Experts, need help. 1999 E300TD with 109,000 miles. Last time drove, no problem. Car set for 4-5 days in 30 degree weather, starts up with no problem, glow plug light comes on, goes off, cranks up with no problem. Idles good up to about 1500 rpm, then starts rough idle, then white smoke starts to come out exhaust. The higher the idle, the more white smoke. Strong smell of diesel fuel as driving/idling. Has anyone had this same problem or one of the expert mechanic had to repair a similar problem. Thanks in Advance!!

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CISCO Holmes

99 E300TD w/ 155K
99 E300TD w/ 125K
99 E300TD w/115K
95 E300D w/240K
82 300TDT w/280K Sold
95 E320 w/ 75K Sold
87 300D w/190K Totaled 6/01 (Saved Wife & Child)
81 240D Sold

blown head gasket? Sounds like you are burning coolant. Have you checked 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

White smoke with heavy Diesel smell is likely a misfiring cylinder, not necessarily due to a bad head gasket as when mine had a bad glow plug (first one, then two) it spewed gobs of white clouds of incompletely burned Diesel fuel. It was also very rough running and the only thing that smoothed it out was putting the car in gear and driving. No amount of idling seemed to tone down the roughness, while a block of driving made it smooth right out. If you believe your glow plugs are ok, try having the injectors pulled and checked. Based on your description though, I would check the glow plugs. When they first act up, you get a message on the instrument panel, but after a few days it goes away, so don't count on there being a message to tell you one or more plugs have died if this has been going on for a while. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

I had this problem twice, turned out to be bad glow plugs. Only once I had the glow plug warning on the dash.

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1998 E300 Turbo Diesel , UPSOLUTE CHIP
2003 VW Jetta TDI Wagon

Thanks for all of the insight. It drives pretty good on the road. It still has a slight rought idle even when driving it in the 2000-2500 rpm range. No noticeable white smoke while driving, but once you stop even with the engine up to temperatue, it starts to puff out white smoke at any idle speed above 1500rpm. Historially, when the glow plugs went out, the coil light stayed on for a period of time after you started the engine, but then cycled off like normal now. Checked Oil to see if it has a high level or have a coolant smell, but can not detect anything. My hopes are that it's just the glow plugs or a few bad injectors. Dread it being a head gasket or cracked block. Thanks again for some guidance and insight!!!

__________________
CISCO Holmes

99 E300TD w/ 155K
99 E300TD w/ 125K
99 E300TD w/115K
95 E300D w/240K
82 300TDT w/280K Sold
95 E320 w/ 75K Sold
87 300D w/190K Totaled 6/01 (Saved Wife & Child)
81 240D Sold

Just to let all of the searcher know what the problem ended up being and the solution. Started out by checking all injectors. Two appearred bad and replaced, but still did not solve problem.($500 parts & labor) Next disassemble the intake and found the inside severly coated with tar (Oil & Soot) and the EGR plugged up with tar and inoperative. Cleaned intake and EGR very good and problem went away.($250 Labor & Supplies) The Indy shop guys tell me that the clogged EGR was causing the engine to pull in oil from the value cover CCV pipe and causing the smoking problem and/or there was not enough oxygen with the diesel fuel to cause full combustion. What ever was going on, it is now gone with the cleaning of the intake and EGR. Hope this helps somebody with the same problem in the future.

__________________
CISCO Holmes

99 E300TD w/ 155K
99 E300TD w/ 125K
99 E300TD w/115K
95 E300D w/240K
82 300TDT w/280K Sold
95 E320 w/ 75K Sold
87 300D w/190K Totaled 6/01 (Saved Wife & Child)
81 240D Sold

Thanks, I saw thst but with mine running without the manifold on I don't assume the egr could be the problem. I don't think the glow plugs would cause this after it warms up?

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