Smoke while warming up

Jp123

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Hello everyone, I have been trying to figure out my truck's blueish/white smoking problem on start up. Smoke rolls out 2 Houses down lol. It is a 94 f350 with a 7.3 idi factory turbo. It's had this problem for a while. Starts right up when its cold has new beru glow plugs. Fast idle works and can hear it cut off. I have a new fuel filter on the way. Has 140k miles with original injectors and injection pump. Thinking injectors and pump may be the problem but it tows well and only smokes while warming up. Also not loosing any coolant and very little oil loss between changes. Thank you
 
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Big Bart

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Some thoughts

1) You mentioned new glow plugs, so inspect and test the glow plug harnesses. Could be like most, old, cracked, and failing. Maybe one or two glow plugs not getting power. Classic Diesel Designs has some custom ones folks have liked.

2) Perhaps a dirty or bad injector.(Leaks down at night.) Does not spray well or has low close pressure. (Let’s more diesel in.) Try filling up your fuel filter with ATF run for 2 minutes. Let sit over night. Let it idle in the AM for say 10 minutes. Repeat next day. If still smoking have them pop tested. If bad it’s recommended you do injectors with a rebuilt IP.

3) Less likely but perhaps you have a cylinder with lower compression. Test compression on all cylinders. As it warms up or rings fill with oil, compression goes up or piston seals and issue stops.

4) Potentially a valve guide seal.

5) Less likely but possible, pull and clean your CDR valve.
 

TNBrett

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Check timing with a meter. That can definitely do it. Also the timing will change as the IP and injectors age. But 140k is a long time on the originals, so I’d be budgeting for a quality pump and injectors.
 

IDIBRONCO

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Check timing with a meter. That can definitely do it. Also the timing will change as the IP and injectors age. But 140k is a long time on the originals, so I’d be budgeting for a quality pump and injectors.
I second this.
 

Jp123

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Thanks everyone for replying. I'll check compression to rule that out. Ive called around and can't find anyone with a meter to check timing. Everyone said they do it by ear.. Anyone know someone around statesville NC that has a meter? I'll start saving for injectors and pump. What's a good brand to go with?
 

IDIBRONCO

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There's four places that are widely known to us here to buy get quality parts from. Wes at Classic Diesel Design, Russ at russrepair.com, Mel from Conestoga Diesel, and Justin at R&D IDI Performance. I haven't bought from Justin, but that's only because the other three are members on here and I try to support the members first. I wouldn't hesitate to buy from him though. They won't be the cheapest, but they are the places that sell quality fuel injection parts. Most of us have found out the hard way that it's cheaper to buy from one of them the first time than to buy cheap parts and then buy from them later. It only took me once to learn that lesson.
 

TNBrett

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Check the timing registry on this site, otherwise you are stuck buying your own setup. Several people, myself included, have bought NIB government surplus units from eBay for less than $200. They work well.
 

Big Bart

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Thanks everyone for replying. I'll check compression to rule that out. Ive called around and can't find anyone with a meter to check timing. Everyone said they do it by ear.. Anyone know someone around statesville NC that has a meter? I'll start saving for injectors and pump. What's a good brand to go with?
When you hear ”we do it by ear” it means we don’t work on these much if at all and don’t want to buy one. (I would imagine many techs who graduated in the last 10 years don’t own a timing light. Modern cars adjust it on the fly.) You can play around and get close. Some members probably got lucky and hit the mark. But most likely only get within 5* of the true setting.

Timing is everything on these trucks and it changes over time as your pump and injectors wear. So checking/changing the timing every 30,000 miles is a very good thing. Wether you buy it for you or to loan you favorite shop, you need to buy one. We all fight it like $200 is going to break the bank. Once we buy it, see our timing was off, and hear and feel it run better. We think, why did we not do it sooner.

I believe this is the vendor that TNBrett mentions, who many have bought from. Some have suggested he takes offers as low as $180. Some have suggested that the damper probe does not fit (Not Ford specific) and so they just drilled the hole a little bigger. There is a second way to use this box that does not require the use of the probe. You can use a timing light for a gasser that has advance. Or call DTI and order there integrated timing light for a little over $100.(Makes it a slick setup.) Members can weigh in on the probe size/fit. We can get into how to use the box and set timing in a new thread for you.

 

franklin2

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Apparently you guys are not around diesels very much. They all smoke on start up. Some more than others. The colder the weather, the more they smoke. These engines don't have sparkplugs, they use heat to burn the fuel. When the engine is not hot enough, it doesn't burn all the fuel. That white smoke is unburned fuel. They all do it to some extent. You will never get rid of it completely doesn't matter how much money you spend on it.
 

Big Bart

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Apparently you guys are not around diesels very much. They all smoke on start up. Some more than others. The colder the weather, the more they smoke. These engines don't have sparkplugs, they use heat to burn the fuel. When the engine is not hot enough, it doesn't burn all the fuel. That white smoke is unburned fuel. They all do it to some extent. You will never get rid of it completely doesn't matter how much money you spend on it.
Franklin I think your comment is a little out of line and contraversial. My 20 year old boat is yanmar diesel. My old pick up in my 20’s a VW diesel. In my 30’s a Nissan diesel. Owned 3 Hino’s that where diesel. My buddy owns to high mileage rental trucks that are diesel. Now my truck of 4 years a IDI diesel. I have rented diesels from Enterprise for 12 years. I have not been around diesels much? They all smoke get over it? Really? Sorry but your statement is not everyone’s reality.

