Looking at a 82 300D when I started it up tons of white smoke came out of exhaust and car was shaking some. Took for a test drive and it shifted fine. Returned and let it sit for 30 minutes and started again a puff off back smoke was then followed by a steady stream of white smoke - white smoke on 2nd startup was not an intense. I have seen this in W126 350SDs before and it is always injectors or even glow plug related. However I called mechanic and he said watch out for cracked head. He said exhaust will smell sweet if it is a bad head since coolant would be burning with diesel also he said this would account for shaking since mixing coolant and diesel at startup is not good Anyone else had these symptoms? Is there any other way to check for a bad head? Unfortunately I cannot go on long test drive again.

Some white smoke in an older diesel is normal. Here is a short read on "all the colors" of smoke and should give you some relief and ideas.

http://flashoffroad.com/Diesel/troubleshoot/troubleshoot.htm

Iff we were gussing here I would say your glow plug system is weak

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Does it have a diaphragm vacuum pump? If so, check the vent line to the intake for oil. Tons of white smoke is not normal. Light gray smoke on a cold engine is normal.

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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

motor mounts are bad - that explains shaking - now to figure out the white smoke issue Thx for all the feedback