Cold Starting... Is this normal???

[Kevin 007]

I dont care what the sticker on the visor says, I'm not a big fan of reving a cold, dry engine on startup. Once you turn the key on and set the fast idle with the pedal, that should be plenty when you hit the starter. Even if the engine stumbles for a few seconds, let it get some oil pressure and just lightly give it a little throttle to even itself out.

This is how I look at it also. I rarely give more then the required amount to activate the fast idle.

And in this case, if the glow plugs have all been tested and are CONFIRMED working and cycling as they should; I would think that timing may be a possible issue. And as mentioned above, air intrusion may just not be the culprit here if it starts so well with the block heater plugged in.

 

[89Laredo]

White smoke is a sign of incomplete or no combustion.
White smoke for more than a couple seconds on a cold start would make me think low compression, bad timing, or a fuel problem (over fueling?).
My old motor would smoke for about 5 mins, accompanied my a popping noise. That motor was extremely tired.
New motor doesn't smoke at all, even at 5*f.

 

[S-west]

My truck smokes white and skips and sputters for about 10 seconds below 25ish if not plugged in, perfect compression and good timing, but it is way over fueled haha.

 

[ZWilson07]

Mine gives off some smoke when it is really cold out but after it warms up it goes away completely even with reving and my truck runs perfect.

I think its more just the exhaust being really cold and the moisture which is the same reason almost every vehicle out there shows exhaust smoke when really cold.

Not to say that always having white smoke doesn't mean there is a problem but if it is at least around freezing and you get some smoke that clears up to nothing and your motor runs fine, I wouldn't be just assuming that means you have a fueling issue or low compression.

Don't need half the forum freaking out over a statement like that unnecessarily

 

[Saskredneck]

Mine smokes white for a few minutes even when above freezing, but its pretty tired at over 1,000,000km all original aside from fuel system. My glow plugs aren't working but I timed the IP and replaced all fuel lines when I got the truck, it will fire within 10 seconds of cranking plugged in at -40. If I forget to plug it in then its a different story she likes her either then

 

[89Laredo]

I think its more just the exhaust being really cold and the moisture which is the same reason almost every vehicle out there shows exhaust smoke when really cold.

Thats steam, not smoke. Steam is a byproduct of gas and diesel combustion, about 12% of exhaust gas is h2o. Of course steam is more noticeable in the air the lower the temperature is (condensation).
I mean white "smoke" that smells like raw diesel and could fog out a parking lot in 5 mins, like my old motor had.

 

[chris142]

It rarely hets that cold here. But we did have a 15f morning a few weeks ago. I turn the key and waited for the light to go out. It started immediatly,no missing,smoking or puffing.

 

[79jasper]

Check for air intrusion.

"Ether addiction" is from destroying the glow plugs. Ether will stick to the glow plugs and when they get hot, it basically ceramic coats them and they overheat and burn out. Simplified version of what really happens, but it's the easiest way to explain it.

I thought it glazed the rings/walls. Therefore causing low compression.
At least that's how it was explained to me.

Buddy has a cummins that's addicted. I'm talking 90°F out, won't start.

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