Alex Bruene Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I have a few customers on the road with 6.4s that smoke from time to time. Most of these I have never been able to verify. I have one in particular that blows white smoke, and is about to run out of warranty, and I've never been able to figure it out (or verify it, for that matter), but I know the customer well enough to believe him. So far, this truck has had a few injectors due to excessive SFTs, and CAC, and last week I threw a horizontal cooler at it because I there was (potentially) some moisture in the EBP tube. It's not using oil or coolant, but I can't verify if it's growning oil right now because he just had his oil changed elsewhere. My question is if any of you guys have any experience with these, because of the amount of people I hear complaining about it, somebody has to have seen it... And, what (if anything) you guys have done to fix these... Thanks, y'all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbudge Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Oddly enough just yesterday I saw an F550 dumptruck puff out a cloud of white smoke on accell, then stop. I was behind him and drove through the cloud, it didn't really smell like fuel or coolant, I just expected it was in regen. It was a City Works truck, so I am sure it never gets out of town. I have driven them and seen them puff smoke in a similar fashion, usually in winter after driving through town for a while, then pulling away from a stop. If they are running ok, not consuming fluids, and no warning lights on, I advise people that it is normal, and advise them to get out on the highway once in a while to complete a good regen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 This guy called me today. He was driving on the highway and it was billowing out smoke for over 5 minutes. Engine ran fine. He's bringing it back in to me next week, so I'm trying to get a head start on any possible things to look for. I have been trying to resolve this issue for over a year now. I have drivin it home and back on several occasions, at nearly 150km round trip and have NEVER had it happen to me. This truck is worked and drivin like it should be. Sees the highway every day. Tows large loads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Mutter Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I have ran into the same thing, intermittent white smoke. I have never really found anything on any of the trucks I have worked on. I have heard some talk of a inefficient cat converter causing these issues, but have not found any diag steps to help prove this. Sorry thats all i could add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I also have had a couple of these with unexplainable white smoke. Same scenario too - can't verify it yourself and it's not using fluids... fuel trims look good... you follow any PCM updates and CAC changes as applicable and the customer still complains. Personally I was suspicious that it was simply related to regens even though the trucks were driven a lot with some towing. Sorry that I don't have an answer but I wanted to share that you were not the only one to have to deal with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 He says it happens more often when not regenerating. The last time it was here, I ran a manual regeneration after replacing the EGR cooler (which didn't really look like it had an issue once I had it removed). It smoked like a mofo for about 5-10 minutes then cleared up. Tail pipe tips are clean. I'll get hotline involved (again) and likely get no useful answers (again). Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I have a guy that with same complaint and same results. He told me the other day that it does it more when it is rainy or wet outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 I have a guy that with same complaint and same results. He told me the other day that it doesn't more when it is rainy or wet outside. There is an updated CAC for that issue. I did that TSB about a year ago on this truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 What about unburnt fuel in Cat, left over from regen that lights up later when it get hot enough. Or fuel that doesn't get burnt off properly on shutdown and collects in the exhaust, waiting to get burnt off when the temps allow it. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 we had one that smoked white occasionally. customer took vids of it and all. took us a week to drive it and finally got ti to smoke, smells like ammonia. EGR valve was sticking. no other probs, coolers fine,ect... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketremblay Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 HAD THE SAME CONSERN WITH EGR VALVE STICKING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Mutter Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 How did you guys catch the sticking egr valve. Did it leave a code? or do you have a vdr in the truck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I had a couple set codes when I was at the dealer. P1335 if memory serves rightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 This one certainly has no EGR codes in it. It is supposed to arrive today or tomorrow... I'll be sure to check the EGR... Or, just throw one at it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Sometimes this is referred to as "Hyrdrocarbon Slip". Google it, but get a cup of coffee first..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I have one booked in that I have verified the smoke. Last month we put in a long block for a melted down piston. Already had the EGR and DPF deleted. Truck runs great, lots of power. Truck sat for a week, then they noticed it smoking white at idle mostly and clears up driving, it even cleared up idling in the parking lot while I was doing a quick visual on all the vitals. Smoke almost resembles cold weather exhaust, not overly thick and no smell. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 It's cold, below 150 degrees or so, when it's doing this? Once it heats up, the smoke goes away? This appears to be a normal condition on most/all deleted trucks, regardless of calibration or calibration author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 The old straight piped 7.3's had the same issue. So an air intake heater was added. When a cat was added to the exhaust system the heater wasn't needed as much to mask (control) white smoke on cold starts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 The old straight piped 7.3's had the same issue. So an air intake heater was added. When a cat was added to the exhaust system the heater wasn't needed as much to mask (control) white smoke on cold starts. Ditto, they were marketed as the "Smokeless Diesel" IIRC. That's why glow plugs run after startup, to reduce white smoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 I told the guy that it wasn't anything to be concerned about because it isn't fuel or coolant. He seemed ok with that but has booked it in for a thorough check up. Thing is with this truck is that it gets bounced between drivers, so getting a complete story of past behavior is next to impossible. Will update as required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Mutter Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Alex, have you found anything on the truck your are working on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 It hasn't returned yet. We wrote the work order last week, as he was at 159,999 km. I'm kind of glad it isn't here, because I really don't have the time to look at it. I hope things settle down a little bit, as I'm getting a "new" apprentice-seeing that all of our attempts at advertising to hire a new tech have returned ZERO resumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Alex, his name isn't Alex is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Mine needs head gaskets.....Just had a long block put in. IIRC it was a bugger to bleed the cooling system when I put it in. Now I know why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Mutter Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Mine needs head gaskets.....Just had a long block put in. IIRC it was a bugger to bleed the cooling system when I put it in. Now I know why. That is very odd. I have never seen mls head gaskets leak so much that it would smoke out the tail pipe. Who's long block? Ford's? I would have a close look at the heads for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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