White engine smoke until operating temperature

[M925]

Is a little white engine smoke normal until the engine warms up. Mine sometimes puffs real good until the engine is hot. Is this normal?

Every cold start it will start die, then start next time I crank it.

I'm a paranoid about this.

 

[Suprman]

One of my a2's smokes till it warms up its more black smoke though. If yours is an a2 there are adjustments on the pump if you have the nhc250 motor I don't know about that one sorry but it's a diesel they smoke especially when cold.

 

[M925]

It's an A1 i think....I am a motor hypochondriac...I do have the 250 motor.

 

[Suprman]

I believe it is normal on startup do you drive it often these trucks don't like to sit for long periods of time

 

[M925]

I have been driving it every day.....sometimes it smokes more than others, but it smells like diesel. Then it goes away when hot. It had been sitting in texas at the RRA for four years before I bought it.

There was some condensation in the fuel separator when we purged it. I put some sea foam in it a awhile back, but I ran out totally out of fuel, so I know there's none in it now.

 

[Suprman]

I think it is normal I have heard of having the engine and injectors cleaned and adjusted with less smoke on startup you would have to find someone that knows those engines though

 

[cranetruck]

Sounds normal, but if it smokes after warmup then you may have a problem, dirty air filter etc.

 

[swbradley1]

It's an A1 i think....I am a motor hypochondriac...I do have the 250 motor.

You drive it every day and don't know what it is?

 

[M925]

You drive it every day and don't know what it is?

Yeah not everyone is an expert....it's an 84 m925a1 redid....2009

 

[73m819]

Yeah not everyone is an expert....it's an 84 m925a1 redid....2009

I do believe the -10 WILL help you to identify what truck model you OWN.

 

[M925]

Your post was so enlightening

Wow, thanks for your post. I found it so unbeneficial; cynical; and an utter waste of time reading.

I do believe the -10 WILL help you to identify what truck model you OWN.

 

[MTMUDRUNNER]

Try some Howes treatment, I have a few Cummins L-10s that smoke on startup but when you use the Howes it seems to help.

 

[TehTDK]

White smoke = Water vapour = Good
Blue smoke = Oil being burned = BAD
Black Smoke = polluting = So so

 

[M215]

Our NHC250 (M813) produced white smoke on cold start ups. Ended up being a cracked cylinder head. Not a big deal, the heads are easy to change on this engine.

 

[M925]

Our NHC250 (M813) produced white smoke on cold start ups. Ended up being a cracked cylinder head. Not a big deal, the heads are easy to change on this engine.

I'm afraid that's what it is......would a cracked head cause high oil pressure? Not that I believe my oil pressure gauge works, it seems to have a mind of it's own, it never really worked well since the long wet deluge ride home. It goes back and forth sometimes stopping at different numbers, but most of the time shaking and wagging back and forth inconsistently.

It doesn't smell like coolant though.....

 

[M925]

Try some Howes treatment, I have a few Cummins L-10s that smoke on startup but when you use the Howes it seems to help.

Is that better than seafoam?

 

[M925]

It probably is water vapor because it's odorless. I frequently put my face in front of the stack for long periods of time.

White smoke = Water vapour = Good
Blue smoke = Oil being burned = BAD
Black Smoke = polluting = So so

 

[MTMUDRUNNER]

Is that better than seafoam?[/QUOTE
I have had good results with seafoam in gas engines, I have never used it in a diesel other people have and I am sure it works fine. I have used Power Service, Stanadyne and Howes, have always had better results with Howes

 

[M215]

I'm afraid that's what it is......would a cracked head cause high oil pressure? Not that I believe my oil pressure gauge works, it seems to have a mind of it's own, it never really worked well since the long wet deluge ride home. It goes back and forth sometimes stopping at different numbers, but most of the time shaking and wagging back and forth inconsistently.

It doesn't smell like coolant though.....

I ran ours with the crack for about a year, never any water in the oil or oil pressure issues. I only noticed an anti-freeze odor when the smoke got real heavy. When I pulled the manifolds it was obvious that it was the center cylinder head that had the leak. Ended up pulling all three heads and had them pressure checked to confirm that only one was bad. I paid $75 for a take off head from a parts dealer and gaskets were not too expensive if I remember correctly. The biggest head ache was setting the timing for the valves and injectors.

 

[Was Lorax]

I'm curious about the cold start part, where it starts, dies, then restarts when you try a second time. My 925A0 does the same thing. Only had her about one month and still getting used to the particulars of the 939 series. I've have Deuces and 809 series trucks in the past, and each one had it personalities about starting and liked certain things to be done to cold start better. So I'm still in the process of learning on the 939 series, even though my past two 809 series used the same engines.

Any ideas? Could also be colder weather starting to do its thing.

For information, she's a 1984 925A0.

When first cold starting, following the tech manual, she'll rev up to around 1500 rpm, then drop down below 500 soon afterward. I tried feathering the pedal when she starts slowing down to keep her running, but most times she'll still die. It could be operator error from not being used to a new truck's personality. It took a while to learn each 809 series engine too.

By the way, love the truck. Been out of the hobby for a few years and it sure is nice to be getting back involved again. Used to be "Lorax" here on-site, but cant remember the password and have since changed e-mail addressed so cant reset the old pasword either.

Bought the truck from a fellow member here but cant remember his user name. Lives in Maryland though. Great guy.