White smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine: causes, how to fix the problem
Content
A serviceable diesel engine in cold weather produces an exhaust in the form of a cloud of condensed steam. Normally, the combustion products of diesel fuel quickly dissolve in the atmosphere. But the emission of dense white smoke from the muffler indicates problems with the diesel engine.
In a serviceable machine, the exhaust gases are odorless and colorless. White smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine often indicates a probable internal combustion engine malfunction. According to the characteristics of the exhaust, it is possible to estimate the type of breakdown with a high probability.
The difference between water vapor from a muffler and white smoke
From the exhaust of a diesel car, you can find out about problems with the engine. Normally, the fuel burns completely with the formation of carbon oxides and water. In summer, the exhaust is transparent, and in winter it comes out of the pipe in the form of a cloud of white steam. Any other shade of smoke indicates a possible malfunction of the diesel engine.
Diesel white smoke
The exhaust can be checked with a blank sheet of paper. When the car is running at low speeds, water vapor leaves a quickly disappearing wet spot. But a faulty motor throws out particles of soot and oil from the exhaust pipe, leaving greasy marks on a piece of paper. According to the shade of the color of the smoke and the characteristics of the exhaust particles, it is highly likely that an internal combustion engine malfunction can be diagnosed. Timely preventive maintenance and repair is better than expensive equipment replacement.
Is thick muffler smoke a problem?
A serviceable diesel engine in cold weather produces an exhaust in the form of a cloud of condensed steam. Normally, the combustion products of diesel fuel quickly dissolve in the atmosphere. But the emission of dense white smoke from the muffler indicates problems with the diesel engine.
Exhaust can leave greasy droplets and have a persistent burnt smell, even on a well-heated car. Smoke is due to problems with cooling, mixing engine oil with antifreeze or antifreeze. Also, a dense exhaust with a burning smell occurs when there are deviations in the ignition system. Engine thrust decreases, fuel consumption increases.
Cars where white smoke is a serious problem:
- KAMAZ;
- MAZ;
- Tractor, MTZ excavator;
- YaMZ;
- Land Cruiser;
- Chevrolet Lacetti, Lanos;
- Peugeot 408;
- Toyota Corolla;
- Ford Transit;
- Fiat Doblo.
Causes of white smoke from a diesel engine
The deviation in the operation of the internal combustion engine is reflected in the characteristics of the exhaust gases. The color and density of the cloud changes, a noticeable smell of burning and oil appears.
List of common causes of white smoke from a diesel muffler:
- condensate in the degassing device;
- incomplete burnout of diesel fuel;
- large soot on the electrode of the candle;
- poor compression in the cylinders;
- fuel pump malfunction;
- getting coolant from the system into the engine.
In the cold, dense smoke comes out of the car’s pipe, quickly disappearing when it warms up. The exhaust may also change due to a clogged air filter, a decrease in the level of coolant in the system. But more often the pipe smokes white due to a malfunction of the diesel engine.
When you run
Leaving the machine for many hours in a cold parking lot or in an unheated garage will cause steam to condense in the degassing device. After the engine warms up, the moisture evaporates and comes out in a dense fog. If white smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine persists at startup after the temperature has risen, then some systems and components of the machine are probably faulty. By the color and smell of smoke, you can determine where the breakdown occurred. What components and parts need to be repaired or replaced.
Under load
Sometimes with the engine problems arise only at high speeds. White smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine flies out under load due to antifreeze that has entered the internal combustion engine cylinders. The exhaust may take on a color cast from the components of the refrigerant liquid. If you press the gas pedal, then the gray and black color of the ejection with a smell indicates incomplete combustion of the solarium. A change in the composition of the exhaust from the muffler often occurs due to worn parts of the internal combustion engine. Sometimes the cause of white smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine under load can be a filter clogged with dust, as well as diesel fuel with impurities.
Why does diesel smoke
A change in exhaust characteristics is often associated with problems with the systems and engine of the car. Therefore, the earlier the diagnosis is made, the easier and cheaper it is to restore the normal operation of the internal combustion engine. More often, a diesel engine starts to smoke due to poor maintenance.
Causes of white smoke
Possible causes of white muffler exhaust:
- coolant getting inside the cylinders;
- unburned diesel fuel;
- condensate in the degassing device;
- high humidity of the outside air.
Periodic revision and prevention of internal combustion engines prevent failures and extend the life of the car. White smoke indicates a serious breakdown that must be fixed in a short time.
Exhaust condensation
In a car left in the cold, the engine and exhaust gas system cool down very quickly. Therefore, drops of moisture and frost are deposited on the internal cavities. When a diesel engine is started, the hot gases quickly heat up the pipes and a dense whitish smoke appears. And disappears in a car with a working engine after heating and evaporation of condensate. If the white exhaust continues to go, then the deviation from normal operation probably has another reason.
