24 Valve Engine and Drivetrain Discuss the 24 Valve engine and drivetrain here. No non-drivetrain discussions please. NO HIGH PERFORMANCE DISCUSSION!

Gray smoke at startup

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 17, 2004 | 10:52 AM
  #1  
kevinn's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: West Jordan UT
Question Gray smoke at startup

Occasionally when I start my truck up I get some gray smoke. Is this normal? It doesn't go away until I start driving and it seems to do it when the temperature is cooler.
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2004 | 09:56 AM
  #2  
Mopar1973man's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,148
Likes: 0
From: New Meadows, Idaho
Yes it is normal for it to smoke a little at startup. Mine will smoke just abit as it warms and once it builds temp up it will go away. From what I've been told is the #2 diesel is not completely burning. (someone chime in).
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2004 | 10:42 AM
  #3  
DODGE4X4's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 0
From: Texas
I don't know if it is or isn't the #2 diesel causing it but my truck also does it. I've always wondered about it thou.
Reply
Old Apr 18, 2004 | 06:23 PM
  #4  
Chip's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
From: Gloucester, Va.
gray smoke at start up

Yea,
Mine does it too, just for about 2-3 min after start up. It's normal. It's just a little un-burned fuel. At start up, the fuel that's in the cylinders doesn't get fully burned as the temp in the cylinders isn't quite hot enough to combust all the fuel, hence a little smoke/unburned fuel out the tail pipe. Hope I explained it right !! Good luck !
Chip
Reply
Old Apr 19, 2004 | 10:11 AM
  #5  
kevinn's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: West Jordan UT
Great, that's what I was kind of thinking but was a little worried I had done some damage to the pistons or something. I know diesels smoke but thought it was usually black. Thanks.
Reply
Old Apr 19, 2004 | 10:16 AM
  #6  
RustyJC's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,749
Likes: 4
From: Cypress, TX
Grayish-white smoke is unburned fuel coming out the tailpipe - you should be able to confirm this by its odor. It's normal until the combustion chamber temperatures come up after a startup. Be sure your grid heaters are working, though, and allow them to go through their cycle (i.e., wait until the wait to start light goes out before starting the engine). If it's extremely cold, plug in the block heater as well. This will minimize the start-up smoking.

Rusty
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
taildragger
12 Valve Engine and Drivetrain
11
Aug 19, 2007 05:00 PM
CZSteve
12 Valve Engine and Drivetrain
12
Jan 31, 2006 05:20 AM
24 Valve Engine and Drivetrain
46
Apr 29, 2005 01:33 AM
kingofdodge7131
24 Valve Engine and Drivetrain
5
May 4, 2004 10:48 AM
DieselDaze
12 Valve Engine and Drivetrain
11
Apr 26, 2003 05:47 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:50 AM.