Diesel exhaust color meaning?

[Wildchild467]

I guess this is on the same topic, but do you guys think a K&N airfilter in a deuce would help it out a lot vs. a new stock filter? I believe the stock filter was rated at 420 CFM according to the TM. I should crunch the numbers and see what the engine's CFM is at 2400rpm and see how it relates. then i guess the turbo would increase that CFM because it is packing air in the cylinders before combustion. Anybody have any inputs on this or experience?

I like the elbow in the air intake mod, i can see where that would solve a lot of issues with possible snow and rain getting a filter wet. Ill have to put that on my "to do" list!

 

[cranetruck]

I have had a vacuum gauge installed for years and 95% of the time the reading is below 10 inches of water. The indicator on the dash, by the steering wheel moves into the red area at about 20 inches of water.
Perhaps those numbers could be useful when comparing a different air filter.

 

[hklvette]

I've started getting a little brown smoke if i "goose" the throttle while unloaded. I know that I have some water in the fuel, and believe that the water in fuel is causing the smoke. maybe the excess steam is cleaning the engine, but probably not.

 

[wrenchbender]

injector timing will give a grey/white smoke and will burn the eyes
a leaky injector will self diagnose as a piston with a hole burnt through the piston but first
the resulting smoke that will accommodate the leaky injector is generally a blue/grey depending on operating temp. and will burn the eyes
the coolant diagnosis are pretty much on, with a oldtimers test of wiping the inside of the exhaust pipe and tasting it. it should have a similar taste to coolant with smoke added in

 

[Heavysteven]

I have a silght blue amount of smoke at startup and idle. Goes away after I warm up the truck. Normal?

 

[Kohburn]

smoke when cold is normal

 

[BIG_RED]

I wouldn't worry about a little blue smoke right at startup. Most of the old diesel things I've had seem to do this. Probably a little oil getting through valve stems or cylinder not sealing as well before properly oiled. Just check oil often (as usual) and keep listening for any changes.

On the topic of K&N filters - I recommend against them. They have been proven to not filter as well as a paper filter, cost a fortune, have to be maintained (more often than the box says) to work properly. One more thing to maintain.

Air Filtration Test

 

[WillWagner]

K&N filters flow so well 'cause they don't filter! If you run in dirt for any length of time, stay away from them.

 

[Maverick1701]

I use the shades of my exaust smoke like a mood ring....

 

[Flyingvan911]

I use the shades of my exaust smoke like a mood ring....

Blue-not ready to drive yet, still cold.

White-my headgasket blew. Spend some money on me.

Black-lets hit the road and have some fun.

 

[DHennon]

What type of fuel mixture are you using. Do you have any used hydraulic oil or Bio Fuel in the mix?

 

[Tlauden]

Ok time to bring up this old thread:

I'm a little confused as to my truck and it's different shades of smoke colors..

At startup it's whitish but not too bad, when going down the road there is a a very light black/gray coming out exhaust and back at idle it's back to light whitish smoke??

So according to this threads info it's incomplete combustion, too much fuel, and back to incomplete combustion??

There is no apparent coolant leak cause that level hasn't droped at all, also te oil stays at a steady level. After switching to 100% WMO is when this really showed itself so am I worrying over nothing or should I get my wallet out and head to the parts store?

Thanks folks!!!

 

[deuceaid]

I have a silght blue amount of smoke at startup and idle. Goes away after I warm up the truck. Normal?

If you have a lot of blue right at startup then clears,,,,valvestem seals

 

[jimh1985]

I have the same issue Tlauden Mine smokes blue if i let it idle for more than a few mins, aslo when i get into it going up a hill or just load it up, i get blue smoke. its only blue over 1700rpm if i hit it around 1400 its just black. Should i be worried or no?

 

[jimh1985]

Btw cruising at 40-55 there is no smoke at all only after i get past 4psi of boost does it go blue

 

[muthkw25]

There will be some smoke during idling, even after it's warm. It could be coming from the turbo, that's why after running it for a while and then stopping there is no smoke until you let it idle again for a period of time. I have a light blue smoke while idling if I rev on the engine, otherwise its a very subtle amount of exhaust. I also checked the oil before and after and the antifreeze and then levels seem to be in good shape. I wouldnt worry until you see an excessive amount, you start to loose power, or the engine starts to make bad sounds.

 

[Another Ahab]

This is what I have been told, white is unburnt fuel,

Dennis

Black is basically unburnt fuel.

Oh, boy!

 

[Another Ahab]

_White, smelling of fuel, Correct amount of air, just an incomplete burn usually due to cold cylinder temps or timing...kinda the same as black, but black is a fast burn while white is a slower burn.

OK: got it now...

 

[Jeepsinker]

Mine smokes white when cold, kinda bluish when idling, and still blue but a lot more smoke when I leave a stoplight I've been sitting at for a while under heavy throttle. Smoke is good, it means the motor is still running.... Haha

 

[Reaper651]

Well, here I go reviving another old thread. My Deuce(Non Turbo) usually gives a good puff of white smoke right as it starts, then idles with a light grey/blue haze. I figure the haze is mainly from the lack of turbo. When under throttle/load, there is always a good amount of blue/gray smoke that I also figure is from the lack of a turbo. I changed the oil last weekend and drove it around the ranch for about 1-1/2 hours and with the fresh oil, I ran it pretty good.(I didn't want to run it hard until I got fresh oil in it) I didn't abuse it but I gave it a good workout. Well, not like driving down the road, but Its all I can do until I get it registered. I'm still running seafoam in the fuel and I had been idling a lot while working on it these past months. At the beginning of last weekends driving the engine gave some great clouds of blue/grey smoke as she cleared herself out. After a few minutes, the smoke diminished a lot.(She hasn't ran this clean since I got her) However, I noticed the stack was literally "wet" after I parked it. I smelled the residue on the stack and it doesn't really smell like fuel, but it also doesn't taste like coolant. Could it be residue from the Seafoam? Do the non turbo multifuels wet stack more than the turbo charged ones? I'm hoping this is just the nature of the beast and not a problem. There is no rebuild tag on the engine and the block date is the same year as the truck so I'm assuming its the original. I want to have the injectors tested to make sure I don't have a leaking one, but the engine runs smooth and sounds great. It had a slight injector knock when I first got it, but it went away after I ran it a bit. I figure the Seafoam cleaned all the junk out. Also, the coolant and oil level doesn't seem to change. Should I be worried about the wet stacking? I realize the non turbo charged trucks are known to smoke like a house on fire so maybe I'm worrying too much. Thanks in advance.