White smoke on diesel startup

What could make a diesel engine produce white smoke? Can bad diesel cause white smoke? Why does diesel engine produce black smoke on start-up? What makes a diesel blow blue or white smoke? Sometimes diesel engines emit a white smoke while starting.

The white smoke is due to unburnt fuel caused by improper heating. It can be especially difficult to start a diesel engine during cold weather. Condensation that accumulates inside the exhaust pipes, converter and mufflers can produce a puff of white smoke upon diesel engine start-up. In very cold temperatures, the heated exhaust can freeze into minute fuel droplets when exiting the exhaust and produce a more prolonged emission of white smoke for a very short period of driving time. When it’s cold outside and you notice white smoke at startup , then you probably have nothing to worry about.

When the warm or hot exhaust gases meet cold outside air, condensation and steam is a result. After a short amount of driving, the white smoke should lessen. Products designed to flush carbon away from the pistons often cures this problem.

If the white smoke is due to the engine being too cool, adding an automatic pre-heater may eliminate white diesel smoke. But mostly, it is the incorrect injector timing in the cylinders. Blowing white smoke is a red flag for your diesel engine, yet we see this happen all the time to our customers. In many cases, white smoke emanating from the tailpipe (often at idle once the engine reached operating temperature) typically means a worn out injector.

Diesel Smoke tells YOU a Story. Normally, it would happen at startup in cold weather with lower compression engines and retarded timing. When the engine is cold or has cooled back down I get a lot of white smoke at startup. On cold winter days, it is common to see white smoke from exhaust pipe as soon as you start the car.

As the engine warms up after a few minutes, this white smoke will not be reduced because condensation is dissipated. This is nothing but steam caused due to condensation. Since this is a boat and marine diesel forum, an white smoke seems to come with the territory, I’ll first start by giving you about twenty years of personal experience with white smoke.

If smoke is being release then this is indicative of a problem. HOWTO looks at all the possible reasons why white smoke is coming from your exhaust pipe. Basically, smoke from a diesel engine indicates that something is not right. It should be taken as an indication that there is a problem existing (or developing), that will potentially shorten the engine life, or result in unnecessary costs. I wondered about an oil leak into the engine, but the oil tank remains full.

The other possible is that I have been sold some crappy. A marine diesel that shows a bit of smoke on start-up is probably nothing to worry about, but if it keeps on smoking after a few seconds of run-time, or starts smoking after it warms up, or when you throttle up, that engine is screaming to you to get something fixed. But what’s causing the smoke. The commonest cause of white smoke is likely injector pump timing.

In order to function properly, a diesel engine needs precise timing of the injector pump and high pressure. So, any decrease in the pressure or delay in the fuel delivery to the combustion chamber will result in incomplete combustion, leading to white smoke. An engine burning coolant can be easily determined. First question, do you have to regularly add coolant?

If the smoke is thin, and goes away relatively quickly, than it is merely condensation. However, thicker, longer lasting smoke is a much larger headache. Your engine is more than likely burning coolant. Ran great at first, but am noticing white smoke at startup and continuing intermittently for several miles. Still have the factory warranty, but hate dealing with the service departments.

The truck started pouring out white smoke cold starts in the winter. Excessive smoke , I am the original owner and it is not just the typical diesel haze. Smoke smells of raw diesel and completely goes away after a few minutes of driving.

But it is always a good idea to keep an eye on your oil and coolant levels on any car, smoke or no smoke. Even in a hot and humid climate, there will be some condensation in the exhaust system overnight. White smoke will cover the road.