White smoke_irregular run first minutes_Glow Plugs?

[Mtiehatten]

Hi all,

My 1992 Patrol GR 2.8 DT HTP is beginning to have starting difficulties, white smoke and an irregular run for the first two minutes or so.

It is an oldie, with approx 450.000 km, but is started fine before.

Now I have read around a bit an figured it could be the glowing system. I have no idea where to find the glow plugs, and neither how to test them.

Can anyone help me with that, or maybe someone has a clue about other issues which could cause this?

I must say, we drive around in Bogotá, Colombia, which is at a height of approx 2700m. But since the first months there were absolutely no problems I do not think that is the cause?

Hope you can help,

Marinus

[oilpond]

It's not tag head gasket is it?eek

[Wine_maker]

Check bubbles and oil stroke marks in cooling system. If you will find it it's as oilpond said head gasket seal.

[MQ MAD]

White smoke is unburnt diesel,isnt it ???
Fairly common with diesels that don't start easy with dead or half dead glow plugs

[oilpond]

White smoke is unburnt diesel,isnt it ???
Fairly common with diesels that don't start easy with dead or half dead glow plugs

Can be...
:trink13:

[Wine_maker]

If many of glow plugs is dead the engine is shaking hard 5-7 minutes after start and blowing white smoke which have diesel smell.

[MQ MAD]

If many of glow plugs is dead the engine is shaking hard 5-7 minutes after start and blowing white smoke which have diesel smell.

Sounds like the glow plugs,hard to start, abit of cranking to start,abit of white smoke and diesel smell
Look into new glow plugs, there not overly dear,and last sometimes a good few hundred thousand Ks,depending how you treat them
Your car probably still has the originals in it, that's why your getting problems
The engine is shacking hard,or such as a few cylinders mite be hot enuf to ignite,thats what the glow plugs help do, and some others mite not be hot enuf to ignite yet,maybe dead glow plugs,so some cylinders are working fine and some aren't, the engine internal will be fighting itself,hence the coughing and farting the engine is doin,till all cylinders are running correctly

[Mtiehatten]

Thanks.

I checked (and replaced) the oil for 'mayonaise'. Altough dark black, the oil itself looked fine, therefore I tough all gaskets and cylinderhead are intact. Would this be a correct assumption?

- "Check bubbles and oil stroke marks in cooling system", : I replaced the radiator a few weeks ago, all water seemed clean, accept for some corrosion.

about je glow plugs: Where are they located? I'd love to test them, but I cannot find them. Or at least I do not know where they are and what they look like? Anyone has an idea?

Thanks,
Marinus

[douglarv]

I also have a bit of white smoke on start up, but assumed that this was normal for a diesel on starting - it does take them a while to warm up, and the glow plugs just heat the chambers briefly - the entire engine is still cold. Mind you, this is when starting at only a little above 0 C, but I assume South America at high altitudes in winter is similar. Has the problem been connected to changes in the weather?

[polaris]

Hello the glowplugs are where the sparkplugs would be on a petrol engine. It can also be one of the relays for the glow system. That was the problem in mine.

[Mtiehatten]

Indeed it turned out to be a relay problem. Had to import one.

[Mtiehatten]

But with the testing they burned the control unit as well. For some reason they do not have the Spanish versions of the workshop manuals.