Huge white clouds coming out of the exhaust, help is need AS

[gali]

Hi there all,

My 110 TDI300 started lately to take out extra white smoke from the exhaust, at the last few days it becomes unbearable.
It comes especially when I first start the engine in the morning and at drive time it is mentioned mostly when I take the foot off the throttle while the gear is still shifted & the engine slows down the vehicle.
The white smoke is so huge that you cannot see anything & no one can see me also.

It seems to me that it's something from the fuel system such a bad injector or maybe lift pump (or who knows maybe the injection pump or timing went off).

Does anyone here have a history of such big white clouds coming out of the exhaust?
How van I check if its an injector or lift pump or maybe even valve clearance?

Thanks, Gali

[bigbad]

Is it using water? Usually white smoke is a water leak into the engine.

[gali]

It doesn't look from water, much more likely from diesel fuel.
It's a cloud and it stinks

[ferret]

I'd be thinking turbo oil seal personally.

[gali]

so it should smoke white all the time, but it doeasnt smoke when accelerating such as when taking the foot off the pedal while gear is still shifted, means engine is slowing the car.

[bigbad]

Most likely the turbo seal, doesnt suck in oil when the turbo is building pressure, only when throttling off or sitting.

[gali]

By turbo seal you mean that I should feel the turbo shaft loose?

[ferret]

The shaft will only have a lot of play if the bearings are shot, it's the seals that keep the oil in the bearings and out of the housings that wear and cause the problem, althoguh I'm not sure that there's a way to check the condition of the oil seals with the turbo still on the car and in one piece.

[wolfengo]

It sounds like it could be a timing prob cos one time wen we had a patrol(dnt wry im a land rover fan i own one lol) in our workshop the ecu had stuffed up frm jumpstarting another car and it came in blowing white smoke and missing real bad we found out the ecu had stuffed up somewhere and it stuffed up the timing. Its an idea hope this helps.

Cheers aaron

[chimpboy]

I know stuff all about diesels but on a petrol I would be checking transmission fluid... if it's an auto.

[gali]

I started the day by disconnecting the breather & checking the return hoses of the diesel fuel.
All seems O.K. the breather is leaking a bit of oil to the turbo inlet but it doesn't seem to be the problem.
Later on I checked the inlet of the turbo, there is a slight of movement of the compressor side up & down but not so significant.
No bubbles at the water tank, the oil is good (not milky) so I guess no big chances for head gasket.

I didn’t checked the timing today but I will do it within a day or two, at the mean time the vehicle is resting at the garage.
Is it by any good to check the valve clearance before the timing or should I jump to the water with the timing first?

[andrew e]

what model 300tdi? post 95? i hear these have timing belt issues, which may be causing your problems.

[Lucus]

My guess would be a dribbly injector or your timing has slipped. Generally leaky turbo shaft seals wil cause smoke all the time (blue or black smoke) if you have white smoke(incomplete fuel combustion) that goes away once you load up the engine and start making boost i would be looking at timing first and if that doesnt solve it move onto dud injectors.

is there a major change in power/fuel consumption?

[gali]

Hi all,

I just finished with the timing. Seems that the timing belt "jumped" one step, the reason is that the master pulley bolt (27mm) been damaged also the woodruff key at the master crankshaft was damaged so all this pulley wasn’t balanced.
Since there been a freedom at the woodruff key the inside pulley of the timing belt suffered few impacts and then jumped one tooth.

I finished already with the timing & valve clearance (the master bolt was a bitch, more then an hour to open), I started the engine (with no master belt) for 5 to 10 seconds & the engine works like a clock – round & steady.

Now I should get a used pulley & I hope that the spot of the woodruff key at the crank wasn’t damaged so I can fit a new one with no problems, along with a pulley & a bolt (also damaged thread).

Thank you all, I really appreciate all your help, gave me the feeling that I'm not alone.

I'll keep you all posted.

Gali.

[Lucus]

good stuff mate.