smoke at start up

[larryj]

I have a 96 stock cummins that runs rough & smokes A lot at start up white smoke & diesel smell then it clears up runs fine no smoke OK all day next morning same thing I have changed the lift pump & return hose in september this problem just started A week ago.

The outside temp. is 65 degrees

Thanks in advance















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96 2500 club cab auto

 

[Strick-9]

Check the radiator for oil, and check the oil for water.



I just had early morning hard starts with tons of white smoke that cleared up after about a minute or so.



It turned out that the headgasket was blown in 5 places!



Seems that water was slowly leaking into the combustion chamber over night and the white smoke was from the steam associated with boiling off the water.



I hope your truck has a simpler solution.



-Chris

 

[DieselB59]

TIMING



Injection timing retarding will cause an excess of raw fuel on a cold startup but will disappear upon warming up. These engines are poorly timed from the factory and I have personally seen many of them sitting at around the 5 Deg. BTDC mark, where it should be between 12. 5 and 14. 5 depending upon CPL. Timing can also slip over time as there was the need for an improved torque spec in mid 1997. Mine slipped and it was built just before the updated torque spec. It slipped 90 degrees and was unable to run. Most slip only about five or six degrees when they do and the owners start noticing the smoke during the next fall/winter.

 

[illflem]

Could also be a leaking injector dripping fuel into cylinder over time, It could be as simple as carbon buildup causing it. Try a fuel additive that cleans injectors and see if it clears up. As Chris said, if your timing has never been checked it should be, everyone I've checked has been off from the factory.

 

[Evan A. Beck]

On a cold start, rev it up to 1800 RPM and see what color the smoke is. If it's blue, your timing is retarded. Simple as that.

 

[Hammer]

White smoke is the indication of air being allowed into the fuel delivery system somewhere,,I'd check all the connections you worked on before to make sure none has come loose and also check to see if the new fuel return linw is properly attached too. .