Heavy white smoke cold start

[Pstyckiewicz]

So lately the temperature has been dropping into the 20’s at night and 40’s during the day. So the truck sits a few days typically before I start it.

On start up it fires right up but blows white smoke that smells like diesel. When I say it smokes it fills my front yard with smoke. It runs a little rough when you apply some throttle but I would say within a quarter mile of driving it dosnt smoke anymore and runs good.

If I drive it then let it sit for a few hours and cool down it fires right up with no smoke. I think it’s temperature related because it has never done this until it started to get cold. I have read that it could be something with the injector pump supplying more fuel when it’s cold?

In addition I replaced the glow plugs and TSU probably and 1,500 miles ago, and everything with the glow plug circuit appears to be working correctly (no flashing wait light).

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Barrman]

Yes, the oily white smoke on cold start up is the indicator of failing glow plugs. Ohm check them all again to make sure they are good.

This video is for 12 volt CUCV glow plugs, but it gives you the idea of how to check them:

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

Thank you. I’ll check them.

 

[Coug]

Either failing glow plugs or some of them aren't getting power to them, which is more likely a harness issue than box issue.

Just because they were replaced doesn't mean they are good. I've seen people install brand new parts and they failed the next day. There are also a lot of cheap glow plugs out there that get sold off as the good ones that end up failing quickly

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

I definitely got genuine own plugs from Macmotors. But I’ll do some testing to see what I got going on.

 

[sue]

White smoke on a cold start diesel, that’s like saying the sun is hot.

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

Haha it is a little excessive. Just like Uncle Bucks’s vehicle

 

[Boomer T]

So lately the temperature has been dropping into the 20’s at night and 40’s during the day. So the truck sits a few days typically before I start it.

On start up it fires right up but blows white smoke that smells like diesel. When I say it smokes it fills my front yard with smoke. It runs a little rough when you apply some throttle but I would say within a quarter mile of driving it dosnt smoke anymore and runs good.

If I drive it then let it sit for a few hours and cool down it fires right up with no smoke. I think it’s temperature related because it has never done this until it started to get cold. I have read that it could be something with the injector pump supplying more fuel when it’s cold?

In addition I replaced the glow plugs and TSU probably and 1,500 miles ago, and everything with the glow plug circuit appears to be working correctly (no flashing wait light).

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

After checking the glow plugs could the issue be Thermostatic switch / cold advance ?

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

So I had to unplug the time delay thing because the fan wasn’t kicking on and it over heated. I’m thinking that the time delay thing is bad or the thermo switch.

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

Also found a block heater on it so I got a plug. In addition I read somewhere pushing in the peddle while in the run mode does somthing with the cold advance.

 

[Mogman]

So I had to unplug the time delay thing because the fan wasn’t kicking on and it over heated. I’m thinking that the time delay thing is bad or the thermo switch.

It is a "failsafe" system, so if you unplug the temp switch (ether wire) the fan should run, if not it is likely the TDM.
The temp switch turns OFF the fan when the contacts are closed.