And here we go - Billowing White Smoke

[LostChord]

And here we go - Billowing White-ish Smoke

Well, it ain't no banjo bolt this time.

200Tdi.

Driving two of the girls home tonight, and we were all saying to each other that something smelled. Similar to the smell of rubber that's burning, and a bit like the smell associated with the normal black puff at startup. Thought it was probably another car nearby somewhere.

Check the rearview and side mirror, and we're billowing white-ish smoke from the tailpipe like a locomotive. Hard to tell exactly at night, but definitely not black.



Fortunately, this happened just before making it home, and for better or worse, I nursed it the rest of the way to the driveway and shut it down. Even the dog wanted out.

Opened the hood and found oil everywhere. It's dark out, so it's tough to see anything, but grabbed a few pictures.

Also noticed:
- Engine temps were fine.
- No noticeable change in performance.
- Oil light never came on (it does work, verified during recent oil change).
- Hoses looked intact.
- Oil fill cap is tight. Heh.
- No oil splattered on the underside of the hood (bonnet) or bulkhead.
- Visible oil mostly on top of engine (weird) and sides of course.

I'll check again with daylight, but that's what I know so far.

Back to the hate side of this love-hate relationship.

Thoughts, comments, jokes appreciated.

Thanks.

EDIT:

Truck starts up just fine after this mess, and was running great prior to it. And no signs of oil on the tailpipe.

 

[Roverman2010]

Might be blow-by check the vent hose? But very interested in how you verified oil level during your last oil change using the oil light????? Oil light "low pressure" nothing to do with oil level.

 

[LostChord]

Might be blow-by check the vent hose? But very interested in how you verified oil level during your last oil change using the oil light????? Oil light "low pressure" nothing to do with oil level.

Thanks for the tip on the vent hose. Will double check.

Didn't use the oil light to verify level, I just know it's working because it will momentarily light up upon starting the truck right after each oil change. Then it goes out once pressure is back and stays that way.

 

[rocky]

Forget to seat the dipstick properly?

 

[LostChord]

Forget to seat the dipstick properly?

There's a "properly"? What kind of voodoo is this?!?

If you mean, did I seat it all the way down, then yes. If there's more to it than that, lemme know

 

[RDavisinVA]

Can't tell much from your description from where I am (an arm chair quarterback position from afar).
Are you sure it is oil and not some other fluid like diesel fuel?
Could the smoke have been oil vaporizing off the exhaust system and not white smoke exiting out of the tail pipe?

You need to spray the engine down with degreaser and once clean you'll be able to see where you are leaking from, then report back with some specific information.
A general description of a problem yields general answers and more questions.
Specific info like there is oil running out the valve cover right on the exhaust manifold will get you specific advice, ie solutions to your problems.
Knowing the dog didn't like the smoke doesn't help us diagnose the issue, but hey if it makes you feel better, type it... it's a free country.

 

[LostChord]

Can't tell much from your description from where I am (an arm chair quarterback position from afar).

Understood, and appreciate the feedback and guidance.

Are you sure it is oil and not some other fluid like diesel fuel?

Touche. I believe so, but never hurts to triple-check in the daylight.

Could the smoke have been oil vaporizing off the exhaust system and not white smoke exiting out of the tail pipe?

Nope; definitely exiting the tailpipe in excessive quantities.

You need to spray the engine down with degreaser and once clean you'll be able to see where you are leaking from, then report back with some specific information. A general description of a problem yields general answers and more questions.
Specific info like there is oil running out the valve cover right on the exhaust manifold will get you specific advice, ie solutions to your problems.

Good tip and agreed. Will do.

Knowing the dog didn't like the smoke doesn't help us diagnose the issue, but hey if it makes you feel better, type it... it's a free country.

Lol...sometimes levity does help. Especially since I was in a get-off-my-lawn state of mind.

 

[Uncle Douglas]

How much oil did you loose ? Clean it off first, that's a fire waiting to happen. When you do try to restart it to find the source, be sure to have an extinguisher handy.

 

[LostChord]

How much oil did you loose ? Clean it off first, that's a fire waiting to happen. When you do try to restart it to find the source, be sure to have an extinguisher handy.

Thanks Doug - not certain yet, but will get back to it soon.

 

[1of40]

That much oil with no performance changes hopefully means its something stupid simple.

