So, the other day, I ran my truck low on fuel, meaning the light came on and I went about 5 more miles. It ran fine, no noticeable loss of power. Filled the tank up, and drove another 10 miles. Then it started smoking, just a little at first, but by another 10 miles, it would make a good cloud if I left it idling. Enough so that I shut it off when I ran into the donut shop. So I figured I got some moisture in my fuel, even though my moisture light never came on, and it does work. I got a bottle of Diesel 911 and poured it in the next morning. On start up, I had a cloud of white smoke so thick I couldn't see my truck. Let it warm up 10 minutes or so, smoke calmed down, but not completely gone. Drove off, huge cloud of white smoke for about 2 miles. Gradually disappeared, and no more for the rest of the day, about 50 miles. Not a trace. Figured I had it whooped. Let it sit 2 days, started it up today, smoking worse than before. Let it idle until temp was where it usually is after driving. Still smoking, but less than on start up. Was thinking I had a bad head gasket, but am now wondering about injectors, or piston cups? Any help is appreciated, Thanks

 

I'm sure someone will ask what year, how many miles, and if there are any mods, especially injector mods...

I don't know that this would make since in your situation being that it started after the truck was already at operating temp, but the only experience i've had with white smoke was when the GPR wasn't working and unburnt fuel vapor got expelled through the exhaust. I guess bad fuel could have fowled one or more injectors, causing them to inject a low enough amount of fuel that it isn't burning completely in the cylinder . It's just a guess though. With white smoke, my first thought would not be a head gasket, but that's just me, and i'm not a diesel mechanic...yet. Reading through all of these posts for the past few years isn't a bad start though

If worst comes to worst, you could drain the tank, drain the fuel bowl, and try again with fresh diesel (from a different station). I'd throw some seafoam or lucas in there too. Wait and see what some of the other guys recommend first, i'm just a ...

 

Its an 02, 92k miles on it. No mods or anything. I had the engine out this past winter and ended up doing a head gasket on the drivers side due to a stuck glow plug. Probably should have done the other side too I guess...The funny thing is that if I didnt notice the smoke, it doesnt miss or anything after warming up. Seems normal. On start up, runs slightly rough, for maybe 2-3 minutes, but not any different from a normal start. Is it possible that maybe I did get bad fuel and the treatment stopped working?

 

I would start by puting an empty and dry water bottle under the fuel bowl drain line and open the valve and fill the bottle. Cycle the key to refill the fuel bowl. Then put another under the drain and fill a second one. Then let the containers settle and see what you have. The first bottle may have some dirt in it from the drain line. That's why I said to fill two. If you have really bad fuel you should see water separating or just may find who knows what?

 

I agree. Make sure it's a clear bottle with the labels removed so you can see what's going on. If it turns out to be something there, post a pic if you can. I'm curious...

 

Just throwing it out there... but have you considered doing the hutch mod?
Air in the fuel, or starvation for fuel can cause white smoke...before i did mine... my truck was belching smoke and gutless once i got under 1/4 tank.

Ive read that cracked injector cup can cause the super smoke too...

Hope its a simple fix...

Xtof

 

Ok, so I took it to a shop this morning to have a test done. They took a bottle with some kind of special fluid in it and held it in the radiator reservoir while it was running. I guess if it changes colors, it means that I have combustion gasses leaking into the coolant, i.e. cracked head, head gasket, etc. There was a very slight change but not much. I showed the mechanic a picture of it smoking on startup and he said that my problem is overfueling. Apparently I have an injector that must be sticking open when its cold, but after warming up, working correctly. He also told me that there is no way to pin point which injector it is and that I need to replace all of them. I asked him about a buzz test, but was told it wouldn't tell me anything since its sticking open, and only on startup. Right now my plan is to take off my valve covers, let it sit all night, and on starting tomorrow see if I have an injector that is continuosly blowing oil out the deflector as opposed to intermittently. I'm hoping this works. Any thoughts? I do not have access to a buzz test without paying for it, but don't want to replace multiple injectors either. Thanks again guys!

 

Makes sense, but I don't have any injector experience on PSDs at all...

 

Don't be surprised if it ruin your engine.

Had one injector went bad and ruin #8 cylinder. What worst part you try warm up and drive with amount of smoke.

You should have pull injectors and find which one had crack tip.

 

Milwaukee, even when its smoking, it runs smooth, no CEL's or anything. Smoke goes away and it continues to run fine. If it wasn't for smoke, I wouldn't know there was a problem. After I warm it up for about a mile, it stops smoking for most of the day, unless it sits for a long period of time. Its really weird.

 

I'd go back to glow plugs if it weren't for the amount of smoke you are seeing. If you decide to crank it again when it's cold, try jumping the Glow Plug Relay for 15-20 seconds, then crank it, just to see if it solves the problem. It's an easy thing to trouble shoot, and remember, just because the wait to start light is on, doesn't mean the plugs are actually getting hot.

 

Jeffrey, I put in all new gloplugs and relay early this spring. I'd wonder the same thing, except my pickup, also a 7.3, only has 3 gloplugs that are working, and that smokes nowhere near like this thing is doing on start up. I have a pic of the smoke on my phone, but have no idea how to upload it to this forum.

 

well i'm at a loss Mowing Man... Unless it turns out to be a fowled injector.

 

There is no way for an injector to "stick" open...

Find a new mechanic, preferably one not trying to take you for $2000 installed on a set of injectors.

Change your fuel filter, fill the tank (notice I said FILL) and drive it.

It does sound like injectors, possibly from water damage running the tank low. But without more info its difficult to check.

Cylinder Contribution test, Buzz test, Rotational value tests will all help

 

I'd unplug the right bank of injectors and start it and see if it stops smoking if not do the othe side. This will tell you what side it's on. Then you can move to unplugging them one by one till you find the one that makes it stop smoking.

On edit: if you do try to unplug the one by one. Unplug one with the truck off then start it, kill the truck plug it back in and move to the next one. If you try this while truck is running you could take a 140v to the finger tips.