I was driving today, and I noticed that everytime I accelerate, I'm getting a cloud of white smoke. The smoke is pretty white, and it dissipates fairly quickly, so I'm guessing it's my coolant.

A couple of weeks ago, it started running pretty high temperatures, but didn't overheat. They kept going higher, though. So once, when it got a little past 120, I added most of a bottle of antifreeze to the overflow tank, but it didn't seem to help much. I took it in to a Tuffy (my regular mechanic's on vacation) to get a brake change I sorely needed, and I asked them to look at it. They said I was just missing some coolant. I said "ok...", and suspiciously tested it out when I got it back, and it didn't overheat anymore.

A couple of days later, I drove on the interstate for a while, and the temperature got up near 120. So I took it back to the Tuffy and asked them to check for leaks. They did a pressure test and said it was fine. They also said I hadn't lost coolant. It hasn't overheated since then.

Today, I noticed the white smoke. All along the past couple of weeks, every once in a while I've been noticing the smell of coolant coming out of the A/C vents. It was very noticeable before my first trip to Tuffy. But I noticed it yesterday night too. Just for a little while, when I start up the car.

I'm taking it in to an actual mechanic tomorrow morning, but I wanted to get an education about what the problem might be. My mechanic's still on vacation, so this is a different one.

From the search I did on here, I've been hearing that the head gasket is probably it. Is that the case?

Gabriel

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Gabriel
'91 350SD 162k
'83 300SD 210k - rear-ended and scrapped
'84 300SD 210k - totalled

Sounds like it.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

If this is the 603 engine in the '91, I'm very interested in this as well. I've gotten myself into another one of these engines and it has the same symptoms of white smoke at idle.

The random increase in temperature is not a good sign. It definitely points to a possible head gasket. Also, depending on the vintage of the head, it's also possible that it has cracked. What's the casting number (above the #2 intake runner)?

I've had my fill of cracked heads lately...........on a 617 no less.

Please keep this thread going with your progress.

I took another look at it a couple of hours ago. My post before was based on what I saw on my way home from work. After examining the smoke a little closer, I'm pretty sure it's oil, not steam. It's pretty thick and smells like oil.

I've known for a while that my turbo seals were leaking, and I think they're gone for good now. I think I'm gonna have to get them rebuilt. I'll know for sure tomorrow morning when I hear the mechanic's bill.

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Gabriel
'91 350SD 162k
'83 300SD 210k - rear-ended and scrapped
'84 300SD 210k - totalled

brian... how in the h--- did the 617 head crack? never heard of one cracking on a 617. course my lovely #3 daughter cracked a 616 when she filled up with gasoline ..."it had the green guard on the hose dad..." then headed back to lafayette from colombus oh.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Be premature for me to speculate.

I have not seen it yet. When I bring the replacement over to the shop (20 miles from here), I'll haul the old one back and take some photos. Should be a good learning experience. But, the cause, I'm sure, will be elusive.

I have heard from certain machine shops that have commented that this head is not immune to cracking. Less likely than the aluminum head, but certainly not rare.

White smoke is incomplete fuel burn.

Just something I found while doing a search:
Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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So I took the car in to a mechanic this morning, and he said it's definitely my turbo. I'm gonna have to get it rebuilt. There goes a whole lot of money.

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Gabriel
'91 350SD 162k
'83 300SD 210k - rear-ended and scrapped
'84 300SD 210k - totalled

I'm very curious on how he made that diagnosis??

He is presuming that the white smoke is oil??

He thinks the turbo oil seals are bad??

Please question him in more detail regarding this.

If the oil seals are leaking oil into the intake, the engine will simply burn it without noticeable smoke. If the oil seals are leaking into the exhaust, like I believe that I have on the SDL, you get a distinct aroma of Rotella syn all around the vehicle, but, there is no smoke.

you will also get white smoke from incorrect injection timing.a SMALL adjustment of the injection pump solved my white smoke at cold start

Hold on.....this doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg.

read this:

Rebuilding Turbo

Excerpt:
There is also a post somewhere that has a complete rebiulding parts list for under $50. I don't have the time right now to look for it, your gonna have to do the search yourself.

Whether you buy the drop-in replacement, the rebuilding kit or rebuilding parts it doesn't cost as much as you think to fix it. All it takes is a little elbow grease.

All assuming that this is actually your problem. I would also like to know how your mechanic figured it was the turbo.

Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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Turbo Rebuild

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/17299-turbo-rebuild-post809807.html#post809807

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Why?

Where is the white smoke coming from?

The mechanic I took it to, German Cars, made the diagnosis just by looking at the smoke. He took a breather hose off of the engine and saw that smoke was coming out of there, and said there's something wrong with my engine too. I didn't like how he just quickly, and without checking anything concrete, made that diagnosis, and how he didn't really seem interested in fixing my car, so I took it to someone else this week.

The other guy, GJ, took the injectors off and started to crank it, and oil comes out of the number 1 cylinder. He says the turbo is probably fine, because it has a lot of power when you drive it around. He was hoping one of my injectors which was bad was causing all the smoke, but after he saw the smoke coming out of the cylinder, that there really is something wrong with the engine.

He says that just taking the engine apart to find out what's wrong with (could be a ring seal, could be bent connecting rod, etc) would cost me about $1000, and even then, I might need to get a new engine.

So, I'm having a real dilemma here. I love the car. The interior is in great condition, mechanically (except for the engine) its in pretty good condition, the body looks great. I just bought it about a year ago, and paid about $6k for it, so to only get to drive it for a year is a real kick in the ass.

GJ said he was gonna call around on Monday about a replacement used engine. What do you guys think I should do? Should I get the engine rebuilt, should I put a new engine in, should I just try and sell the car as is? I'd really like to keep the car if it makes financial sense at all.

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Gabriel
'91 350SD 162k
'83 300SD 210k - rear-ended and scrapped
'84 300SD 210k - totalled

As stated above, all signs point to a bad head gasket, or a cracked head. It's not possible to know until the head is removed. $1K to R&R the head is about right. This does not include any parts. If you are very lucky, and it's just a head gasket, you will probably spend another $500 or so on gaskets and a valve job (makes sense while it's out). If it's a cracked head, then you must decide what to replace it with.

In my previous post, I asked you to check the casting number on the side of the head. This would assist us in making a guess as to whether the head is cracked or not, just from past history. Since you have the '91, it might have the newer and stronger head casting.

The other item that needs to be done, before you do any pulling of the head, is a compression and leakdown test. This will give some indication if the engine has a bent connecting rod. If it does, then it makes no sense to pull the head and spend money on the top end. So, all top end work should wait until you have the results of a compression and leakdown test.

If the test shows good numbers on all cylinders, my recommendation would be to perform the top end work to fix the problem, be it a bad head gasket or a cracked head.