Need to seek the infinite wisdom from members here. This is my friend's car and he is not that tech savvy. The car has 280K and it is an replacement engine already as per the PO, not sure how many miles on the engine. I have not seen the car but I am no good in engine diagnostic anyway. He told me the followings:

1) Car starts well, always first time turning the key
2) Blows white smoke, lot of it at idle.
3) Not so much when car is running
4) He uses heavy oil already, suspecting it is the ring.

How can we do some simple tests to determine the root cause, gesket, rings ? Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

__________________
Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

To answer the last statement; a compression test would check those items.

After Fooling with the insides of my Fuel Injection Pump on my Volvo Diesel and putting it back on the Car I was getting billowey white smoke at idle. It turned out I had very late Fuel Injection Pump timing.

On a gas Engine I have seen white smoke produced by coolent getting into the cylinders and turning to steam.

Some other things you could do.

If it has not had a Valve adjustment for a long time do that.

Go to the DIY section by parts and find how to check the Timing Chain Timing. Summary: turning the Engine by hand Clockwise the Piston of #1 Cylinder is coming up on the compression stroke you do an extremely good job of lining up the timing marks behind the Camshaft Timing Gear with the Mark on the Camshaft Bearing tower. You look down at the Crankshaft Damper Timing marks. When the Engine was Rebilt the marks were supposed to be at Zero. As wear to the timing gears and the timing chain stretches the timing becomes late.
This is a split pic. Camshaft Gear Timing Marks on the left and the Crankshaft Damper showing about 2 degrees past (late) zero timing.



If that is OK look in the DIY section on timing the Fuel Injection Pump.

The above is assuming there is no problem with the Fuel you are using and your Air Filter is not plugged up.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Fixed the problem. It was the turbo leaking oil. Changd out the turbo, NO more white smoke.

__________________
Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.