White smoke

[notlimah]

So I've been noticing that here and there my truck will put out a good amount of white smoke when starting up cold. This morning it did it for maybe a minute, tops, but went away after that. The truck had sat since Friday through some 30ish degree weather and I plugged it in on a timer so it'd be on a few hours this morning. Also used grid heaters and still had smoke. It doesn't do this any other time through out the day, but it also doesn't do it on every cold start in the morning so sort of weird and inconsistent.

 

What do you think? Anything to worry about or sound normal?

[CSM]

Depends on what the smoke smells like.  

 

Unburned diesel can make a white fuel mist.  Mine does this at 7000 ft and 0 F.  Generally, it isnt a big deal but could mean the injection system is getting worn.  

 

Coolant is also a concern and more pressing.  

[Me78569]

I would also suggest getting the old Sniffer involved.

[notlimah]

Next time it does it I'll get back there and see what it smells like.

 

Coolant levels were normal last I checked. Are you saying it could smell like coolant? 

Edited December 13, 2016 by notlimah

[Dieselfuture]

Be careful sniffing, apparently it's cause of cancer and liberals don't want you sniffing it, because you never know if what you're sniffing is good for you. I'm sure some day they'll tell us all how to walk again and get with the program that's good for you, they know better live it up to them to tell us what we should do, it's better for us all. 

Some people believe this nonsense, I hope none of us. got to be a balance.

[CSM]

4 minutes ago, notlimah said:

Next time it does it I'll get back there and see what it smells like.

 

Coolant levels were normal last I checked. Are you saying it could smell like coolant? 

 

Unlikely, but possible.  

 

Usually if the fuel doesnt have enough heat to fully burn, it will turn white.  If it doesnt have enough oxygen, it will turn black.  The lack of heat can be poor droplet size, bad compression, not enough grid heat, or just a really cold day.  

 

You also have humidity... which i am not used too.  As the truck warms up it will push the water out that condenses jn the exhaust from the last cycle.  If the truck runs well, is just run it.  

[dripley]

2 hours ago, Dieselfuture said:

Be careful sniffing, apparently it's cause of cancer and liberals don't want you sniffing it, because you never know if what you're sniffing is good for you. I'm sure some day they'll tell us all how to walk again and get with the program that's good for you, they know better live it up to them to tell us what we should do, it's better for us all. 

Some people believe this nonsense, I hope none of us. got to be a balance.

you mean to tell me that in Cali they have done a study on whether to breathe exhaust  gases directly from the exhaust pipe of vhicle.and found that to be harmful;l? Kind of like the one our gov did on how would a 2k # car would do in a collision with a 7k # truck. Car usually looses.  Several cases like that on Mr  Earp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[notlimah]

5 hours ago, CSM said:

 

Unlikely, but possible.  

 

Usually if the fuel doesnt have enough heat to fully burn, it will turn white.  If it doesnt have enough oxygen, it will turn black.  The lack of heat can be poor droplet size, bad compression, not enough grid heat, or just a really cold day.  

 

You also have humidity... which i am not used too.  As the truck warms up it will push the water out that condenses jn the exhaust from the last cycle.  If the truck runs well, is just run it.  

 

Yea truck runs fine, I'm not too worried about to be honest. I just couldn't remember what color smoke meant what, and when I saw a certain color if it was something to be concerned about or not.

[TFaoro]

What size injectors are in it?

Do you have the high idle hooked up in it?

[notlimah]

5 minutes ago, TFaoro said:

What size injectors are in it?

Do you have the high idle hooked up in it?

 

Stockers. 

 

I do the have high idle switch hooked up. This particular morning I had it plugged it, started it with the switch in the off position to use the grids if it still needed it, once started I flipped over to 6cyl high idle. I noticed it just before it started climbing to 1200rpms. Once it got there it lasted maybe 20secs? Then went away. 

 

I'll see  what it does tomorrow, but I don't have to go into work until later so it'll be a little warmer.

[TFaoro]

If it's steam I think you're good.

If it's fuel, you may want to look into a set of injectors. Stock injectors definitely shouldn't smoke at 30* when using the grid heater.

 

Maybe flip the switch to 3cyl before startup and see if that changes anything. The grids will get much hotter.

[notlimah]

30 minutes ago, TFaoro said:

If it's steam I think you're good.

If it's fuel, you may want to look into a set of injectors. Stock injectors definitely shouldn't smoke at 30* when using the grid heater.

 

Maybe flip the switch to 3cyl before startup and see if that changes anything. The grids will get much hotter.

 

I mean I wouldn't be surprised if the stock injectors were on there way out being at 175k. I'm sort of leaning towards it being water and just steaming. That would explain the random-ness of this all because it's started on other cold mornings without smoking.

 

I didn't know starting with the switch in 3cyl would get the grids hotter, I'll try that. Is that the same for 6cyl as well?

[Dieselfuture]

8 hours ago, dripley said:

you mean to tell me that in Cali they have done a study on whether to breathe exhaust  gases directly from the exhaust pipe of vhicle.and found that to be harmful;l? Kind of like the one our gov did on how would a 2k # car would do in a collision with a 7k # truck. Car usually looses.  Several cases like that on Mr  Earp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TFaoro]

8 hours ago, notlimah said:

I didn't know starting with the switch in 3cyl would get the grids hotter, I'll try that. Is that the same for 6cyl as well?

Yup, the colder the IAT, the longer the grid heater will stay on. 3cyl before staring keeps the grids on for a long time. I use it any time my engine temp is below 35. 

[notlimah]

Alright well went out to start the truck up this morning. It was around 35* and I started it up in 6cyl mode. It definitely let the grids run longer! lol Cranked it up (other then my longer then normal crank times more then likely due to my short OEM return line in my fuel module) it started up fine (although it did seem to crank slower then normal so I think my batteries may officially be on the way out ) Anyways, to keep things on topic, it started, there was no smoke. I waited for a little bit, and just before rpms started to go up to 1200rpm, smoke started coming out. I went back to smell and honestly it just smelled like exhaust to me. Not an overwhelming fuel smell, didn't burn the eyes, so that leads me to believe its just condensation build up in the exhaust pipe that's burning off. Would make sense since it doesn't start right away, then once temp builds a bit, it eventually burns off.

[notlimah]

Wanted to follow up this topic and get your guys thoughts on a couple things. I've been noticing a few threads regarding this similar topic and was curious about one potential issue of white smoke being off timing.

 

Could colder starts with the mpg fooler in 3 or 6 cylinder mode change timing enough to cause it to smoke? I wouldn't think so but figured it's worth asking for clarification. 

 

BTW my white smoke has pretty much gone away. With the temps warming back up I haven't really seen any white/black smoke except for a second or two at start up. Never comes up any other time. 

[Me78569]

starting in 3 or 6 cyl mode won't create white smoke in itself.  I would blame the white smoke on ambient temps.  maybe 1 of your 2 grid relays isn't working?  

 

Too much timing normally doesn't cause smoke issues, it would be too little that would cause white smoke...just ask @TFaoro about the static timing we tried way back when lolol.

[TFaoro]

9 hours ago, notlimah said:

Wanted to follow up this topic and get your guys thoughts on a couple things. I've been noticing a few threads regarding this similar topic and was curious about one potential issue of white smoke being off timing.

 

Could colder starts with the mpg fooler in 3 or 6 cylinder mode change timing enough to cause it to smoke? I wouldn't think so but figured it's worth asking for clarification. 

 

BTW my white smoke has pretty much gone away. With the temps warming back up I haven't really seen any white/black smoke except for a second or two at start up. Never comes up any other time. 

Have you tried 3cyl mode? 

Setting the fooler to 6cyl mode will make it think the engine is warmer and drop timing some. The lower timing could make it smoke a touch, but again with stock injectors I highly doubt it. 

Now in 3cyl mode the timing should be higher than normal, making less smoke. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Me78569 said:

starting in 3 or 6 cyl mode won't create white smoke in itself.  I would blame the white smoke on ambient temps.  maybe 1 of your 2 grid relays isn't working?  

 

Too much timing normally doesn't cause smoke issues, it would be too little that would cause white smoke...just ask @TFaoro about the static timing we tried way back when lolol.

 that was bad. I'm glad I convinced you to let OEM timing have its way until the engine warms up!

[notlimah]

I can't remember if I tried this in 3cyl mode but it was just a thought and I don't think it really affected anything in my case. Mine seemed to be strictly temperate dependent and more then likely condensation as it just smelled like normal exhaust, without any awkward smells or eye burning white smoke. I'm going to check through my grids to see if they're working. Can I do all that with just a good voltmeter? Or do I need something else?

 

Actually this morning I seem to have a blueish haze/light smoke coming from the exhaust with ambient temps around 45 degrees, not being plugged in, and not using the MPG fooler. What does a bluish haze while cold mean? Only happened while idling and maybe until I made it to the end of the street then it was gone.

[notlimah]

Alright guys so it looks like I may be having grid heater issues which may have been causing my smoke issues. Finally got around to getting a test light under the hood when the grid heater was running. It was clearly cycling, I could hear them cycling and test light showed power at both relays (closest to fender) and continuing up to the heater feed terminals and I only have power at one terminal, the one closest to the motor. Does this indicate a bad grid heater or a bad fused wire that's between the relays and the heater terminals?