Every time I start up my car, I notice a bluish tint in the air. It's not really noticeable until you stand behind the car, then it's pretty apparent. Instinct tells me that it's not normal.

After the car has been running and is warm, I previously had not noticed any exhaust. However, tonight, when a car was tailgating me and I could see my exhaust in its headlights, I felt compelled to ask the question. Is something wrong with my engine?

__________________
Never be ashamed to ask for help.

1985 300D
1987 300SDL
1970 Jaguar E-Type OTS
2002 Dodge Intrepid (Traded In)
2011 Ford Crown Victoria

Blue on startup especially if accompanied by a little roughness which smooths out after it is warm is usually a bad glow plug or two.

It also could be worn injectors drizzling a little fuel or worn rings or bores.

Looking at a diesel's exhaust at night through your mirrors will show all the little particulates which are invisible in the day time. Nothing to worry about there.

__________________
[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.

The guy I bought the car from stated he replaced the glow plugs before it was shipped to me, so I don't think it's the plugs. However, I do not know the full history of the car before I bought it, so I'm sure that a diesel purge hasn't been done, nor do I know the last time the valves were adjusted. Would you consider these contributing factors?

__________________
Never be ashamed to ask for help.

1985 300D
1987 300SDL
1970 Jaguar E-Type OTS
2002 Dodge Intrepid (Traded In)
2011 Ford Crown Victoria

I don't really see it as a problem. Mine did the same and when I take it to the county emissions place every year they always remark that my car is one of the cleanest they inspect... Nevertheless, I recently replaced my injector nozzles and the smoke diminished a whole lot. FWIW

__________________
[/SIGPIC]~cirrusman

1983 Mercedes Benz 300SD - Wife calls him "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
[SIGPIC]




1983 Toyota Tercel (Tommy, The little Toyota that could)
1965 Ford F100 (Grandma Ford)
2005 Toyota Sienna (Elsa, Wife's ride)


Gone:
1988 Toyota Pickup
2004 Subaru Outback

1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1986 Volvo 740 GL Station Wagon - Piece of junk.
1981 Volvo 242 DL 2 Door - Hated to see it go. R.I.P.
1987 Pontiac Fiero GT

Bluish smoke is usually a sign of burning engine oil. Normal? No. However as long as it's only a little and your oil consumption is still acceptable, you can continue driving it. I had an old Suzuki with bad valve seals once that burned a quart of oil every tank of gas. I just kept putting oil in it.

A visible haze at night with headlights backlighting the exhaust is fairly normal when under moderate to heavy acceleration when the turbo isn't spooled up yet.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Ditto with Skippy.

Its probably the beginning signs of a worn out head (ie valve guides worn out).


See if you can get a friend to tail you; then take off from a stop and have her/ him look for the blueness.

__________________

When in doubt it is a good idea to check glow plugs. If not Bosch they don't last as long. If you have a little miss on startup that is also a good indicator of a duff glow.

__________________
[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.

Absolutely.

Simple things first.

__________________