White smoke on start up. Ideas?

[jessef]

Thanks for the tip. Time for a repair.

But I'm no longer in a huge rush as running 8L of canola has seemed to do the trick yet again. There were apocalyptic quantities of smoke coming out for several minutes. And now nothing. Smooth, clean start-ups. An amazing fix for leaky seals.

I'm wondering if the canola additive should be used more as a temporary solution. The first time I had smoke it was minor. Many months later (after a fuel system clean out) the smoke was hugely embarrassing. My van actually stalled on start-up. Part of me thinks the seal got worse without any symptoms or it was already bad but swollen with oily goodness from before I got it.

I was rooting through my papers and came across a work order that reminds me that my front IP seal, glow plugs, and other filters etc. were replaced last November (approx 7000km ago).

Can the front IP seal go that quickly? Or might it be the rear IP seal? Or something entirely different...

Are you positive your glowplugs, wiring and ecu are working properly ?

[Van Diesel]

Are you positive your glowplugs, wiring and ecu are working properly ?

No. I haven't checked those.

But how would adding Canola oil fix any of those things?

Those things seem easier to fix if need be so I'm a bit less concerned now. But still a bit confused.

Thanks.

[pascal]

funny

I'd say throw some extra virgins in there lol...

I recently noticed that mine is also puffing out white smoke on cold start.

Should I sacrifice extra virgin olive oil to the Delica Gods or will regular virgin do?

[pascal]

yours too?!?!? nice!!

You can run your van on WvO?
I am going to have look into that.
sounds cool!

Right on!

No I think that this is just a vicious rumour !!
Mine runs on a wing and a prayer !!!

[pascal]

However, I took my van to "remain namless" Delica shop, and now it is even worse!!! ... I am pissed and just want the problem fixed...

Maybe you should not keep the shop name a secret to prevent this from happening to another driver? Is it because you want to be 'polite' or 'politically correct' or you are afraid of pissing off the shop? What is your point? We need to know the 'heroes'!

PLEEEEEEEEEEEAS :)

[prairiefire]

My L400 smokes white on start-up too. It smokes for a couple minutes until it warms up or I rev the engine up a bit. The smoke goes away but then comes back after 5 minutes of idleing. It starts to chug and choke, like it's going to stall. Once it's warm, it goes away. Would this be glow plugs or IP seal?

[jcolvin]

OK I've got this same issue suddenly started up, only its inconsistent. Changed out my glow plugs and put a new connector on the end of the connector (it was pretty corroded) but no change. Sometimes after sitting overnight (or even just for 5 hours or so) it will cough out copious white smoke, stall or run very rough for the first 10-15 secs, as if there is no glow at all. Other times it starts up smooth as a baby with no smoke at all, even after sitting overnight. The glow relay is working (I can hear it click and get voltage on the glow plugs).

I'm thinking it can only be one of two things....glow plug relay is clicking but not putting out enough current to get the plugs glowing (bad contacts inside or bad wires); or the dreaded front IP seal. I'm doubting its the IP seal though because I can get it to start fine in the morning then 5 hours later it will cough and sputter.

Think I'm going to put in a manual switch / new relay/ replace wires. The L400 does not require a resistor between the relay and the plugs; it's just a direct connection. So it will start like my old-school land cruisers with the manual glow button. Stock timing is 8 seconds of glow when the coolant is 20C so there should be no risk of burning the plugs if i dont press the button for longer than 8 secs.

[jcolvin]

Well, it's definitely not the IP seal. Yesterday i glowed it once then cranked for 2 secs with nothing. Glowed it two more times and it fired up instantly smooth as butter. It's either the relay, wires or fusible link. I'm guessing the relay has shot contacts. Anyone know how many amps the stock relay is rated for? I'll try and get a factory one otherwise i'll try a generic.

[jcolvin]

Rather than getting a new stock L400 glow relay I installed a $25 lordco glow plug relay with new 4GA wires with soldered on connectors, wired into the stock 80A fusible link. Now she fires up smooth like butter, no smoke at all. The lesson is that even though the glow relay may be clicking and putting voltage to the plugs, it may not be supplying the juice required.

By the way you can't just disconnect the stock glow wire from the fusible link or the starter will not crank. Guess it supplies the starter ECU or something? So I left the stock glow wire attached and bolted my new 4GA soldered connection on top, which fit ok. Jumpered the glow controller wire over to the new relay and left the stock relay in place since its a bit of a PITA to get to.

*****************************

EDIT: 3 days later the problem came back same as ever. Sometimes it fires up beautifully, sometimes it just chugs and smokes. I'm getting the pump seal replaced to see if that fixes it for once and all.

[jcolvin]

My L400 smokes white on start-up too. It smokes for a couple minutes until it warms up or I rev the engine up a bit. The smoke goes away but then comes back after 5 minutes of idleing. It starts to chug and choke, like it's going to stall. Once it's warm, it goes away. Would this be glow plugs or IP seal?

This doesn't sound like the plugs to me, since its choking after 5 mins of idling. That sounds more like injectors or the pump. How much smoke is there? Clouds of it or just a small amount? It's not uncommon for them to smoke a bit when cold, but it shouldn't be stumbling after 5 mins of idling.

[Rising Sun Auto Import]

OK I've got this same issue suddenly started up, only its inconsistent. Changed out my glow plugs and put a new connector on the end of the connector (it was pretty corroded) but no change. Sometimes after sitting overnight (or even just for 5 hours or so) it will cough out copious white smoke, stall or run very rough for the first 10-15 secs, as if there is no glow at all. Other times it starts up smooth as a baby with no smoke at all, even after sitting overnight. The glow relay is working (I can hear it click and get voltage on the glow plugs).

I'm thinking it can only be one of two things....glow plug relay is clicking but not putting out enough current to get the plugs glowing (bad contacts inside or bad wires); or the dreaded front IP seal. I'm doubting its the IP seal though because I can get it to start fine in the morning then 5 hours later it will cough and sputter.

Jcolvin has good answers.

My L400 smokes white on start-up too. It smokes for a couple minutes until it warms up or I rev the engine up a bit. The smoke goes away but then comes back after 5 minutes of idleing. It starts to chug and choke, like it's going to stall. Once it's warm, it goes away. Would this be glow plugs or IP seal?

This doesn't sound like the plugs to me, since its choking after 5 mins of idling. That sounds more like injectors or the pump. How much smoke is there? Clouds of it or just a small amount? It's not uncommon for them to smoke a bit when cold, but it shouldn't be stumbling after 5 mins of idling.

In this case, IP main seal issue for sure.

Steven