Ok. I'm a little confusioned. My truck smokes alot when I started it after sitting at work in 23 deg. weather today. Does this mean I have a problem too??? Even if i plug it in for 3 or 4 hours it still smokes a little bit. My grid heaters must be working because I see my volt meter moving back and forth. I thought it was suppose the smoke when it was cold!! Any help would be grrrrrreeeeeeaaaaaattttttt.


Thanks Ryan

 

guys ....dont worry bout it. it's quite normal to get some whiteish blue smoke when it's cold out. (Specially if the truck has been sitting a while) it's just unburnt fuel. I'd be more concerned if it smoked like that in the summertime.

 

Nice diesel smoke write up here.
http://www.freeautoadvice.com/diesel/smoke.html

It never fails every year when it gets cold that there are lots of smoke questions. It's usually normal.

 

thanks for the web page. But it said that blue smoke is not normal. Last night started the truck and let it run for about 10 minutes. When I came out it was a blue haze outside. Is this normal???? They said it could be a cracked piston ring. The truck only has 25k on it. Do I need to get it check out?? I leave for the gncc in florida the end of feb. I don't need this to break down on a 18 hr trip to florida. thanks again for any help

 

Light haze after 10 min. of cold running probably isn't a problem. If it was after it was warmed up then I would be concerned.
Tom

 

Normal smoke is white to blueish white. Remember that this is fuel OIL we're burning. As long as it goes away once the temp gauge moves off the peg, don't panic.

 

Ok fellas check it out . two things that are common with these 12v and 24v cummins engines, they all smoke when it is really cold outside and you haven't plugged them in. 2nd sometimes the injectors get a little plugged up. There is a product you can get at wal-mart called diesel clean its in a grey jug it is the best stuff going you put 8oz per tank you will notice a change almost instantly. There is also diesel clean a white jug for winter use (water evaporator). I have owned both 12v and 24v and both smoke when its really cold.

 

Well I could care less about the smoking....it DOES go away after it warms up. I'm mostly concerned with the rough running/stumbling during the "morning smoke-outs". Obviously something isn't right. I'm still waiting on part numbers/photos/prices for the KSB solenoid. It seems to be a VERY common problem especially among the 1st gen bunch, but still nobody can provide any info on HOW it was fixed, or what it cost....odd...I dunno, I'm still farting around with mine. I'll post back with more details soon.

 

is THIS is KSB??? I just wanna make sure...

 

That's the little bugger! Start the engine cold and then unplug the KSB, the engine sound should change. If you have voltage there when the engine is started cold, the wiring is good. If it turns out that the wiring is fine but the KSB isn't working, I have a Cummins manual with instructions on how to pull it apart and check it out.

 

99 times out of 100, the KSB solenoid is not the problem, it is the KSB air temperature switch located on top of the intake manifold plate to the rear of the preheater grids. There are two sensors there on an intercooled engine. The one for the KSB is the larger of the two. If there is no power to the solenoid on a cold engine, that is the place to look. Up here in the north, I have replaced dozens on customer vehicles. Chrysler p/n 4713521.