white smoke on startup
Moderator: Fatmobile
white smoke on startup
In this colder weather my Jetta smokes white smoke and runs rough when first started. Acts like it's running on three cylinders at first. I recently installed new rings about 750 miles ago. Once the motor warms up it smooths out (running on all four) and runs great with no smoke. Anyone have an idea what might be causing this or where I should start checking first?
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
Re: white smoke on startup
poor combusion, low compression, incorrect timing, fuel issues, bad injector spray patterns and a few other items cause incomplete fuel combustion that is the smoke you see. Part of the equation on how well fuel combusts is the temperature of the cylinder. You can tweak the timing to see if it goes away in the winter months and try to adjust a few of the other items to try to make it go away, but it may not ever go away until all items are properly addressed. Ole 82 coughs and bucks and smokes bad for 30 seconds when it's this cold out, but goes away relatively quickly.
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Re: white smoke on startup
Air in the fuel can cause white smoke.
Get clear fuel lines to and from the pump.
Also advance the timing a little.
How does pulling the cold start knob effect things.
Get clear fuel lines to and from the pump.
Also advance the timing a little.
How does pulling the cold start knob effect things.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
Re: white smoke on startup
I suspect poor combustion in one way or another. Timing is right on, injectors were rebuilt and tuned about a year ago and didn't change the smoke issue last winter, I have run clear fuel lines for many years now and pulling out the cold start doesn't change the smoke. When it's 40 degrees out it produces white smoke for about 20 to 30 seconds, the fourth cylinder begins to fire and runs smooth and smoke goes away. When it's really cold, 15 degrees like yesterday, it produces white smoke for about 2 minutes before the fourth cylinder begins to fire and runs smooth and the smoke goes away. Since it has brand new rings I suspect I may have a problem with valves on one cylinder. I does't seem like valves would be affected by cold temps.
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
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- Turbo Charger
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Re: white smoke on startup
Hydraulic or mechanical lifters?
Have a nice day.
'91 Jetta ECOdiesel TD - clean & complete (less motor/tranny) for sale
'82 Westy Vanagon 1.9 N/A - 23.5mpg
'86 Jetta TD - 45-50mpg
'81 Dasher Wagon 1.6 N/A - 52mpg
'84 Wasserboxer - DOA, parts donor
'94 Passat wagon VR6
'03 Jetta TDI wagon 230K, 52.3mpg
'89 Jetta N/A - 51mpg
'82 Caddy 1.6 N/A - Sold
'91 Jetta ECOdiesel TD - clean & complete (less motor/tranny) for sale
'82 Westy Vanagon 1.9 N/A - 23.5mpg
'86 Jetta TD - 45-50mpg
'81 Dasher Wagon 1.6 N/A - 52mpg
'84 Wasserboxer - DOA, parts donor
'94 Passat wagon VR6
'03 Jetta TDI wagon 230K, 52.3mpg
'89 Jetta N/A - 51mpg
'82 Caddy 1.6 N/A - Sold
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Re: white smoke on startup
How are the glow plugs working? Asking because one cylinder is acting funny at first.
Block heater change how it starts?
Clear lines where? To and from the pump?
Block heater change how it starts?
Clear lines where? To and from the pump?
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
Re: white smoke on startup
The lifters are hydraulic.
All four glow plugs are working well.
Ran the block heater this morning for 45 minutes. Engine started on all four cylinders and absolutely no smoke.
I have clear lines going into the injection pump but not on the exit.
All four glow plugs are working well.
Ran the block heater this morning for 45 minutes. Engine started on all four cylinders and absolutely no smoke.
I have clear lines going into the injection pump but not on the exit.
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
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- Turbo Charger
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:22 am
- Location: Rhode Island
Re: white smoke on startup
... visual inspection of glow plugs?.... the difference in starting w/ block heater plugged in points to glow plugs.All four glow plugs are working well.
Ran the block heater this morning for 45 minutes. Engine started on all four cylinders and absolutely no smoke
Various vehicles in various states
Re: white smoke on startup
Each of the glow plugs glow red hot.
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
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- Turbo Charger
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:22 am
- Location: Rhode Island
Re: white smoke on startup
did you look at the plugs installed with injectors removed?
have you tried swapping the # 4 injector with another one to see if the problem moves with it?
personally, i would do those two things (in the same procedure), then move on to compression test if I still had no answer
have you tried swapping the # 4 injector with another one to see if the problem moves with it?
personally, i would do those two things (in the same procedure), then move on to compression test if I still had no answer
Various vehicles in various states
Re: white smoke on startup
No I haven't. Why would a glow plug act differently when installed than what it does uninstalled?
BTW, I can manually operate the glow plugs and it appears to significantly shorten the time that the engine smokes.
BTW, I can manually operate the glow plugs and it appears to significantly shorten the time that the engine smokes.
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
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- Turbo Charger
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:22 am
- Location: Rhode Island
Re: white smoke on startup
They probably wouldn't, but I like to look at them installed because it also tests the circuit and the relay (which it sounds like you've bypassed )
With one underachieving cylinder, I would rule out (or not) the injector by swapping positions and while I'm in there I'd take the opportunity to look at the plugs and see, 100%, how the glow system is working.
I've also got a manual glow plug button and I often use the plugs when its really cold after the engine starts, definitely smooths out warm up
. ... once referred to here as "manual afterglow"
With one underachieving cylinder, I would rule out (or not) the injector by swapping positions and while I'm in there I'd take the opportunity to look at the plugs and see, 100%, how the glow system is working.
I've also got a manual glow plug button and I often use the plugs when its really cold after the engine starts, definitely smooths out warm up
. ... once referred to here as "manual afterglow"
Various vehicles in various states
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- Global Moderator
- Posts: 7566
- Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
- Location: north central Iowa
Re: white smoke on startup
How many amps are the glow plugs pulling after they warm up? Or how did you test them?BlueDog wrote:The lifters are hydraulic.
All four glow plugs are working well.
Ran the block heater this morning for 45 minutes. Engine started on all four cylinders and absolutely no smoke.
I have clear lines going into the injection pump but not on the exit.
Get a clear line coming from the pump. Even though the block heater test indicates it's not a fuel syphoning back to the tank problem.
How does pulling the cold start lever effect sound and roughness of idle when started cold.
I suspect your timing might be a little retarded and the block heater makes it more tolerant.
When it misses it's not random? It sounds like it's always one cylinder?
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.