What is causing white smoke???

Hello I was just wondering if anybody knew why my m1028 blows white smoke a little bit even at idle it’s smokes a little bit, even when you get on the gas at times, The smoke isn’t bad but it’s noticeable. I thought it was water vapor at first when it first starts. I have heard it can be bad injectors but that might explain why it’s hard to start after it’s been sitting for 12 hours. I’m just not sure what it is.

thanks

White smoke is usually either unburned fuel or coolant.

Get behind it and smell it. Is it diesel or anti-freeze?

Which tailpipe or both?

A clogged fuel filter

Compression check, test each glow plug when out of cylinder head. If each cylinder has at least 350 PSI cold and GPs are good, check for coolant leaks..

How about keeping the first step simple, gentlemen? A simple sniff test for coolant or diesel is quick, free, and easy, and tells a lot about which direction to go next.

For example, if it's coolant, there's not much point in messing with the fuel system.

Shotguns are great for bird hunting. Troubleshooting, not so much.

MarcusOReallyus said:

How about keeping the first step simple, gentlemen? A simple sniff test for coolant or diesel is quick, free, and easy, and tells a lot about which direction to go next.

For example, if it's coolant, there's not much point in messing with the fuel system.

Shotguns are great for bird hunting. Troubleshooting, not so much.

Click to expand...

I agree. A simple pressure test of the cooling system will also point you in the right direction. I think you have a faded/worn head gasket near the cylinder. Do you have any other symptoms? Does the cooling system hold pressure over night. Like a very hard upper radiator hose in the morning after driving the day before? I know it is not a time to test for heat. But does it maintain heat consistently/ When you slow down for city / town traffic does the heat go away or vise versa. I drove one with a bad head gasket a few years before the steam came out the tailpipe. Fix it now before you ruin things. The head gaskets will wear out even if not over heated. Acidic anti freeze and age do a number on the older steel gaskets. Good Luck and Take Care.

There are many things that can cause white smoke:

1. Low compression

2. Coolant leak in motor

3. Bad injectors

4. Bad Injection pump

5. Injection pump timing is off

6. Bad glow plug/s

7. Air in fuel line

If it still smokes after the motor warms up can rule out bad glow plugs.

If your coolant in reserve or radiator is not low, you can rule out coolant leaks in motor.

If you don’t have a weird thumping noise from intake, you can rule out bad injector.

After installing a clear hose to your injection pump return nipple to your return line and there is no bubbles, you can rule out air in fuel.

If the above 4 are good. I would start with a compression test. If good, your next best bet would be injection pump or injection pump timing.

I have a brand new Cucv injection pump for sale. $395+shipping. Send pm if interested

Good luck! Keep us posted

2INSANE said:

There are many things that can cause white smoke:

1. Low compression

2. Coolant leak in motor

3. Bad injectors

4. Bad Injection pump

5. Injection pump timing is off

6. Bad glow plug/s

7. Air in fuel line

If it still smokes after the motor warms up can rule out bad glow plugs.

If your coolant in reserve or radiator is not low, you can rule out coolant leaks in motor.

If you don’t have a weird thumping noise from intake, you can rule out bad injector.

After installing a clear hose to your injection pump return nipple to your return line and there is no bubbles, you can rule out air in fuel.

If the above 4 are good. I would start with a compression test. If good, your next best bet would be injection pump or injection pump timing.

I have a brand new Cucv injection pump for sale. $395+shipping. Send pm if interested

Good luck! Keep us posted

Click to expand...

You really have the shotgun loaded up. I see 000 3" magnums in that magazine.

NDT said:

Which tailpipe or both?

Click to expand...

It’s both tail pipes, have you ever smelled those hobby trains that blow that white smoke using that special fluid you put in to the smokestack?it smells like that A little bit.

Chuckanut said:

It’s both tail pipes, have you ever smelled those hobby trains that blow that white smoke using that special fluid you put in to the smokestack?it smells like that A little bit.

Click to expand...

Glycol. Antifreeze

Yep. That ain't good. Need to get a pressure tester to see if you have a failed head gasket or two.

If you pull the motor and have it shipped to me, for $500 I can take it apart, magma flux the heads, pull pan checking the cylinders for ya. For $2500 I can do your head gaskets if it is still a good motor. Additional $200 I can install lock n stitch on heads. Another $500 I can port your heads. Valve job is $300, resurface deck is $200, new rings is additional $1500. $500 new injectors, $250 new lifters, $500 new injection pump. Could easily get up to $6000+ depending on what you want done

Or you could just get a low mile J code from Boyce Equipment for around $2000

LT67 said:

A clogged fuel filter

Click to expand...

I realize this is an old tread, but I was having white smoke as well... tried adjusting timing in both directions, advance and even retard. That helped some but engine keeps rough and has a noisy idle and had quite significant crankcase fumes / pressure.
Engine always starts easy, so never thought there could be a fuel supply issue.
Then suddenly had a starting issue, suspected fuel pump at first but nothing wrong there... eventually pulled the box fuel filter out and tried to blow air through it with my mouth... nothing whatsoever! Compressed air, no problem, but the low pressure from my lungs was insufficient.
So checked a few other diesel filters, twist on type but with even higher filtering grade and with all I can blow through them, so I suspect the box filter must have been completely saturated with dirt and clogged.
Thus I ordered a new Stanadyne box filter and yes, for the first time now, the engine runs quieter, smoother and definitely better. Still have to adjust timing, according to specs and then search for sweet spot by feel. Also, before the engine did not react to any pressure put on the advance lever on the passenger side of IP, but now it does, a little and no longer smokes white but more dark grey-ish from tailpipes, crankcae vapors have virtually completely gone now... perhaps adjusting timing will tune the engine better and do away with the smoking and give better advance lever response...

I guess the fuel starvation caused a "too low fuel pressure" in the IP housing which must impact on advance and even injection in each cylinder etc... and perhaps a few more elements are being avertly impacted by this fuel starvation issue.

Comments and your expertise welcome...

Thanks,
Jake