Little smoke advice Perkins 4108

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dips609

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Hi all I know I'll probably get a bit of stick for this but have searched the forum and although it has been mentioned elsewhere I'm still unsure of a straight answer.
I start my perkins and it belched white smoke no matter what I try. If it was a small amount I wouldn't care I'd consider it condensation or air in system. But it is bad. Now I know about car engines and to me it points to water in the cylinders. But I've started it many times so far and ran for 5-10 minutes with no water in the engine whatsoever (running shouldn't hurt it done it many times) and the problem persists smoke doesn't seem to clear at all.
Injectors have been reconditioned.
Engine hours are unknown
But runs fine otherwise even if not happy on tick over.
No water in oil and engine hasn't burnt any oil in time Ive had it
Any help appreciated
Thanks
 
Running for 5-10 minutes is not enough to get it up to temperature. White smoke on start up is not unusual, but it should reduce when the engine is up to temperature. Get the boat out and give it a hard run at near maximum revs.
 
Sabre hand book "single up ropes start and go" once under load the smoke goes away? Also the exhaust is half full of water, so steam can be expected until you are underway??
 
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Disconnect the diesel supply to the cold start device on the intake manifold and try again, on the 4108 it drips fuel onto a glow plug to start a flame for cold starting. If it's passing it will cause the symptoms you describe
 
Thanks. Will try some of your suggestions. Maybe something to try when sorted out drive out. Only reason it hasn't got water in is engine is need to get new end cap for the heat exchanger. Well that and wintered it now. And I spose that always bugged me that 5-10 mins wouldn't be long enough but didn't want to blow head gasket
 
These are a simple engine, and have few issues normally other than cracked valve seats as far as I'm aware, but bear in mind its going to be forty years old in round terms, so it could be anything.

However. You say 'White Smoke' which would appear to be steam, as your options are going to be Black smoke for an overloaded or overfuellled engine, or Blue smoke for burning oil, which you say it doesn't do!

You are going to het a bit of white smoke out of these engines, mine always did, yet ran perfectly for years, and was recently overhauled anyway.

It appears to be excessive according to you, so consider checking the water inlet, impeller, heat exchanger etc, to make sure it's getting plenty of throughput on the raw water cooling side. Something is getting too hot, maybe the exhaust, if the engine temp. is all normal!?
 
No Regrets said:
These are a simple engine, and have few issues normally other than cracked valve seats as far as I'm aware, but bear in mind its going to be forty years old in round terms, so it could be anything.

However. You say 'White Smoke' which would appear to be steam, as your options are going to be Black smoke for an overloaded or overfuellled engine, or Blue smoke for burning oil, which you say it doesn't do!

It appears to be excessive according to you, so consider checking the water inlet, impeller, heat exchanger etc, to make sure it's getting plenty of throughput on the raw water cooling side. Something is getting too hot, maybe the exhaust, if the engine temp. is all normal!?
Click to expand...

Would cracked valve seats cause white smoke?
I've only ever seen white smoke from it even from stone cold.
The exhaust piping came off once after I didn't secure it right and the white smoke filled the wheelhouse directly from the manifold. So I know there should be water in the mix causing it
The raw water side operates perfectly plenty of water there.
perhaps is is something that I can only try to clear once engine is hot enough.
 
OK, so if White smoke is steam, this could be water increasing the combustion chambers. I'm assuming the coolant level stays the same colour and level, and the oil is clean, so it could be a cracked head i suppose.

Worth getting an engineer to run a few basic tests.

The trouble is, if it runs well and uses no oil or coolant and has no obvious leaks I'm not sure I would actually be too bothered :p
 
As I say No Regrets there's no water in the engine when I've ran it recently most of the time, raw or fresh. The fuel is a fresh as can be as just replaced fuel tank with another one due to bad corrosion in case water was in that.
Roll on warmer weather will be able to try more things without nads freezing.
 
Wish it was that simple. It like thick fog and been doing it since owned it. Bought boat in hotter weather. May also consider submerged exhaust at this rate!
 
If it's running at correct temperature when thrashed and the coolant level is stable, then it must be raw water entering the inlet manifold somewhere. Now I'm not sure this is possible on the 4108 as the inlet system should be separate from any of the raw water stuff IIRC so I still suspect a slight lack of raw water passing through the heat exchanger.

I have the same issue on one of my TAMD40's. Just added brick cleaner, waiting for the next run to see if it improved...
 
well, not quite ticking over, as being cold it doesn't like doing that so its normally just above tickover. The raw water is only connected to the exhaust to stop it getting hot at the moment as that's how the exhaust pipe popped off last time, it doesnt go through the heat exchanger, which is also disconnected so raw definately cant get through to engine
 
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