Blowing white smoke upon startup (1 Viewer)

[PeterUSA]

My KZJ73 3.0l is blowing out white smoke when I start her Up.
After about a 2-3 K run.... It stops.
Q: is this Ok?? What's the fix if it's an issue?
Any Ideas...?
PeterD

 

[sark]

I had this issue when I first imported my HZJ73, and it stopped after a while on the way home. Two things I would check based off my own experience:

- Any issues with your muffler? Mine had a large rust/corrosion hole in it, as well as small holes along the rest of the piping.
- Have you been keeping up with oil changes? I know fresh fluids all around helped my cruiser.

That's all I have to contribute.

 

[PeterUSA]

I had this issue when I first imported my HZJ73, and it stopped after a while on the way home. Two things I would check based off my own experience:

- Any issues with your muffler? Mine had a large rust/corrosion hole in it, as well as small holes along the rest of the piping.
- Have you been keeping up with oil changes? I know fresh fluids all around helped my cruiser.

That's all I have to contribute.

The Muffler is in Good Order. I Religiously Change the Oil every 5k, Both Oil and Fuel filters.
When I first brought it Over... The Temperature was warm. I noticed it More in Cold Temps. But now in Virginia.. its warmer... But still getting white smoke upon startup.
Appreciate your help.

 

[sark]

The Muffler is in Good Order. I Religiously Change the Oil every 5k, Both Oil and Fuel filters.
When I first brought it Over... The Temperature was warm. I noticed it More in Cold Temps. But now in Virginia.. its warmer... But still getting white smoke upon startup.
Appreciate your help.

I noticed mine when I was in Utah, on a cooler, rainier day going uphill. That's about the only time it's every produced any sort of smoke...

Sorry I can't be of help, but someone should be able to.

 

[PeterUSA]

I noticed mine when I was in Utah, on a cooler, rainier day going uphill. That's about the only time it's every produced any sort of smoke...

Sorry I can't be of help, but someone should be able to.

Thanks.
I hope someone has the right info.
She runs just fine. ( Oil Pressure is reading a bit Low) but I hear that's Normal.
I should get good responses when Australia wakes up. There Always a Big Help.

 

[Felde]

Hi
What milage is on the truck [since last engine rebuild, if ever].
Suspects are water/coolant or oil to be burned, or a faulty / poor injection.
White smoke rather indicates coolant, but could also be mixed up with grayish diesel smoke.
1. Take one smell from that white cloud. (Eh, one. Exhaust gases are toxic)
Is it rather burned oil or is it rather somewhat fruity, which would be coolant. I assume you are running proper coolant, not just water.
2. Check fluid levels very carefully and accurately over some time: Check when vehicle is well leveled and check at same temp (e.g each morning before start). Any consumption?
3. Carefull check on oil or coolant leaks. Make sue there are none, in order you really can assume any observed losses have happened through the engine combustion.
If no loss on fluid is observed, I'll take a guess on injection.
If oil is lost and it smells burned oil, the turbo would be my first guess.
If coolant gets lost, I assume it's the head gasket. Visible white smoke should require a fair amount of coolant to go into combustion, though, so loss should be significant.
Unlike oil, coolant actually doesn't combustion a lot, but rather evaporates and undergoes some chemical reactions in the heat (causing that fruity smell) and then goes to the exhaust. Coolant smoke would only be visible, though, if the substance has a chance to condense, e.g. when engine, exhaust and ambient are still cool. Heat extension of the material may also cause a fissure, where coolant or oil unlawfully enters the combustion, to eventually seal.This might explain why the smoke disappears once engine and exhaust have heated up after a few K.
Good luck Ralf

 

[77cruiser77]

I used to have the same issue. It continued to get worse, much worse, embarrassingly worse. I had the IP rebuilt by Fox Jon and the issue went away.

 

[TonyP]

It could be a dozen different things.
Does the smoke smell like regular diesel exhaust, diesel fuel, coolant (sweet) or oil?

 

[Zjohnsonua]

White smoke at start up on any diesel, especially when cold, can be readily tied to cold combustion. Engines with indirect injection fuel systems are even more susceptible. The underlying causes are what also drives their need to fire glow plugs so often compared to direct injection engines. If the smoke clears up in short order, I would not be afraid of it.

 

[Rigster]

Hey Peter,

Start with the simple/inexpensive things first.

Most likely cause is cold combustion as mentioned. Supporting this is the fact you state it goes away in 2-3 kms, or more to the point, once it warms up enough to burn the fuel more effectively and efficiently.

Glow plugs wear out and fail. Easiest thing to do is pull the bus, and test the resistance of the glows and replace as necessary. This will more than likely resolve this issue. Happy trails....

 

[Chinookie]

Second to Rigster's comment. I had a similar situation that was getting more prevalent over time especially when cold. I invested in a fresh set of glow plugs and it made an immediate difference in starting and smoke at start up.

 

[sodafeld1]

if your oil is nice , she performs well and the smoke goes when warmed up, I wouldn't worry too much. Hand cupping and sniffing the smoke can comfort (don't sniff too much unless after an effect!), if it has not much stink of anything in particular, not oil, diesel or sweet coolant.

It is a combustion engine. (I think society has become more paranoid about any sign smoke the last few years).
If you were billowing constant smoke progressively worse over the next few days of use, then worry.

I like to warm up the engine before going anywhere, especially uphill.
I get a bit of transparent white more noticeable when cold or humid on start up, (you have to look for it, pending how the sun shines) it disappears when warmed up. I assume it is a bit of moisture condensation as it does not stink and it disappears.
Fresh glows, injectors, oil and filters.
Wish I could tuck my baby up in a warm dry garage. My dad use to wrap a blanket over the engine on his old 1942 massey ferg tractor with a heater. Love indeed.

When I think of how my old neglected 1978 b engine years ago would puff when cold, a lifetime ago, it still ran for yonks, still does as far as I know.

Then I also observe old neglected trucks bellowing smoke on the freeway as the middle to low income folks get squeezed financially which leads to neglect every direction, or even the newer hilux's puffing black every acceleration with shi*tty injectors and clogged emission catcher bs. I am much cleaner than them.

Not that I am a saint, none of us are, even electric cars pollute out of sight from the eco pious, manufacturing, batteries, mining, they don't have the hydrogen sci/fi yet, so enforced nuclear for all it shall be. I heard of a guy needing 3 diffs within a year on his tesla.
I still argue to make something to last is the best.

Long drives for diesel engines are much better than short trips, far from those judgemental assumptions.