smoke in the exhaust during cold weather until the engine warms up.

Bad glow plugs or a faulty glow plug control module can cause white smoke on engine start up. Low engine cranking speed may also produce white smoke.

If white smoke is still visible after the engine has warmed up, the engine may have one or more bad injectors, retarded injection timing, or a worn injection pump. Low compression can also be a source of white smoke. Air in the fuel system can also cause white smoke.