My truck smoked like a steam engine when I had drain back, the glow plugs where out, and timing was off. Now all is good in the world. Now even in 35* weather it starts in a couple seconds, I get a little puff, and nothing else. I am not smoking up the block waiting for the engine to hit 180 before it stops. Why because everything is working. I agree some with high mileage, damaged, or failure some may choose, or have to choose due to a cost of repair to live with it. But many of us want to fix the issue not just live with it.

JP’s problem is new, like me he wants to be a considerate neighbor not a Mr. Bitterman who doesn’t care. Being that guy on the street each morning leaving a 2 block trail of smoke is not scoring points with the neighbors.(Live on a farm or ranch no one else cares.)

Let’s focus on helping JP find a solution, not suggest because I have the issue on my trucks anyone else should just get over it. Let’s also not bag on or put down members saying they don’t know anything or have experience. For all I know your were a Ford Master Tech or your knowledge comes from your buddy who does all your work. Let’s all remember this venue is to help each other out not put each other down.

Franklin overall you are a positive member with good insights. So I was taken back by your statement, not typical for you. You have a lot to offer so I hope we see the best side of you in the future.
 
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hacked89

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Sounds like your smoke is excessive on startup and then clears. I would check to make sure you don’t have a bad glow plug or two that’s resulting in a cold cylinder and inefficient burn until it warms up. Additionally, if you have air intrusion or leak back from when it’s parked overnight it can cause a misfire resulting in cold start smoke until it clears. Regarding valve seals, the IDIs exhaust valve seals are optional, and when they are installed they go on very tight. When the plastic gets brittle over time they fall apart, snd there’s no harm but the result is cold start smoke. The reason the exhaust seals are there is to aid in preventing in. Finally, on the topic of diesels smoking on start up, the other mitigating controls on the IDI for cold start smoke is the cold timing advance and cold fast idle. If either of these are non functional you will smoke more when cold.

Note on the compression test comments, I agree always a good test. Make sure you do it both cold and warm compression tests. You don’t wet compression test an IDI like a gasser, you do cold:warm.
 
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NeverHave-I-Ether

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My truck just started doing this as well. Going to clear it with some ATF first. Also when running cold it'll almost stall if I rev the engine up and let it back down to idle. Probably need to check my timing.
 

franklin2

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Franklin I think your comment is a little out of line and contraversial. My 20 year old boat is yanmar diesel. My old pick up in my 20’s a VW diesel. In my 30’s a Nissan diesel. Owned 3 Hino’s that where diesel. My buddy owns to high mileage rental trucks that are diesel. Now my truck of 4 years a IDI diesel. I have rented diesels from Enterprise for 12 years. I have not been around diesels much? They all smoke get over it? Really? Sorry but your statement is not everyone’s reality.

My truck smoked like a steam engine when I had drain back, the glow plugs where out, and timing was off. Now all is good in the world. Now even in 35* weather it starts in a couple seconds, I get a little puff, and nothing else. I am not smoking up the block waiting for the engine to hit 180 before it stops. Why because everything is working. I agree some with high mileage, damaged, or failure some may choose, or have to choose due to a cost of repair to live with it. But many of us want to fix the issue not just live with it.

JP’s problem is new, like me he wants to be a considerate neighbor not a Mr. Bitterman who doesn’t care. Being that guy on the street each morning leaving a 2 block trail of smoke is not scoring points with the neighbors.(Live on a farm or ranch no one else cares.)

Let’s focus on helping JP find a solution, not suggest because I have the issue on my trucks anyone else should just get over it. Let’s also not bag on or put down members saying they don’t know anything or have experience. For all I know your were a Ford Master Tech or your knowledge comes from your buddy who does all your work. Let’s all remember this venue is to help each other out not put each other down.

Franklin overall you are a positive member with good insights. So I was taken back by your statement, not typical for you. You have a lot to offer so I hope we see the best side of you in the future.
I stand behind my comment. I agree if it is smoking excessively as you are driving down the street something is not quite right. But all diesels smoke on start up. I should say all the old school diesels without exhaust filters.

If he gets a large cloud after his truck starts cold in the morning, I don't consider that being a problem. It will vary according to the outside temperature and a few other variables. Yes, it should clear up after a minute of running. Mine clears up after about 10 seconds. It depends on how long I hold the glowplugs on before cranking. If I happen to have a bad glowplug, it will miss and smoke a little bit longer.
 

NeverHave-I-Ether

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It's about 60 degrees out and hard to start, replacing battery cables as well. New glow plug system and fuel system set at 7.5 psi, may bring it down to see if it's advancing it too much.
 

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TNBrett

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It's about 60 degrees out and hard to start, replacing battery cables as well. New glow plug system and fuel system set at 7.5 psi, may bring it down to see if it's advancing it too much.
When I first got the motor for my truck about a year and a half ago, it was smoking like yours. Thick white smoke that smelled of unburned fuel. When I checked the timing I thought I was reading it wrong. It was at 13 degrees after TDC. It started fine and ran ok, but once I had the timing set correctly it was like a completely different animal. The only visible smoke was black and under load when you would expect it.
 
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