If you haven't double-checked the valves, I would absolutely do so.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I think some fuel is leaking around one of the fuel injectors. It is always wet and moist after the engine has been running. I've heard that those collar nuts can sometimes loosen up and cause fuel leaks, but its not likely because they are torqued to something like 120ft lbs. And the tool to tighten them cost about 80$. That is probably the only fuel leak that I know of.

The heater end of the Glow Plugs is filled with Ceramic powder to support the heating Wire coils.

You did not mention how you turned the Engine. If the Engine was turned backwards it claimed is possible to jump a tooth on the Timing Chain. I did not catch what Engine or Vehicle you have but the non-turbo 617 and 616 Engines do not have the ratchet inside of the Timing Chain Tensioner and it is easier for them to jump a tooth.

Try lining up the Camshaft Timing Marks with the Bearing Tower timing mark and see what degrees the Pointer points at.

And, while the Valve Cover is off recheck your Valve adjustments.

When I had clouds of white smoke it was when I installed and managed to time My Volvo Fuel Injection Pump extremely late.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Fuel can leak between the to halves of the Injector if it is loose or the precision surfaces are not flat; like when some one only swaps the Injector Nozzles and does not lap them.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Ill check the valves one more time today and I'll try to check out the timing.

Recapping what you have posted...
YOU did nothing to the motor other than setting the valves.
Motor was running good before and isnt now.

Gotta repeat... get a fresh set of eyes on the issue. Something very simple is being overlooked.

__________________
1985 300D 198K sold
1982 300D 202K
1989 300E 125K
1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

The motor wasn't running perfect, still started up kind of rough, I assumed it was a glow plug issue, but it ran alright. Now it misses a lot

Ok, I stand corrected.

However, white, black, blue or any other color other than invisible is a combustion issue. Valves are the core of combustion.

If the motor wasnt reversed, if the new glow plugs are fully seated and tight, if all your injector lines are tight, what is left ? Valve adjustment.

Pls note most diesels run on a ~20:1 ratio. Things need to be nice and snug to achieve that level of compression.

__________________
1985 300D 198K sold
1982 300D 202K
1989 300E 125K
1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

I am not sure how or what occured but you might check the injection pump timing. Just a check is not a big job. The engine could run like this if it were way off. See the archives for how. I doubt this is the issue but I would want to know it is not.

Is it possible that any of your injector heat shields flipped over when you installed them?
Is the smoke blinding acrid smoke or sweet humid smoke?

Pull off your radiator cap and look for oil. When you pull your valve cover, look for water droplets.

Phil Forrest

__________________
1972 220D "Trudy," named by a friend.

"The 220D sounds good... I suspect it is the only car that you need a calendar for, rather than a stopwatch, when doing acceleration tests."
Tom Abrahamsson

Hello David
RELAX...

Here is how you should look at the vehicle now..

Ignore anything related to your 300d 4 speed manual conversion, and STOP mentioning it = it only stresses you and adds nothing to an engine performance issue..

***********************************

You performed a Basic valve adjustment, using dieselgiant DIY. = Important Diagnostic DATA...

The car starts up really rough with lots of white smoke. = Important Diagnostic DATA...

It smells like it runs rich or something and it randomly misfires, no matter if the car is warm or not. = Important Diagnostic DATA...

You changed all of the glow plugs, but the new unit on #1 cyl was broken/damaged/defective, and you replaced it with a used one. = Important Diagnostic DATA...

After replacing the damaged NEW #1 unit with a USED glow plug, the glow plug light doesn't light up unless the key is cycled three times. = Important Diagnostic DATA...

Piston cylinder compression test numbers are:
#1. 360 PSI
#2. 350 PSI
#3. 320 PSI
#4. 310 PSI
#5. 295 PSI

The cylinder head would be coming off if this was my engine.

The numbers are indicating (at least) a failing cylinder head gasket.
Diesel cylinder head issues thread

om615, 616, and 617 head bolt torque sequence


You replaced the heat shield washers under the fuel injectors. = Important Diagnostic DATA...

You re-checked the valve adjustment, and it seems OK..

You are 16 and are seeking advice, in what has become a stressful situation. = wisdom and letting members know your skill level.

.

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
asemastermechanic@juno.com

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

https://www.boldegoist.com/

Could someone post the thread for the injection pump timing if you find it? And Phil, are you suggesting maybe bad head gasket? I haven't noticed any oil or coolant where it's not supposed to be. And I made sure to put the heat shields in the right way in the injector holes. I was almost sure that the heat shields were the problem because #4 injector didn't even have a heat shield in the first place! By no, stil runs the same

David, Read what whunter wrote. Great advice here. First stop. Take a breath. Relax, and feel confident that what ever it is you will get to the bottom of it.

You posted the Compression numbers in your other thread: (I've made new threads too, at times because it seemed, best to headline with the current issue) but if you do so, you need to provide details.

"#1 360 #2 350 #3 320 #4 310 and number five was about 295. The engine was cold when I did the test."

You've also mentioned a "wet" injector, is it also injector number 4? If it is wet, try to isolate where the leak is. Dry it, totally, use rubbing alcohol to totally dry the injector, line, line cap nuts, all of it. Other things will work to, but rubbing alcohol is cheap and always in most houses, is a good degreaser, and dries fast.

When it's totally dry, have a friend start (or try to start) the engine as you watch that injector, isolate where the fuel is coming from.

Pump timing is one thing to look at, but it's important to first address what's wrong, or what changed between when it was running OK, but not great to running really crappy. If the pump timing was knocked off, it would be important to know HOW that happened, and address that root cause.

Is it possible injector number 4 has 2 heat shields in it now? That one was stuck in the bore or stuck to the injector?

How many people have watched the video he posted? Something doesn't sound right with that engine when I listen to it. Seems like it has a metallic sound in the upper end. Can anyone identify that? The smoke does not look like coolant to me. It's unburned diesel I think.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Drip Timing Threads
Drip Timing Threads
Diesel Injection:
Diesel Injection:

Yes, you at least have a cylinder head gasket failing.
FYI: Coolant loss is only one possible indication, compression loss is more obvious and common.
Diesel cylinder head issues thread

Home Made Special Tools, This is where members can share how they made special tools


.

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
asemastermechanic@juno.com

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

https://www.boldegoist.com/