I have 87 300D with 287,000 miles on it. For a very, very long time, it puts out white/light gray smoke cloud when first started until it warms up. The stuff is hard on the lungs and does not smell good at all. Seems like once the car is warmed up....the white smoke mostly goes away...maybe 10% problem. There is still more exhaust coming from my 87 300D than from my 95 300D after warm but not clouds at all after the 87 is warm. My 95 300D exhaust does not smell great but I don't get any white or gray smoke....actually just seems like what I would consider normal diesel exhaust output.

I put in all new glow plugs, compression checked out ok on all 6 cylinders, also put in rebuilt injectors and had them pop tested. Also, I do not seem to burn much oil...maybe 1 quart every 3,000 miles if that. Fuel injection pump was also replaced with rebuilt. I also don't seem to be loosing any antifreeze either...maybe put a little in once or twice a year. I am losing transmission fluid as it seems that my rear seal is leaking.....but most of that seems to fall on the driveway. I do have put in 1 quart every 2,000 miles or so.

Any ideas on what I can try next or should I just not worry about it?

Oh yeah...it also seems like it gets worse with high humidity.

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Jeff L

1987 300D (277,000)
1995 E300 Diesel (122,000)

Hye bro. I have an 83 300turbo diesel. I have like 286K. when I go to start it when its cold, I'll let it glow and then crank it. Ill get a very stinky puff of white smoke out the pipe too. My engine has great copression, and she runs fine all the time. Do A test for me. next time ur on the freeway and its night, when you get on the onramp, look thru ur rear view mirror and see how much smoke you can see between ur car and the person behind yous headlights. Mine makes quite a bit, but she runs great and no oil or coolant consumption.

its always done the smoke when started up thing for me even tho I have all new gps.

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1983 300DT 284k miles. :-) "The Benzo"
1998 Mustang GT Custom 4.9 L engine.
1997 Dodge ram Pickup 5.9L

What does a flashback feel like? (see bottom of signature)

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

yogi says de ja vu all over again

I must have passed sarcasm 101 I always understand Jimmy
and never been to Texas

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commercial fisherman diesel in my blood in my boats trucks and Dear old Dad has had me drivin them since i got my first license in 1968
1986 300 SDL 427654
1999 Chevy Crew Cab Dually 225423
1986 300 SDL 287000 Dad's
1987 190 Turbo 158000 Mom's (my inheritance)

Sounds pretty normal, combustion isn't great on a cold IDI Diesel motor. My 603 smokes decently too at cold start, another reason I am in the process of installing the Extended Glow kit.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Any oil in the water (at the overflow tank?) The 1987 300D's seem to have head gasket failure quite often and early....

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1974 240D, 125K mi, B100 now, SOLD
1980 300TD, 115K mi, 4-speed stick, roll-up windows, greasecar with two tank conversion (daily driver)
1985 300D, 220K miles, greasecar with two tank conversion, SOLD
1993 300D 2.5turbo, 158K miles, green/tan, B20-B50

Valve stem seals. If they've never been changed at 277k, you're past due. Cheap and fairly easy to do. (that kind of rhymed, *snicker*)

Klaus

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‘84 300TD “Mountain Goat”
'62 300d Adenauer-350 Chevy - "Max"
'15 VW Passat TDI
'16 Dodge Ram 3500 - Cummins w/6-speed
'68 Mustang fastback
'55 T-bird
‘63 Studebaker Hawk

When I start my 240d for the first time each day, it puffs out a great white cloud, which doesn't dissipate (so it's not steam) until I start driving it. It stops smoking. When I start it up subsequently in the day, even if it's sat for a few hours, it doesn't seem to smoke at all. Where should I start in diagnosing the problem?

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'79 MB 240D "Eres"

Folks,
If you ever get the chance to see any large Diesel engine started.....you will see the "white" smoke puffing from the stack......I was taught that it happens due to incomplete combustion in an excessive air condition (excessive air, way more air than needed for complete combustion to occur).....and is actually minute droplets of unburned fuel.....

My seagoing experience says.....it's a normal Diesel trait.....and always clears up when the engine warms up close to operating temperatures.......

Please bear in mind that I have way less experience on these li'l bitty Diesels with pre-combustion chambers......

SB

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Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

Does the exhaust smell like diesel, or like sweet anit-freeze? Are you losing anti-freeze? Is there oil in the coolant? Is there coolaant in the oil? Is your upper radiator hose pressurized in the morning when the engine is dead cold?

Signs of head gasket or head failure. Very common on the '87.

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www.jerseyplanning.com
1987 300TD 440K - My car
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 107K - Tim's car
2000 - CLK320 100K - Deb's car
1994 C230 150K - Josh's Car

I have the exact same problem. Let me guess, goes away as soon as the turbo spins up 2 or 3 times? So far I have tracked this down to "incomplete combustion". IF it smells like fuel. Since I use b100 is blatantly obvious. Check timing chain stretch, check IP timing and then have the injectors pop tested. I am fairly certain its one of my injectors compelelty off timing. I have real bad nailing until the car is warm. Park it at work (underground) and it doesnt do it. Outside of the horrible starts and nailing once she is warm she runs great!

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42