Smoking white while accelerating in cold temps. Normal?

cody3700s

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Hey everyone,

Got a 1985 250 with the 6.9idi naturally aspirated. Converted it to the 7.3 fuel filter head for water draining purposes. Return lines, caps and injectors all dry and free of leaks. I have a clean and functional CDR valve and my injecton pump seems to be working nicely. The coolant level never changes and it has recently been completely changed. Truck hardly uses any oil, about a quart between every 5k. So, having said all that, I live in northern Michigan and this diesel is a pretty impressive cold starter. Some white smoke for about ten seconds after starting (high idle set). I let truck warm up and idle down before driving. At idel, after ten seconds of running, the truck doesn't smoke at all. Today, I was driving to subway to get my lunch, outside temp was 9 degrees Fahrenheit. When I put my foot on the pedal in between the Geers, she smokes white. I wouldn't say a lot, but enough for me to question it. I have had a few other idi guys tell me it's just steam from the exhaust. Looking for answers.

Thanks,
Cody.
 

ironworker40

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Perfectly normal in my book. Mine does the same thing. Exhaust temp on a diesel varies a lot with load so your exhaust pipes cool off. If you get on the highway and shovel the coal to it, the exhaust pipes will heat up and that will stop. When you get off the highway and say run some 25-40 mph road it will come back at that cold of a outside temp. Pipes will cool of again. I was running last year at -15 in mountains towing and it didn't ever stop even after 50 miles.
 
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C_Luft

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Sounds like a glow plug or 2 is out if your getting white smoke on start up. Take a test light out and put the one side of the test light on the positive side of the battery and, pull the connectors to the glow plugs and see if any of them don't light up.
 
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Kistthesky

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monitor appearance/ level of coolant & oil, you'll know pretty quick if there's a problem.
 

jayro88

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Sounds like a glow plug or 2 is out if your getting white smoke on start up. Take a test light out and put the one side of the test light on the positive side of the battery and, pull the connectors to the glow plugs and see if any of them don't light up.

In those temps I have found that you still get some white smoke on start-up, even with good glow plugs and a good fuel system.

If it was hard starting I would say to check the Glow Plugs.
 

vegas39

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Sounds like a glow plug or 2 is out if your getting white smoke on start up. Take a test light out and put the one side of the test light on the positive side of the battery and, pull the connectors to the glow plugs and see if any of them don't light up.

I too have found that even with good glow plugs, if its really cold, your gonna get some white smoke. The purpose of the timing advance solenoid is to help eliminate some of that smoke also.

The test light method doesnt always work with glow plugs, I've had bad ones test good with a light before.

I had a VW diesel rabbit that had a knob you would pull out in the morning to advance the timing and the difference on cold starts were amazing. If you didnt pull the knob out, it would chug and billow white smoke but as soon as the knob was pulled, it would run beautiful with zero smoke.
 

jayro88

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I too have found that even with good glow plugs, if its really cold, your gonna get some white smoke. The purpose of the timing advance solenoid is to help eliminate some of that smoke also.
.

Mine takes a bit longer to clear up since my advance/high idle sensor is broken and unplugged. Debating between wiring it to a switch or replacing the sensor.
 

jay22day

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If oil and coolant checks pass, i believe i read somewhere that white smoke is indicative of unburnt fuel. If this holds true sounds like a weak or dead glow plug, especially if none of your injectors were leaky and it only occurs on start up and/or in cold weather when plugs are most important/needed.
 

BrandonMag

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Sounds like wet stacking. Not bad if it happens a little, definitely not good if it's a continuous occurrence.
Just means that your internal cylinder temp is too low to burn all of the fuel. That is what the white smoke you see is.
 

Brad S.

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Noticed you were located in Michigan, if you get a warming period, take note if the smoke lessens or goes away.
Would think if it does get better then its more related to outside temps, hopefully then its not something major...
In our area (NW Iowa) we've had a couple days of really nice temps, 30's-40's for high temps, maybe those warmer temps will slide your direction.
 

mccall52

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Mine white smoked like a freight train after I got it started one morning when it was nine degrees f. Took multiple starts, when normally one or two will do. I learned that morning I should have been using the block heater. Starts on the first try every time.
 

cody3700s

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I also noticed today that the oil level on my dipstick varies between hot and cold. I checked it cold about 20 degrees, and it read just above the add oil mark. After running it 10 miles to the store and back it read almost up on the full mark. Would you guys say that is normal? Is it also normal for guys to mistake oil for diesel fuel under the injection pump? I think where my IP bolts to the drive gear, I've got a small oil leak, is that possible?
 

snicklas

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You are to check the oil at normal operating temperature, 10-15 minutes after shutdown. This allow the oil to be "expanded" and drained back from the top end.
 

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