White Smoke under load

[doka404]

Hi guys,

Noticed a problem on my NA TD42 on a trip to a mates property this weekend. Cant say I have noticed it before, but have now.
Done a bit of a search on here and got some ideas where to start, but thought I would throw it out to you blokes for your input.

Truck is a 89 TD42 non turbo (Auto) with 202000 km on the clock.

What I have noticed is that when under load, say giving it a bit going up a hill it blows white smoke. At least it looks like white smoke in the mirrors
Back off the throttle and smoke clears.

Note : When you hit the throttle, you get the normal puff of black smoke, which clears and replaced with white smoke

If your sitting on a straight section of road, cruising at 80/100km/h no smoke even if you give it a bit of throttle to go up a slight incline or whatever.


Car is not using water or oil
No oil in water or visa versa
Not overheating, sits around 80-85% consistently on long trips
Oil pressure seems good
No smoke what so ever on start-up even from cold
When starting the truck, always starts first turn of the key after glowing the plugs. Starts within one revolution easy.
Shuts down straight away when you turn it off
No obvious fuel/injector leaks anywhere
Fuel consumption is around 18l/100km (seems a bit high to me)
Is not missing or miss firing
Doesn't idle rough or anything like that.
Does not seem down on power (but hard to tell with a NA TD42 lol)
Head appears to have been done at some stage by previous owner, judging by the new gaskets, Welsh plugs etc. Although cant be sure
IP was overhauled (replaced with refurbished unit) about 40000km ago by the previous owner.
Filters all changed around 2000km ago
No idea on history of injectors
Cant say what the smoke smells like as had no one following me and does not do it when just idling around
Always fill up from the same high volume servo and filled up the patrol and land rover on the same day. No issues with the Land rover so figure its not a case of bad fuel.
Checked the water trap and no water in there


So any suggestions?

I am going to start with some basics and chuck new fuel/air filters in it as well as check the gauze filter (if one is in there) in the IP first. Do a more thorough inspection for leaks etc.

But leaning (lets say hoping) towards the Injectors just need servicing/replacing, rather than head gasket/IP related. Although I will get the IP timing checked.

What do you reckon, anything else to check get looked at?

[4bye4]

Is it worth putting a liquid injector cleaner in the tank. I don't think these replace a proper injector clean but might be a diagnostic help.

[doka404]

Is it worth putting a liquid injector cleaner in the tank. I don't think these replace a proper injector clean but might be a diagnostic help.

Its had a couple of tanks with Injector cleaner (Liqui-Moly stuff) over the last 5000km so don't think that will make much of a difference..im just hoping its something like IP timing/Injectors or if I am really lucky (which I doubt) just a bad filter..don't need an expensive IP pump rebuild or Head gasket right now.

[awloelxf]

18l 100 km consumption and white smoke - time to check you spray nozzles.

[doka404]

Bit of an update.. I have dropped the tank, drained it, replaced the sender as it was a bit rusty on top, blown out the fuellnes and fitted new air/fuel filters. Not much change.

But....I changed fuel from caltex to bp and fuel economy is now sitting at 14.8/100km and the smoke has cleared up.

I still think the injectors need a service so that's next on the list and need to be checked anyway before the turbo goes on.

[dom14]

Bit of an update.. I have dropped the tank, drained it, replaced the sender as it was a bit rusty on top, blown out the fuellnes and fitted new air/fuel filters. Not much change.

But....I changed fuel from caltex to bp and fuel economy is now sitting at 14.8/100km and the smoke has cleared up.

I still think the injectors need a service so that's next on the list and need to be checked anyway before the turbo goes on.

18L/100km to 14.8L/100km, just by switching the fuel brand. That's a big improvement. I would wait to hear other forum diesel gurus to comment.
Are you sure it's not 'cos of the other things you said you did above?
Another thing I'm wondering is that a diesel vehicle that has done that many kms and not done any bottom end rebuild yet, perhaps been through some heavy loads as well, blowing bit of white smoke under heavy load is an issue?
I'm just wondering.

In anyway, no more white smoke now after you did some work on it.
Sounds like there's nothing wrong with it.
Try filling up at Caltex next time and see if it starts the white smoke under load again.
That would confirm Caltex diesel has anything to do with it(Like water contamination or bacteria contamination or something).
Fill up from the same Caltex servo at the same pump. Sooner the better.