Solar not fully lit
If you start a cold engine, the muffler pipe emits smoke containing small droplets of the mixture. In a car, after warming up the internal combustion engine, the exhaust usually quickly returns to normal. If the smelling smoke continues to flow, then there may be a malfunction in the fuel line system.
Causes of incomplete combustion:
- high pressure in the nozzles;
- knocked down injection cycle setting;
- excess volume of diesel fuel in the cylinder;
- bad compression;
- wear of seals and parts.
Engine coolant fluid
Thick white or other colored exhaust is usually due to coolant infiltration into the engine. The cause of white smoke from the exhaust pipe may be burnout or a through gap in the cylinder head. The main component of the exhaust gases is steam, which is formed from contact with a heated metal surface.
Why is there white smoke
For a diesel engine, such a breakdown is dangerous due to the formation of sulfur compounds, which cause accelerated corrosion of parts. It is possible to diagnose the ingress of coolant into the cylinder head by the level in the expansion tank.
Injection timing control failure
Violation in the diesel engine of diesel fuel supply leads to incomplete combustion. If the mixture went late, then it does not have time to burn out. Therefore, fuel particles fly into the exhaust gas removal device to produce dense white smoke from the exhaust pipe of the diesel engine. Diesel fuel also penetrates into the crankcase and mixes with the engine lubricant oil. To avoid breakdown and not stall, you need to quickly adjust the injection and ignition.
Incorrect fuel dosage
A broken nozzle can give too much diesel or even pour in constantly. The excess mixture does not burn all in the chamber and smokes from the muffler, sometimes with strong pops. The reason why the distribution of the mixture is disturbed is more often due to a leaky nozzle. If the emission of white smoke from the exhaust pipe on a diesel engine, then an excess amount of diesel fuel can enter the engine crankcase and cause critical damage to internal combustion engine parts. If there is a violation of the dosage, it is necessary to repair or replace the nozzles.
Turbocharger unit is leaking oil
The cylinder of a running diesel engine is gaining high temperature. Any organic liquids burn in the chamber. White or gray smoke that comes out under load means oil has got into the fuel. More often, lubricant impurities in diesel fuel come from the turbocharger bearings or when the unit itself breaks down. If traces of oil appear in the exhaust, it is necessary to make an audit and eliminate the backlash of the parts.
How to check the cause of white smoke
In summer, during normal operation, the exhaust of a diesel car is colorless. In the cold, at the beginning of warming up, the muffler emits a light cloud of water vapor. Staining of exhaust gases with unburned particles indicates a malfunction of the internal combustion engine.
Checking for probable causes of white smoke from a diesel engine exhaust pipe:
- measurement with a dipstick of oil in the crankcase;
- lubricant color;
- the presence of a shade in the exhaust;
- foreign smell or sediment coolant in the tank;
- candles with soot;
- growth in diesel fuel consumption;
- malfunction of injectors;
- lagging ignition timing.
White smoke
The reaction of the hot fuel mixture in the engine occurs under high pressure. At a normal dosage, all diesel fuel is combined with atmospheric oxygen. Basically, the gas at the outlet of a diesel muffler consists of water and carbon dioxide. Therefore, the appearance of thick smoke is a sure sign of poor engine performance.
Trouble-shooting
If the fuel is of good quality, then the exhaust from the white pipe is an accurate indicator of problems with the internal combustion engine. It is necessary to quickly carry out a full diagnosis and proceed with the repair.
Methods for dealing with the cause of white smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine:
- Check the condition of the air filter, if necessary, replace it with a new one. Blockages and dust reduce the flow of air into the engine and affect the completeness of combustion of the mixture.
- With white smoke from a diesel muffler due to poor compression and worn parts of the internal combustion engine, it is necessary to carry out partial or major repairs in a car service.
- If, due to leakage of antifreeze or oil getting into the refrigerant, the engine runs unevenly and the winding disappears, then it is necessary to restore the tightness of the system. Fill in new coolant.
What is the danger of emitting white smoke
Diesel is sensitive to the quality of the fuel mixture. Any deviations in the composition adversely affect the operation of the unit.
More often, white smoke from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine appears from impurities and particles of unburned diesel fuel. Sulfur compounds are also formed, which contribute to the corrosion of metal parts of the internal combustion engine.
When starting in cold weather, white smoke appears from the exhaust pipe of a diesel engine, which disappears when the car is warmed up. If the exhaust is clearly visible or smelly, then the motor is faulty and needs to be repaired. Continued operation of the machine with such a breakdown may result in the failure of the internal combustion engine. In order not to bring the diesel engine to the appearance of smoke from the muffler, it is necessary to do regular maintenance and preventive maintenance of electronic systems.
