mechanical hypochondria? smokey 2003

[wotayottie]

The engine is working fine and I know I am a mechanical hypochondriac. Nevertheless, its smokey and I would like views on the cause.

When it starts from cold, it smokes quite heavily and leaves oil on the surface of the water. When I move off and get it up to 2500 rpm, there is very little smoke from the exhaust, but if I leave the engine idling as I go through they lock it smokes like a good un when I rev it up again. Until its cleared its throat, so to speak, when its quite reasonable again.

As far as I can tell it isnt using much if any lube oil, but I dont do a lot of engine work so its not easy to tell. However, if anything the smoke looks blue rather than black.

Lastly, I did the valve stem seals when I had the head off to do the bronze injector sleeves, and at the same time the injectors were checked out

So what do you reckon? Dripping injector or oil down the valve guides?

 

[Evadne]

Smokey and leaving oil on the water is almost certainly unburnt fuel type problems. There are many possibilities, including that catch-all: "old age".
How old is the flexible bit of the exhaust pipe? I'm about to replace mine, realising that passing exhaust through a 25-year old length of tube may have been the source of my engine woes this year. Over heating, blue and white smoke plus a lack of power: all have been getting almost imperceptibly worse for the last five years or more.

 

[narooma]

I have a big old Perkins which exibited similar problems that are now much improved. I changed oil to a non-detergent (agricultural) type and used a glaze buster in the fuel to help remove bore glazing.

 

[boatmike]

Try a compression test. Could well be stuck or broken piston rings if your valves are OK

 

[chiefeng]

Hi
If the smoke has a blue tinge and not white it is almost certainly lub oil. Did you check the condition and wear of the valve stems when you replaced the sleves as these could be worn enough to allow oil to pass down them.
Diesels like to be loaded up so a little bit of smoke at idle or low revs on an old engine is not unusual.
Rgds
Bob

 

[beancounter]

Our 2003 has shown the same symptoms. The amount of "film" being ejected was worrying, so we had the engine checked. Suspicion was focussed on oil getting down the valve guides, or through the piston rings. We plumped to have the former dealt with first. Head removed, refaced, valves lapped and seals renewed.

Result - the engine starts better, the compression has improved, and we chuck out less film. Oh, and I'm an awful lot poorer....

There is still a lot of blue smoke, so I suppose some oil is getting up the sides of the pistons. We're hardly using any oil, so I guess it can't be too bad.

 

[Chris_Robb]

[ QUOTE ]
Try a compression test. Could well be stuck or broken piston rings if your valves are OK

[/ QUOTE ]

I was warned when I was going to get a prepurchase survery report, not to remove an injector to do a compression test, as it might cost me a load of dosh to reinstate the head if you muck up the seating of the sleeves/injectors. This will then require a head off job to fix. so think carefully! Several people have written in on this in previous threads.

My own 2003T of 1991 vintage provides lots of black smoke if I give it big welly going hard astern on coming along side. It had new injectors in 2005, so I presume it is just the result of opening the throttle fully before the revs have caught up to suck in air, or should the injector pump compensate for this?

 

[ditchcrawler]

My understanding is that when starting the 2003 volvo using the cold start procedure(half to threequarter throttle then pull out stop handle & push it in again & then turn starter key) that extra fuel is injected to the engine & a proportion of this will probably be unburnt & give the blue smoke.My engine does this on cold starting.Others with more knowledge will be able to give more advice.

 

[Slowtack]

AAaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
My VP 2003 engine is 21 years old. Boat is in great condition overall. Engine looks clean. Burns no oil. Some whitish/grey smoke when running, hot or cold makes little difference. No loss of power. Seems like asking for trouble to remove an injector. If it aint broke should I attempt to fix it?

 

[pvb]

From what I've seen, all 2003s are smoky. Mine certainly is. It doesn't worry me.

 

[chiefeng]

When the engine is cold any unburnt fuel will give white smoke. Black smoke is a symptom of lack of air, this especially applies to turbo engines where the turbo lags behind the fuel added so you get a puff of black smoke before the turbo catches up.
If the oil usage is not great enough to really notice on the run and you have no appreciable lack of power then I wouldn't be too worried.
Rgds
Bob

 

[snowleopard]

Quick rule of thumb:

White smoke = water vapour. Normal for wet exhaust. Possible head gasket problem if dry exhaust & persists after warming up.
Blue smoke = burnt oil. Suspect worn engine or stuck/broken rings.
Black smoke = carbon. engine overloaded e.g. over-propped or starved of air

 

[Billjratt]

PLUS - white smoke that smells of paraffin vapour = knackered injector. Use all your senses when diagnosing, nose and lugs as well as eyes.

 

[Bilgediver]

My own 2003T of 1991 vintage provides lots of black smoke if I give it big welly going hard astern on coming along side. It had new injectors in 2005, so I presume it is just the result of opening the throttle fully before the revs have caught up to suck in air, or should the injector pump compensate for this?
***************************************************

You said 2003T ... This is an example of turbo lag. The engine has been ticking over so the turbo is almost stopped...You apply full power to give emergency full astern and there is insuffiecient air for combustion till the turbo reves build up.

It is also posible that the full max fuel setting has been tweeked and giving more fuel on accelerate than it should.

Try being less enthusiastic on the throttle /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

You may even see the big ships smoke like this if the skipper tries to get full ahead or full astern from stop.

 

[gosh]

I had bluish white smoke all the time from newly reconditioned engine. Put up with it for two years. Advanced injector pump as far as it would go on its slots (about 2º) and smoke dissappeared completely and has not returned.

 

[Chris_Robb]

[ QUOTE ]
Try being less enthusiastic on the throttle

You may even see the big ships smoke like this if the skipper tries to get full ahead or full astern from stop.


[/ QUOTE ]

Yes - good idea! but the pontoon space (yachts moored bow to stern) I have about a boat and a half's length to get along side and stop. This is especially awkward if the wind is blowing off the pontoon, and it requires a faster approach. Softer user of the Furtwangler might result in falling out with the neighbours, so smoke em out instead! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Happy Christmas

 

[Bilgediver]

so smoke em out instead!
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Solong as the result is not rapid footsteps down the pontoons followed by a drenching in extinguisher fluid

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif