Smokey BJ74 (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Threads
4
Messages
32
Location
Victoria, BC
Hey all my bj74 has recently started to smoke real bad lately. Its a light blue with a hint of white and smell like diesel. I know it gets worse with colder temps (Canada) but I noticed the smoke only goes away when the engine is up to operating temp, even when the engine is too hot to touch its still putting out a light blue smoke(barely visible when its this warm).

The other thing is when it sits overnight and you fire it up the next morning it pushes out a big poof of whitish smoke when you first fire it up and smells heavily of diesel. This made me think of valve guides but I know the smell of burning oil and this smells nothing like burning oil, smells like sticking your nose in a jerry can of diesel and taking a huge whiff. Not that I would know what thats like......:hillbilly:

I was reading up that partially burnt diesel can cause white and or blue smoke, rig has 190k JDM 13bt no idea if injectors have been done. Just did the fuel filter and air filter is good.

Any ideas would be very helpful:cheers:
 
Is it easy to start?

Does it idle ruff when cold?

Does it miss and buck when accelerating?

Does it have a flat spot?

Any visible fuel leaks/damp spots anywhere in your fuel system?

When was the last time you changed your fuel filter?

Answer these questions and we will get back to you.

BTW, if its blue smoke, it is oil and will smell like burnt motor oil. White smoke is uncomplete combustion because of a cold combustion chamber or not enough fuel (plugged filter) or too much air (like an air leak into your fuel system). Black smoke is over fueling and commonly caused by the fuel being turned up too much or a clogged air filter.
 
are you loosing any oil?

does not sound to abnormal for a cold 13bt, it also sounds like you are not reaching proper consistent operating temperature, change t-stat.

install a block heater or lower rad hose heater, and a "wilson switch", if you have not already done so.

.0002cents ;)
 
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STarts good you have to turn the idle up when its colder out and it might miss 1 or 2 firings but only right when you start it. runs great good power idles fine and no flat spots

Just changed fuel filter today with results, got 300ish km on my oil now and it hasnt gone down at all.

Also it takes quite a while to warm up maybe 3-4 mins of driving(not idling) just for the needle to start moving and it never goes above 1/3. Glow screen works fine but has only come on once or twice(really cold out)

No fuel leaks whatsoever the i.p. is fine
 
i think injectors
when the combustion chambers are good and hot they can burn the badley atomized fuel
but not once they have cooled
which might explain the blueish smoke once warmed right up
 
no, oil pressure is low at operating temp

Turbo45:nono when its fully warmed up there is little to no blue smoke its very bad when cold and it gets better as it warms up. When its hot(eg. after I get off the highway) there is no smoke
 
no, oil pressure is low at operating temp

Turbo45:nono when its fully warmed up there is little to no blue smoke its very bad when cold and it gets better as it warms up. When its hot(eg. after I get off the highway) there is no smoke

when it's like -10c outside and forget to plug in the old girl, and fire here up there is a big puff of white smoke for about 30 secs and after about 2 mins nothing.

or when i fire here up at operating temperature there is always a small puff of black smoke.

does not sound to abnormal to me, but hey... :eek:

:D
 
You should see the white puff even when its like +10 outside not even that cold...and the blue sticks around for like 5 mins of driving? Dosnt sound 100% healthy to me

i.e. you cant see through the white puff and its probably 6-7ft around
 
the fsm shows 2 t-stats, 82c and 86c, i assume one for winter and one for summer... i find that the 13bt in cold conditions takes about 10 mins of hwy driving to warm up.
 
You should see the white puff even when its like +10 outside not even that cold...and the blue sticks around for like 5 mins of driving? Dosnt sound 100% healthy to me

edit, nope does not sound right, sounds like it's running to much diesel though the pump which can = unburnt fuel and black smoke oh and heat, do you have a pyrometer gauge?

there is a knob doohickey on the side of the pump apparently with a wire seal that can adjust the amount of fuel going through into the combustion chambers, thoe i have no experience in this adjustment.

also do a search on seafoam ....

:hillbilly:
 
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A diesel is not like a gasser (using terms like rich and lean). Ban them from your diesel vocabulary. With a diesel...add more fuel and the rpm goes up.

The injectors might not be atomizing the fuel correctly, which can effect the burn. If the injectors have never been done, they are long overdue.

Baseline it the cheap and easy way (valveset, BG engine flush, fresh oil/filter, two cans of Lubro Moly Diesel Purge, fresh fuel filter), run it for a while and see if there is a change. If you can, forgo the Diesel Purge and go straight to an injector rebuild (still do the valve set and oil flush/change). Time the pump. See what changes.

As a rule, the 13BT, 12HT and 1HD-T all give that puff at start up.

My 13BT takes a while to warm up too.
 
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A diesel is not like a gasser (using terms like rich and lean). Ban them from your diesel vocabulary. With a diesel...add more fuel and the rpm goes up.

The injectors might not be atomizing the fuel correctly, which can effect the burn. If the injectors have never been done, they are long overdue.

Baseline it the cheap and easy way (valveset, BG engine flush, fresh oil/filter, two cans of Lubro Moly Diesel Purge, fresh fuel filter), run it for a while and see if there is a change. If you can, forgo the Diesel Purge and go straight to an injector rebuild (still do the valve set and oil flush/change). Time the pump. See what changes.

