Date:         Mon, 29 Apr 2002 13:19:26 -0700
Reply-To:     Dana Morphew <kadm@PUGETSOUND.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dana Morphew <kadm@PUGETSOUND.NET>
Organization: Dana's Mobile Carpet Steam
Subject:      Re: Diesel Dumb Question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Andrew Grebneff wrote:
>
> >Hi All,
> >
> >Just a quick Diesel question.  I just purchased a 1969 Mercedes (imported
> >version) (sp) diesel but the PO says that it smokes a lot!  Where Do I
> >start?  I have only worked on things with spark plugs so I'm  a little
> >ignorant on these things.
>
> White smoke: antifreeze burning. Head-off time. Blown gasket or head
> crack to waterpassage.

White can also indicate unburned diesel when it occurs on cold engine
start-up.

>
> Blue smoke: rings at least. Indicates worn/softened oil rings or
> cracked head penetrating oilway.
>
> Black smoke: injectors need cleaning, adjusting or replacing and/or
> fuelpump pushing too much fuel and/or pump timing out.
>
> Warning: a diesel (or gas engine!) pumping too much fuel can suffer
> from excessive cylinder wear due to washdown of lubricating oil by
> the excess fuel.

Diesel fuel is actually a light oil, so the excess on the cyl. walls is
not as much a negative as it is in a gas burner.  This is one of the
reasons diesels tend to run more hours than gasoline engines.

-Dana-

>
> That's A 3.0 five?
> --
> Andrew Grebneff
> 165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
> <andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
> Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut