WTF: 3B starting to smoke (1 Viewer)

[Nic]

Im hoping you guys can give me some advice. I have owned my truck for about a month, its a 82 bj60 with a 3b, 4 speed and stock gears pushing 35's. The odometer says 347000 kms but it is probably off due to the 35s. Anyways i have notice slight smoke for a few secs on startup since i have owned it but nothing else. On thursday i drove from Vancouver to Williams Lake and notice a little black smoke pushing up the big hills (which from what i have read on here is normal) but today i started it up (two days after big drive) and it started chugging a bit and pushing blue for around a minute or so and then only did it if I revved it up. it is not pure blue but more of a whitish blue. Is this something i should be concerned about? I changed the oil a few days before a left and checked it today and it is not down at all but do you think the altitude is a factor. My inlaws say i am 2900' above sea level here.. This is the first diesel i have owned so maybe i am a bit paranoid. What do you think? Also i took it for a test drive for a few minutes and i felt like i had the same power as before the trip but it puffed a little smoke above 2700-2800 rpm.

 

[Island Moose]

Driving back down to Vancouver will rule out altitude. I guess you start by talking about smoke. There's two colors of fuel smoke, white is unburned fuel not under load, black is unburned fuel under load. Blue/white is oil smoke and steam/smoke with a sweet smell is coolant. The final type of smoke is found all over BC, and is the kind of smoke I'm going to fill my garage with tonight...it smells funny, but it makes you stop worrying about your diesel engine.

If your "smoke" smells like anything other than diesel fuel, it may be coolant, and that's bad (head gasket?). If it's blue at all, it could be oil (rings, valves), and if it's fuel smoke, which I suspect it is, don;t worry about it until you get home to sea level and see if it goes away.

 

[Chang-kuao-lo]

If it's bluish smoke on every startup, and then goes away, this may indicate bad valve-guide seals.
"wow, is that wacky-tobaky?"
"the wackiest."

 

[cruiser_guy]

See if there's much smoke from the crankcase ventilation pipe. That would indicate worn rings. Generally diesels smoke more at altitude and in the cold weather.

 

[Stone]

See if there's much smoke from the crankcase ventilation pipe. That would indicate worn rings. Generally diesels smoke more at altitude and in the cold weather.

I can definitely confirm that.

 

[JimL]

You could buy a pint of injector cleaner and add it to a quarter tank then take it for a good hot spin for an hour or so. You want your injectors spraying fine, not dripping.

 

[Nic]

thanks for the info guys. i think i'll buy some injector cleaner before i leave for home and keep my fingers crossed that it isn't anything major.

 

[brownbear]

pushing big tires like that your temps in the hills are going to be high, you should get a pyrometer.

otherwise you could do engine damage. i have a pyro and i am not turbo'd. it makes adjusting the fuel much safer. if you are turbo'd then a pyro is necessary.

 

[cruiser_guy]

Make SURE the injector cleaner is made for diesel and actually says so in the bottle.

Stone, are your rings bad or are you just agreeing that diesels smoke in cold temperatures??

 

[Greg_B]

For sure altitude is going to effect it. Whenever we do a Coastal Cruiser run to altitude this blueish/whiteish smoke is noticable. Try going between 7000' and 10,000' with your naturally aspirated 3B if you think you see smoke now...

You "should" be running a fuel additive every tank, that adds lubricity, looks after water, increases centane, etc...Howes, Standyne, Ezoil...whatever floats your boat.

If you have no history on your injectors it would be wise to have them checked. What will cause the dribble instead of squirt is more likely low crack open pressure then the tips being pluged...imho. If the crack open is low, your IDI nozzles will most likely have to be replaced, as they take a beating and start cupping at the tip...

hth's

gb

 

[cruiser_guy]

Further to what Greg said, the diesel shop I use in B.C. recommends rebuilding the injectors every 100,000kM. I'd bet your's haven't been done. It's about $50 each if you pull them.

 

[Nic]

Thanks for the info guys

 

[Red Herring]

Im getting mine done in 2 weeks by Rob Milson, and I am STOKED!!! Taking it on a 6000 KM road trip the day after!! WooHoo!

 

[David*BJ70]

Further to what Greg said, the diesel shop I use in B.C. recommends rebuilding the injectors every 100,000kM. I'd bet your's haven't been done. It's about $50 each if you pull them.

If you do that... make sure you ask all the questions how to put it back (how to blled, how to crack...) ... I know what I'm talkind about ...

 

[Nic]

Well i just made it home. Truck ran like a champ and the smoking stopped as soon as i dropped some altitude so i guess that was it. I did put in some injector cleaner before i left and i'll probably look into getting the injectors rebuilt anyway. Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[crushers]

and an altiude compensator...