As a rule, the 13BT, 12HT and 1HD-T all give that puff at start up.

My 13BT takes a while to warm up too.

Do you put your Lubro Moly in the fuel tank or fill the fuel filter?
 
Neither. I fill a clear container, remove the feed and return lines where they come up from the firewall, and run it from the container. Clean the feed and return lines very well before taking them off and putting into the container. If you are going to do a single can, both hoses can fit into the Lobro Moly container with a little work. Make sure the feed line goes to the bottom.
 
On my personal vehicles I've used the "Quick Clean" and "MOA". I've never used the "Purge" so I can not comment. I am going to add the "109" to the spring service routine for all three vehicles when service time comes along.

I have a supply I am working through.

Use BG's Service Center locater to find product near you, then phone around and find a friendly center that will retail it. Sunrise Toyota will sell it, but are not listed on the site.

BG product lines are used by many name brand service centers as part of a service package. Do a search by postal code to get an idea John. And, it ain't cheap stuff.

I've heard good things about the auto tranny flush product, and I know Sunrise uses it with the Power Flush exchange machine they have.
 
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Thx Greg. Was hoping for someone local in Abby. If it really does clean out the rings and restore compression that would be amazing. Worth a try for someone who has a compression issue. Actually have never checked my compression since I bought it and can't remember what the numbers were when the inspection was done. The diesel mechanic who did it thought the numbers were good. I only seem to get oil consumption when I hit about 4000 kms and the oil starts getting thick.

Funny thing with my engine is that it seems to have even more get up and go now at 200,000 kms than it did at 148,000. That was just after I had the IP rebuilt and new injectors. I'm thinking cylinder glazing due to years of idling in Japan might be the cause. Using a good detergent oil and working the engine regularly may have cleaned off the glazing - hence the better performing engine. It's just a wild guess. :meh:
 
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I think the North American road system is doing wonders for these JDM engines. My 13BT never ran so well as after the marathon road trip to ACT 2006.

You bring up an interesting point. Snake oil is snake oil, and it's each persons preference. I've posted up a couple of times lately to use a BG product while base lining an engine. I'm surprised no one has come at me for suggesting using a snake oil. However, how someone base lines an engine is up to them. But at least do a couple minimum things: Valve set, fresh fuel filter, fresh oil and oil filter, fresh air filter. Using a known injection system cleaner can help troubleshoot. Finally, a compression test, and oil pressure guage to give numbers to the baseline.

If you have the jing, then rebuild the injectors, rebuild the pump (talking rotary), time the pump, rebuild the turbo (ceramic coat it while apart). Then you are truly base lined and know exactly what you have.

The results of injector system cleaners like Lubro Moly Diesel Purge are well known. Sometimes the results are dramatic. But, Diesel Purge is not an injector rebuild in a can. If the springs are cracking at too low a pressure, or the needle/seat is scored and dripping, the fix is new tips and resetting the crack pressure.

Same with engines that are gummed up from lack of maintenance, or what not. I like to base line, and know BG is used at many service centers. I have used it on my personal vehicles, and yes...I have noticed a difference. My experience is entirely undocumented though...So try and use at your own risk.

On customer engines we keep it simple and always recommend using a good oil and filter, and many times suggest a few changes over a 5000kms process as a passive flush, leaving the rest up to them.

I will play with my own stuff though.

If you are interested in doing a study and documenting any results...try the AutoRX product John. There are a number of well documented trials on line. It would be nice to know someone who has gone through it and taken the time to compression test, take pictures, do the clean and rinse cycles, and the compression test again.

And finally, a quote from someone a while back when talking brands, etc: "Some oil is better then no oil".
 
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Neither. I fill a clear container, remove the feed and return lines where they come up from the firewall, and run it from the container. Clean the feed and return lines very well before taking them off and putting into the container. If you are going to do a single can, both hoses can fit into the Lobro Moly container with a little work. Make sure the feed line goes to the bottom.

Thanks, I will have to try that on my next oil change.... :beer:
 
Just a note that 13BTs and 12HTs (and most other Toyota diesels) can take quite some time at highway speed to truly get up to operating temperature. My old BJ42 used to take a good 10 to 15 minutes at highway speeds to get even moderately warm (yes, the thermostat was fine) and this is normal for these vehicles.

A small amount of blue smoke (will smell like diesel) is not that abnormal at start-up and during the warm-up period. And note that the warm-up period is quite long... not just a 5 minute jaunt to the video store and back. Short runs in most diesels is not a healthy thing for them, they want long drives that allow them to get up to full operating temperature on a regular basis.

Your outside temperatures will affect things a lot. Just saying it's cold 'cause your in Canada is a pretty wide open statement. Are we talking -40C or +10C? I expect a little smoking at start up and until fully warm...

And as Greg has stated and really good LONG run on the highway can do wonders for these engines (speaking JDMs). I drove one really nice HJ61 home from the docks at night a while back and going up the Malahat (Vancouver Island - it's a long slow hill) there were bright embers showering out from the exhaust whenever I opened it up a bit - lots of carbon build-up from putting around some small Japanese town for theh last 20 years was starting to burn off. I expect this truck to run better and better as it sees more serious highway time.

~John
 

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