Pull Dog

Generally speaking on diesel engines.........what causes it to produce massive white smoke???

$oC@l CTD

Is it white, or a bluish color? If it's bluish, it could something as simple as a dirty fuel filter needing replaced, or like in my case, leaking injectors...mine is in the shop getting #1 and #2 replaced as we speak...start with the filter

cowboy_2685

White smoke means air in the Fuel system. Mine was blowing white smoke and it ended up being my injector pump had over pressurized and took its self out along with the rest of my fuel system, injectors, lift pump. I am not saying that is what is wrong with yours, but white smoke does mean air in the fuel system. The easiest way to check your injectors is to take a digital temp gun with the engine running and check the exhaust manifold and see if any of the temps are lower than others. May have a weak lift pump also.

tritont

White smoke is normal for a cold engine... it's unburnt fuel because the cylinders are still cold. Cummins even writes about it in one of their TSB's. It will blow white and get lighter and lighter until warmed up

It can also be burnt oil that got by the rings which isn't a good thing or as mentioned... it could be a injector that's gone bad and is washing down the cylinder.

Texasimport

Not a Deisel mech but having owned 3 CTD for the past 10 years I NEVER get white smoke from my motors if they are running right. Not even on cold start. Last time I saw white was when I had a leaky injector and after a overnight sit it would puff a bit when first started.

tritont

Like I said... there are several reason to see white smoke. My wife has a stock 07 QC w/10K and it will puff white smoke every time it's started and there's nothing wrong with truck. Cold cylinders will do that.

My truck is built a little different but, it bellows white smoke until warm.... most built truck do.

from the Cummins service manual and are just a couple of many articles on the subject.....

The air intake heater control is used to aid in the combustion process while starting during cold temperatures. The intake air heater controls the heating elements located in the engine's intake air system. The ECM controls the heating elements in two phases, pre heat and post heat. The amount of time necessary to have the intake air heater on is a function of the intake manifold temperature at key on.

Preheat (after key-on and before cranking): At key-on, the ECM checks the intake manifold air temperature. Based on this temperature, the ECM illuminates a Wait to Start lamp and energizes the intake air heaters. After a certain amount of time, the ECM turns off the intake air heaters and extinguishes the Wait to Start lamp. Once the Wait to Start lamp is off, the operator can crank the engine. Preheat time increases with colder intake manifold air temperatures.

Post-heat (after successful engine starting): During cranking, the intake air heater is turned off to allow maximum current to be used by the starter. The post-heat phase starts after a successful engine start. The ECM cycles the heaters based on a schedule determined by the intake manifold air temperature at key-on. This cycle can operate for several minutes on very cold days before the heaters are de-energized. The post-heat phase controls white smoke after startup.

A grid heater is available that improves cold weather starting characteristics by heating the intake air. It can also serve to reduce white smoke if it is energized during cold ambient temperatures while the engine is at idle.