Perkins 4108 Smoking and Leaving a Sheen on the Water

[Wainui]

Perkins 4108 rebuilt aprox 100 hours ago.
Was running fine but just had the injector pump rebuilt and new injectors.
Now the engine smokes white and leaves a major sheen on the water.
Runs and starts fine.
Any suggestions as to the cause?
Thanks
Mark

[GordMay]

White smoke, with exhaust sheen, occurs when raw diesel comes through the exhaust completely intact and unburned.
Some causes of this include incorrect injection timing or faulty/damaged injectors.
You need to talk to your re-builder.

[Seahunter]

Best case plugged intake screen (the blue domed fixture attached to air intake manifold. I've found a few plugged with spray paint after a rebuild). Worst case, injector pump failure. There is also the chance one of the injectors is faulty.

[shakey doug]

g'day,

1. Check that injector leads have been fitted to correct position on fuel pump.

2. Check injector old copper seal washers not left in cyl head.

3.Check cold start valve not staying partly open.

[Wainui]

I spoke to my mechanic who thinks that after new injectors, new lift pump and rebuilt injector pump it may be a valve or valve seat so he is going to do a compression test. Would't a faulty valve let fuel pass into the exhaust? It looks like the head may have to come off!
I should have replaced not rebuilt the Perkins!
Regards
Mark

[perchance]

I won't be of much help except to say we are suffering from the exact same problem. The head was redone as were the injectors and pump. I talked to the mechanic/instructor at the community college and he suggested it was a temperature problem in that the engine is not getting up to temp. allowing the fuel to ignite. I am on the other side of the country waiting to hear from my brother as to the outcome. When I hear from him I will let you know what he finds and hope you will do the same if you get yours sorted out before me.

[avazquez]

Had a very similar problem. After a lot of trial and error we finally rotated the injection pump until the smoke went away. It seems like very few shops have the injection pump special alignment tool. So after rebuilding the pump the timing changes.

[Chief Engineer]

Timing.....there should be a small mark on the pump flange and on the engine.

Did you bleed the fuel system?

[Wainui]

I will check on the pump flange. My mechanic specalises on perkins so I expect that it should be aligned right. the engine runs well and gets up to 180 deg. If it is running well what would bleeding do?
Many thanks
Mark

[avazquez]

Once you rebuild the pump and if the shop doesnt have the special perkins tool then those marks are no longer valid.

[Seahunter]

Originally Posted by avazquez

Once you rebuild the pump and if the shop doesnt have the special perkins tool then those marks are no longer valid.

What? That's the purpose of the timing marks design.

I spoke to my mechanic who thinks that after new injectors, new lift pump and rebuilt injector pump it may be a valve or valve seat so he is going to do a compression test. Wouldn't a faulty valve let fuel pass into the exhaust? It looks like the head may have to come off!

I thought this engine had only 100 hours on a rebuild, wouldn't these issues have been taken care of at that time? It sounds definately like a fuel problem like the pump was located incorrectly. It's not that hard to mess with the timing. Did the pump get rebuilt along with the engine? Is there a receipt for the rebuild? Sounds awfully cockeyed to me.

[Therapy]

he said.

rebuild 100 hrs ago

then injectors and pump rebuild

Now problem.

[Seahunter]

Originally Posted by Therapy

he said.

rebuild 100 hrs ago

Yes; so why, is the mechanic stating " it may be a valve or valve seat" and is going to do a compression test. A broken spring maybe, but it's an audible fault. Mechanically, rings, broken piston, head gasket, can also cause this issue, but so soon after a rebuild? Not my first choice. It sounds like this mechanic is working backwards.

then injectors and pump rebuild
Now problem.

That's not exactly what the OP stated but regardless the symptoms would still suggest that there's an issue with the injector pump, timing or otherwise. Read the 108 service manual Chapter 2 Section D, "Fault Finding".

[Cheechako]

Did your pump fail? Did they test the injectors after rebuild? When I had my 4-108 new factory injectors were less than $100. I think you need to press your mechanic a little further. Did the engine run pretty good prior? Or were you hoping this was the issue? Crack off each injector while running, if one doesnt effect the sound of the engine much you may have a bad injector spewing raw fuel... WHO rebuilt the inj pump?
I dont trust that many people know how to work on an injection pump. I think it's a liitle like expecting your average auto mechanic to rebuild an automatic transmission.... he can replace parts but....
Just my personal bias though..... I would never touch an injection pump that's woking fine.

[Chief Engineer]

Air in the injection line may cause a poor working injector