Author Topic: help diagnose this issue (video inside) (Read 4169 times)

zagarus · « **on:** October 06, 2007, 05:40:28 pm »

Well my cars only been sitting for one week now and i decided to give it a little warm up session.

Only thing is its smoking like a mofo and kinda sputters. The only other times i've seen it sputter like this is when i go to start the car in the morning after having driving kinda hard the night before and not let it cool down idle. It usually only sputtered for a minute while i drove off. But today its been sputtering like this for the entire 15 minutes i had the car running.

:? any ideas? doesnt smell like coolant.

jtanguay · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2007, 05:48:04 pm »

what kind of oil are you running in it? maybe try some lubro moly diesel purge?

Black Smokin' Diesel · « **Reply #2 on:** October 06, 2007, 06:05:12 pm »

Check for air in the lines and leaks. I'd say the injectors are in need of a rebuild.

zagarus · « **Reply #3 on:** October 06, 2007, 06:27:09 pm »

oil is 15-40 royal purple synthetic, and injector nozzles were upgraded to AAZ nozzles last may...but its possible i need a new fuel filter. I'm planning on getting the injectors done when i go for a giles fuel pump.

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #4 on:** October 06, 2007, 09:46:17 pm »

White smoke is usually coolant or unburned fuel.

Assuming you are not having coolant ie. headgasket issues (have you checked for pressurization or oil in the coolant) then it's probably unburned fuel.

Unburned fuel can be a bunch of things including:
- engine is cold.... did you just idle it for 15 minutes or run it a bit ?
- engine started without one or more glow plugs... again smoke would persist if it's just sitting there idling since diesels produce very little heat at idle.
- retarded timing
- dripping or otherwise misbehaving injector
- severely restricted air intake system: clogged filter.... rodent nest (don't laugh it has been known to happen and actually meets your "it just started to happen" symptom !)

zagarus · « **Reply #5 on:** October 07, 2007, 01:39:16 am »

my guess is unburnt fuel, but most likely caused by improper injection from nozzles? Cause it goes away and didnt always sputter like this. Like i said it was just the days where i drove hard then didnt let the engine cool down, i just shut it off and the next morning it sputters for a minute.

THe only exception is today where it didnt stop sputtering and it was idling for well over 15minutes. I just wonder if its from sitting for a week now.

rob76 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 07, 2007, 01:57:19 am »

So it doesn't get any better even once the engine is warmed up? If it only did it when cold I'd say maybe you've got a bad glow plug or two. You should be able to feel if they are getting hot or not with your fingers during the time when they are on and the rest of the engine is cold. To reach number two have a handy assistant with small hands reach it from underneath the pump. Just touch the connector it gets pretty hot!

rob76 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 07, 2007, 02:01:16 am »

Of course, 23 lbs of boost could do bad things to an engine. You might want to get a compression/leakdown test as well as the coolant system pressure tested.

jtanguay · « **Reply #8 on:** October 07, 2007, 10:56:34 am »

whats the history on the motor? has anyone done the rings? i think this could be sticky rings, or even lifters. because after doing your injectors, there shouldn't really be a problem there. brand new nozzles? rule out the fuel filter by running diesel out of a clean bottle. i don't think your problem will go away though, unless you see tons of bubbles coming from the clear line to the pump.

i'm not too familiar with royal purple, and if they have a really good detergent additive to stop sticky rings/lifters, but i would imagine it does.

15 minutes of idling should have brought the engine up to temperature... does it go away if you take it out for a spin and load the engine? if it does go away, then you might potentially have sticky rings/lifters.

one reason i liked mechanical lifter engines...

johnboy · « **Reply #9 on:** October 07, 2007, 05:40:46 pm »

Looks to me like the head gaskets gone, properly check it before doing anything else!

zagarus · « **Reply #10 on:** October 07, 2007, 08:09:55 pm »

well started the car again today, and no problems. No smoke, no sputtering...musta just been from sitting for a week...odd.

Black Smokin' Diesel · « **Reply #11 on:** October 07, 2007, 09:45:53 pm »

Quote from: "zagarus"

well started the car again today, and no problems. No smoke, no sputtering...musta just been from sitting for a week...odd.

ahhh the wonders of owning 15-20 year old cars

zagarus · « **Reply #12 on:** October 07, 2007, 10:06:16 pm »

makes me happy...but i am having problems with one thing that im not sure if i should do or not...

...Do i want to man up and spend an extra 1000+ and get a giles fuel pump while my car sits for the next 6 months, or just wait and do a 1.9TD swap.

Tough decisions i tellzya. :lol:

Black Smokin' Diesel · « **Reply #13 on:** October 07, 2007, 10:10:31 pm »

IMO the giles pump will yield MUCH more results than a 1.9TD swap but the 6 months of downtime sucks. Why would it sit 6 months?

zagarus · « **Reply #14 on:** October 07, 2007, 10:28:19 pm »

^winter :cry:

The diesel is no longer a year round machine for me, i've put to much into it to want to mess it up with winter conditions...Thats why i got a fox wagon!!