 

[RBBailey]

I'm watching this thread -- seems odd that the oil is just all over the place in the engine bay, but also smoking out the tail pipe.

Seems like oil was spraying from some small leak someplace. And if it really was coming out of the tail pipe exclusively, I'd say the culprit has to do with the turbo. Just a guess, though.

 

[LR Max]

Crank it up and smell the exhaust.

If its sweet, you need a head gasket.

If it stinks and burns your eyes, you probably blew an injector tip off or have some sort of compression issue.

White smoke means that liquid is becoming steam...or at least that is what the 5 diesel techs who all have been working on diesel engines for the past 10~30 years downstairs just told me.

 

[RDavisinVA]

In a TDI, fuel starvation can cause white smoke.

 

[AdamSanta85]

My truck had white smoke when the injectors needed to be rebuilt

As for the oily mess? I dunno leaky injector or return line (and its actually diesel) or maybe turbo oil feed? Shouldn't be hard to find if it made that much of a mess. Start it up, get under hood, and rev it by hand.

I blame the dog.

 

[RDavisinVA]

My truck had white smoke when the injectors needed to be rebuilt

Yeah, I recall we discussed that.
I think we sent you a set of remanufactured 200TDI Injectors that solved that issue.

 

[AdamSanta85]

Yeah, I recall we discussed that.
I think we sent you a set of remanufactured 200TDI Injectors that solved that issue.

We talked on the phone, but then I found that there is a shop that services European diesel injectors 10 minutes from my house. Pretty random. Had that not been the case they were going to you.

Did you ever finish up the 300TDI injector adapter collars? You should sell them. Even though my injectors are working good it would be nice to get cheap injectors going forward.

 

[RDavisinVA]

We talked on the phone, but then I found that there is a shop that services European diesel injectors 10 minutes from my house. Pretty random. Had that not been the case they were going to you.

Did you ever finish up the 300TDI injector adapter collars? You should sell them. Even though my injectors are working good it would be nice to get cheap injectors going forward.

I did but the hold up is having an adapter to go between the 200TDI fuel lines and the 300TDI injector in the 200TDI engine.
The 300TDI lines will fit the 200TDI injection pump, but are too long and need to be bent to screw into the 300TDI injectors.

Now I remember, Adam... talk to so many people that after a while the conversations run together.

 

[LostChord]

That much oil with no performance changes hopefully means its something stupid simple.

Thanks Clay...that's would be nice.

I'm watching this thread -- seems odd that the oil is just all over the place in the engine bay, but also smoking out the tail pipe.

I'm thinking the same thing.

Seems like oil was spraying from some small leak someplace. And if it really was coming out of the tail pipe exclusively, I'd say the culprit has to do with the turbo. Just a guess, though.

Thanks

 

[RDavisinVA]

I'm watching this thread -- seems odd that the oil is just all over the place in the engine bay, but also smoking out the tail pipe.

Seems like oil was spraying from some small leak someplace. And if it really was coming out of the tail pipe exclusively, I'd say the culprit has to do with the turbo. Just a guess, though.

My guess would be that some of the leaking oil got on the exhaust manifold or pipe and created the eye watering burning smell at the same time an entirely different problem happened that caused white smoke to billow from the tail pipe.
The combination was enough to send human and dog alike running for some fresh air.
Who knows, really, by the description provided, it is impossible to tell.

 

[LostChord]

You need to spray the engine down with degreaser.....

Clean it off first, that's a fire waiting to happen.

This as far as I've gotten.

My guess would be that some of the leaking oil got on the exhaust manifold or pipe and created the eye watering burning smell at the same time an entirely different problem happened that caused white smoke to billow from the tail pipe.

Thanks Robert - I suppose this is possible...and at this point, even more possible is that I'm entirely wrong about the tailpipe and the smoke color. Especially if it was exclusively a result oil burning off of the manifold that was being blown back by the fan and road wind.

It wouldn't be the first time, and certainly won't be the last, as I continue to learn these trucks. Appreciate the patience, thoughts and opinions so far. I have a long way to go to Land Rover self sufficiency.

The combination was enough to send human and dog alike running for some fresh air.

Lol...now we're talking. Free country and all.

Who knows, really, by the description provided, it is impossible to tell.

Working on it.