[Jonk]

Hi everyone,

When I start my 2.8 series 2 I get a cloud of white smoke for a few seconds. Afterwards on restarting hot or cold there is no smoke. Is this normal? I thought it might be an injection of oil when starting cold but then I would guess this would happen each time I start through the day.
Any ideas? