cold start white smoke rough idle

jos_mclean · Post by **jos_mclean** » Sat Sep 24, 2016 11:22 am

Hi everyone, done a lot of searching cant seem to find an answer, hope you can help me out. 1995 delica swb 2.8td. Now that it getting cold I am having an issue with white smoke and a rough idle. Van starts fin but once the glow cycle stops the idle gets very rough and starts blowing a large cloud of white smoke(stinks of diesel) after it is warm the smoke goes away and runs great the rest of the day. also if i run power directly to glow plugs after the cycle ends the van returns to a smooth idle and smoke disappears. hears what i have done so far.
-new glow plugs, all checked individually and work.
-checked power to plugs and and all plugs get sufficient power for full cycle
-new fuel filter(no oil in old one)
-fuel filter primer pump is firm and pumping prior to starting doesn't seem to help.
-water level has not changed over 2 weeks
-egr blanked and new KN filter
right now my best guess bad injectors or possibly air leak or IP. hoping someone might have some insight before I get into the expensive stuff

Post by **Growlerbearnz** » Sat Sep 24, 2016 2:11 pm

What you've described is still textbook glow plug issues, especially the bit where the smoke goes away if you apply power directly to the glow plug bus bar.

I'm not hugely familiar with the glow cycle on an L400, but if it's like the one on an L300 it should continue for a while after the engine's started. It sounds like it's not continuing for long enough when the engine's cold, which points to a lazy temperature sensor. I'd test the temperature sensor which runs the glow controller. Actually, to be honest, I'd probably just replace it if an aftermarket unit is cheap enough.

While bad injectors or IP *can* cause white smoke which clears up once the engine is warm, I would expect it to also result in difficulty starting, and not to go away if the glow plugs were powered manually.

jos_mclean · Post by **jos_mclean** » Sat Sep 24, 2016 5:04 pm

Thanks for the reply Growler, that was my first thought as well but I used my voltmeter to test how long the plugs have power and it seems to last about 3 minutes which is standard from what I have read on here. also tried it with the sensor disconnected, which should simulate a cold start and allow the glow plugs to stay on for the longest interval, that had no change

Post by **Growlerbearnz** » Sat Sep 24, 2016 10:20 pm

So the white smoke starts after the 3 minute cycle? I would have thought the engine would be warm enough that powering the glow plugs wouldn't do anything more.

A most interesting puzzle. I say "interesting" because it's not my engine and I'm not paying for it. I imagine you'd use a different word to describe it.

kurtiswilk · Post by **kurtiswilk** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 1:43 am

I have the exact same issue in a 97 gen 2.
Right after bringing it home from Vancouver I was on the phone with rising sun. Steven was helpful and had a look at it when I got it back to Vancouver. Of course though it refused to have the smoke issue well it was with him. They said they couldn't find anything wrong.

It also starts right after the glow plug clicks off. It's not currently cold enough yet to be an issue but soon will be.

I tended to start driving away just before the plug turned off. And it was never an issue. That being said, I now in the process of diagnosing a likely head gasket leak. Maybe they are related? I get exhaust gas in my coolant reservoir. But that's soon to be another post.

Kurtis

jos_mclean · Post by **jos_mclean** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 4:41 pm

well i installed a coolant heater in the lower rad hose, and plugged it in with a timer. Has improved starting tremendously very little smoke and much smother. still think that something is not right, thinking maybe the injectors, but at least it is starting better

thegreatindoors · Post by **thegreatindoors** » Wed Oct 19, 2016 10:06 am

I have the same issue. I have resorted to turning off the van once it starts to choke and then restarting it. I have had it looked at and a compression test and everything appears to be fine. I've been told that the diesel hasn't fully warmed up after the glow plugs shut off after 3 minutes and that is the issue.

If you find a better solution, please let me know.

islandtrip123 · Post by **islandtrip123** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 1:20 pm

Hi I have an L400 and 4D56 pajero. My pajero wouldn't start the first day I owned it below 5 degrees C. I thought it was a fuel issue and replaced lots of parts. Not until I ran out of ideas and clutch rolled started it down the hill, it started and ran fine.

Solution: NEW GLOW PLUGS (11V) WITH MANUAL PRESS-MOMENTARY SWITCH WIRED DIRECTLY TO ACTIVATE THE 12V GLOW PLUG SOLENOID! Now perfect starts in the coldest of temps! Just hold button for ~5 sec before starting engine. I fixed my 4D56T Pajero (3 YEARS AGO, SAME GLOW PLUGS), and am planning on doing my L400 soon as it starts rough in the cold (missing, white smoke) but runs fine starts fine when warm.

Good Luck!

gotreallots · Post by **gotreallots** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 9:20 pm

I have the same issue with my 96 2.8 and my only solution so far is to turn the key over and wait for the click then turn the ignition off and back on wait for click and start. Seems to work well and will start with no issue up to -10. Would like a better solution though.

islandtrip123 · Post by **islandtrip123** » Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:56 pm

Hmmm.. so I just tried to fix my cold start issue on my L400 as I did on my mk1 pajero. New plugs and manual glow plug relay switch. No dice, still very rough starting. Will continue to hunt for poor continuity in the system... damn mk1 pajeros are easier to work on than L400s.

monkeygirl · Post by **monkeygirl** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 1:06 am

Try a fuel pump leak - front seal may have gone letting air into the system-

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