White smoke in Diesel

[Caolan]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Two things don't appear to have been addressed. What do you mean by "sludgy" fuel and where is the smell coming from? These are probably more important than the white smoke.

That's kind of my feel as well. I have an action to add a biokiller to my fuel so I'll see if that helps the sludginess.

[Elie]

It happened to me once. I removed the injectors and sent them to be fixied. It solved the problem: Is seems that some injector was not closing properly(carbon?)and dribbed into the combustion chamber. I noticed a slight sleek of fuel on the surface of water that cleared when engine was hot enough.

[boatpoker]

"Biocrap" does absolutely nothing to clean fuel ! it kills bacteria which can grwo at the water fuelfuel interface but it does NOT remove them from your system.

Change your filters, clean out the filter bowl and watch .... if the sludge comes back within 10 - 30hrs. you are going to have to have your tank cleaned.

[Caolan]

Originally Posted by Gary Matthesen

Tell me what you got in the summer when its warm. Right now your shooting real cold water into hot exhaust at the mixing elbow. That's gonna produce steam. Just one thought I observed confirmed by the guru Nigel...

Summer I didn't have this problem but the winter before I didn't have it either. So the problem is new.

[Caolan]

Originally Posted by Teknishn

You are absolutely correct. However, I have had flex fuel lines that would allow a bit of air in, not enough to shut down the engine, but just enough to cause the air-to-fuel ratio to be a bit off.

Had this happen to me on my current yacht repair/restoration project (boat built in '36). Chased the problem for weeks thinking fuel pump, head overhaul and then noticed a very slight moist spot on a fuel line about 3-meters aft of the engine. Replaced the hose and Voila! Engine is running smoke free! (Cheap Chinese crap hose with fittings installed in Egypt.)

I had this issue two years ago when a diesel mechanic left a ball valve in the fuel line open. It drove me nuts for 14hrs why all of a sudden it would run, I would bleed the line, and it would die after a minute or so. I closed the line and it worked fine.

[djanis]

Ok hears what I know. About 3 years ago Valvtect changed BioGuard to BioGuard plus 6. The previous BioGuard prevented bacteria growth. BioGurad plus 6 according to the lablel "Stabilizes Fuel & Prevents Sludge, Prevents Rust & Corrosion, Lubricates Pumps & Injectors, Cleans-up Injector Deposits, Disperses Water, Increases Cetane Number".
Have been using it and have had no problems. The directions are on the front"add 1 quart of BioGuard Plus 6 to 375 gallons of diesel fuel".
Also I use a Racor/Parker 500 fuel filter and water separator. The Racor/Parker 500 is the standard for the industry.
Hope this helps.

[boatpoker]

Stabilizes Fuel & Prevents Sludge, Prevents Herpes, Prevents Rust & Corrosion, Lubricates Pumps & Injectors, Cleans-up Injector Deposits, Disperses Water, Increases Cetane Number". Increases Libido, Cures Cankers and Womens Problems Improves Eyesight and Prevents Ingrown Toenails ........ Marketing companies are paid billions of dollars every year to come up with this stuff.

24,000hrs in my log book, never, ever put anything in my fuel tanks but diesel and never had a problem. ... hey maybe I should bottle that and sell it

So you've used it and never had a problem and I've never used it and never had a problem mmmmmmmh !

Hard fact - No water in your tank = no bacterial growth. This issue is solved with a pretty simple maintenance routine.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by Elie

It happened to me once. I removed the injectors and sent them to be fixied. It solved the problem: Is seems that some injector was not closing properly(carbon?)and dribbed into the combustion chamber. I noticed a slight sleek of fuel on the surface of water that cleared when engine was hot enough.

Yes, this is exactly what I was thinking about doing. I've also noticed that slick, too!

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by Caolan

That's kind of my feel as well. I have an action to add a biokiller to my fuel so I'll see if that helps the sludginess.

I second the suggestion to get your fuel polished especially if you have noticed the fuel is "sludgy." Then, topping off regularly will minimize moisture forming in the tank, which is what creates the right conditions for bacteria and associated detritus to build up.

Like anchors and guns, this forum seems to have two very distinct viewpoints about whether to use biocide or not

[seabreez]

Originally Posted by Caolan

Hey there,

I have a Vetus 3.09 with 700hrs on it. I just recently started seeing the issue when I try and turn over my diesel, it makes a smell like plastic burning, and white smoke comes out. After a bit of running, it clears up. Since I have never had any issues with this engine before this, the research seems to indicate there is water or particulates in the fuel. I checked the two external fuel filters and drained some out of it and it looks sludgy.

I got some BioGuard https://www.westmarine.com/buy/valvt...9?recordNum=13
however there are no instructions on how to apply it. I have a 30gallon tank which is almost full. I would hate tho have to get new fuel.

Do I put the full 16oz into it?

What else should I check to clear this up?

Thanks!
-Caolan.

This condition just recently happened to one of the engines in the tugboat that I operate. For some reason if you do not drive the engine hard the rings do not seat well on the cylinder wall. Here is how you check this... you will start your engine and warm it up by reving in neutral at 1200 rpms. Then momentarily give if full throttle and let it go just as fast. Observe the exhaust and check the color of the smoke... if it is white the rings need to reseat themselves. If the smoke is black. the rings are ok. If you do have white smoke send me an email and I will walk you through on how to reseat the rings. Regards, seabreez.

[BruceS]

Starting to sound like the Bon-Ami man has arrived? lol

[mowerandy]

Three types of diesel smoke - Black, blue, and white. Just google diesel smoke - I found this: When white smoke occurs at cold start, and then disappears as the engine warms up, the most common causes are fouling deposits around piston rings and/or cylinder glazing. Use of our Flushing Oil Concentrate and FTC Decarbonizer address these respective problems.
Water entering combustion spaces will also create white smoke. Faulty head gaskets and cracked cylinder heads or blocks are a common cause of water entry, and are often to blame. Unfortunately, expensive mechanical repair is the only proper solution here.

[01kiwijohn]

symptoms, smell and white smoke, indicate a timing irregularity. Does that engine have a cold start device, in the injector pump, that retards the timing until it warms up a little? If so, could be on the blink.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

If steam, then it will very quickly dissipate.
However a cold Diesel it's very common to have white smoke at start up, that is unburned fuel.
A little extreme example, but does illustrate the point.
Do you have glow plugs?

Often if the fuel is old the octane content is diminished making it harder to burn, once engine is at operating temperature it clears up? I think.

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[a64pilot]

Diesel is Cetane, Octane is completely different. They are actually almost opposite things, Octane is resistance to ignition, Cetane is how easily it ignites
Old fuel can cause problems of course.