Smoke while warming up

[DrCharles]

Sounds like someone installed the IP drive gear a tooth off... I didn't even know the IP could be moved from 13 ATDC to 8 BTDC (that's 21 degrees!)

 

[Jp123]

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.

How long do you hold the glow plugs? It's a very excessive amount of thick smoke that lingers. Takes about 10mins or more of idling before it goes away. I work for a well drilling company and we have lots of old and new diesel's. None come close to smoking like this

 

[Jp123]

The glow plug controller went bad and burned up 5 out of 8 plugs. But it smoked like this before that happened. Replaced all the plugs and checked the wiring. I use a push button switch to fire the plugs. If I run the plugs while it's running it definitely helps but still smokes more then it did originally. Fast idle definitely works but I don't hear a difference when I unplug cold timing advance. Not getting any leak back. Truck starts great and doesn't miss. Compression checked out good. Gonna try some stiction eliminator or atf and figure out where the timing is. Then move on to injectors and injection pump. Thanks everyone for the replies! Neighbors havnt said anything yet but I know they're thinking that stupid truck.. Haha

 

[Big Bart]

JP keeping the glow plugs on 12-15 seconds on a cold day should do it.

I would start with checking your timing. Your cold advance when your timing is on will cause the truck to really have louder diesel clatter for a brief time when the engine is cold. When your timing is off I find the IDI trucks really do not make much clatter when cold with the cold advance on.

Have you checked your turbo visually to see if it is leaking oil inside, this could also be your issue? Thus could explain why it starts fast, has good compression, and runs good. But the turbo is dropping oil into the intake or exhaust.

You might want to compare blow-by out of the oil fill cap when cold and when hot. Big difference perhaps you have a bit of a ring issue. So more smoke till the engine warms up, compression comes up, and temp comes up.

Let us know what you find and attach some pics.

 

[BW42]

Anybody Remember? At present, I own an F-350, 7.3Idi, non-turbo. Been watching all this talk about glow plugs, and remembering the 70s, when I drove for a Dallas firm. The firm leased about 45-50 IH bobtails, rated at 48,000 loaded. This was after IH pulled the six-banger out of their harvesters, and married it to a Roadranger 10-speed. Made for a great medium duty truck. The kicker was, you never had to wait for glow plugs to warm up. On the coldest mornings, (-10 or so) I would get out of my motel room, into the truck, hit the key, and it would ALWAYS kick off with minimum revs on the starter. Sometimes I had to rock the truck a bit to free the frozen brakes, but never had any problems with starting. How did they (IH) do that? The system worked so well, I'm surprised that diesel makers didn't adopt the system. Anybody Remember??

 

[Claybreaker 144]

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?

I'm in Statesville, NC and have a Kent Moore Tach an Time that I will let you use at my house just PM me and can make it happen.
Now to add fuel to the fire, I have a 6.2 that is turbo charged that does the same thing, excess white smoke at start up and more blue and black smoke at the slightest amount of pedal after warm. This is a complete overhaul motor, rebuilt IP and injectors, new glow plugs timing advanced tried between 8 and 4 degrees. Compression at 400 each cylinder. Removed glow plugs (1 burned up), injectors and IP and sent them back to the builder for testing and were returned as nothing wrong good to go. I'm at a loss. Been around diesels for 30 years and found excess smoke to be either injectors or IP as stated in this thread.
I'm ready to try turning my pump fuel screw down an 1/8 turn and see if that helps.