White Smoke. Plenty of it!
White Smoke. Plenty of it! |
|
| JUGGERNAUT 09 April 2011 08:21 PM |
During the last two days we traveled from a 100 degree heat wave, through treacherously high cold winds, into a spring snow storm. After spending the night in Boomtown Casino parking lot, we woke to a temp in the low 20's. Juggernaut doesn't like cold temps unless the block heater is plugged in. During start-up white smoke bellowed out the exhaust, overtaking the parking lot and casino! I realize some white smoke is normal during cold temps Not only did the excessive smoke hurt my ego, it continued to smoke for 15 minutes. The Detroit also developed a nice miss during this.
After a 15 minute shut down, and re-start it cleared up. The oil level was a bit low. Water level in radiator reservoir was normal. I added oil and the rest of the 2 1/2 hour ride to Grass Valley went without issue. I'm thinking bad injector? My last oil analysis indicated some fuel in the oil. I'm also due for an overhead. What say you? |
| Darryl&Rita 09 April 2011 09:18 PM |
Nobody else has kicked in yet, so here goes. Fuel in the oil is probably a "bad" injector. Whether it's got a poor spray pattern, a post-nasal drip, or any other issues, it sounds bad. It could be more than one, with minor issues, or one with worse issues. The heavy white smoke is USUALLY water, but with temps. in the 20's, a cold engine with too much fuel is going to make smoke. Lots and lots of white smoke. The smoke will continue until the engine either warms up, or burns off the excess fuel. The 15 min. shut-down may have allowed the engine heat to equalize, or it may have been a coincidence. |
| J.W. Morgan 09 April 2011 10:00 PM |
It is time for a plug up and look see. Yes white smoke is normal for older trucks in cold weather, but you may have an injector sticking open. |
| roadfitter 09 April 2011 10:27 PM |
HI BOB! I was having black soot issues and loss of mpg,2. My DDC is a 2000 12.7 Long story short Jacksonville, FL. DD dealer $85. hr. and $600. and a gasket for the "TOP END" tune up + any other needed parts. I'll spare you the details but the smoke IS GONE not even a puff on start up. I'm waiting on the trip north to the tundra to see how the mileage made out. I'll dig out my books and see what the manual has to say. If I remember rightly there were a couple of things that would cause a lot of white smoke. Hang in there kiddo. I would suggest taking it to a DETROIT DIESEL store where that is all they work on, or at least primarily so. In The Faith roadfitter |
| Steve in SoCal 09 April 2011 10:28 PM |
Typical Detroit "morning sickness"
Starting the engine letting it build some heat and shutting it down to heat soak helps a lot. On my little truck with a Cummins ISB I would start it and high idle it for 5 minuets in Kansas last December. I am running raw veg oil and it does not like cold starts >40F. Once the chambers get a little heat and soak the top end it is like a different engine. I would have the injector looked at soon. |
| KD Roberts 10 April 2011 06:17 AM |
Oddly enough, since we just purchased an RV with a DD8v92, I just yesterday saved some info to my PC regarding troubleshooting Detroit Diesel "smoke" issues FWIW
White smoke: Hope you get it squared away quickly! |
| LLonearth 10 April 2011 08:09 AM |
I'm also due for an overhead. When you have the overhead done, write down all the calibrations they stamp on the injectors so you can then have the computer set specifically for each cylinder. Of course, I learned this from a Detroit Diesel mechanic AFTER I had the valves adjusted on my DD series 60. He had a computer reader and saw that someone had set all my injectors at .70, which he said was obviously not correct. The injectors would likely all be different values. Could help maximize your mpg, which is good these days! |
| rmader 10 April 2011 08:18 AM |
Hi Jugg Same thing happened to me the other day I was on my way from Pahrump NV to Yankton SD. I spent the night in Evanston WY next morning it was 13 Deg. the Detroit started but smoked real bad and ran rough for about 20 min. |
| J.W. Morgan 10 April 2011 08:50 AM |
KD Roberts, You have a entirely different animal than the modern 4 stroke Detroits, there is no computer required to diagnose yours! It just takes a mechanic who knows a little something about them. Your model is fuel filter and transfer pump on the fuel system, blower shafts and seals are notorious problems too. I just happen to know a little something about them, shhh! don't tell anyone |
| KD Roberts 10 April 2011 09:19 AM |
Cool, I figured I could ferret out who to call -- now I know I was just happy to find a list of all the colors of smoke diesels seem to blow at some point to be able to narrow down any problems. Learning every day thanks to all of you folks |
| JUGGERNAUT 10 April 2011 10:45 AM |
Thanks for the replies folks. I was going to have the overhead done last summer at a Detroit/Volvo dealer in Sacramento. Decided to have the A/C done instead. After siting in their waiting room for over 5 hours,(my choice) the shop foreman embarrassingly stated they couldn't really find a problem with the system. (I've had a small leak for 4 years, just adding refrigerant.)$480.00 and new refrigerant later the a/c actually blew cold for, 4 months! As an ex-used car manager working for a large dealership, I realize a/c diagnostics can be difficult at times. But, do I dare return to the same place for an overhead? |
| trucksaledave 10 April 2011 09:00 PM |
A word to the wise, DD has a few injector settings for those 12.7 engines. And different settings if you have a pac-brake or a Jake brake. Many shops will just set them "their way" and that may or may not be correct. Running the overhead is a service that I always pay a little more and get it done right at a OEM shop. A correct overhead setting will give you more power and fuel mileage. JMO Dave |
| JUGGERNAUT 10 April 2011 09:04 PM |
11.1 just a baby Detroit |
| haddy 11 April 2011 02:12 PM |
I wouldn't spend any money a cold engine will smoke white when it starts. I have seen them smoke all day long on the highway when it is cold. Almost impossible for a diesel to suck water as it is has some pressure all the time. If you had a crack, it would blow water out of radiator and would get water in the oil and your oil would be milky looking. I don't know the engineering of water vapor but when it is cold the air is compressed and you get water vapor. If you have your book set your own injectors. You will have allot less trouble as i say take the air wrench and chisels away and there would be very few mech. as JW said an injector, could stick but it had to free up and be ok. Just never drive your truck till engine oil is about 125 degrees. |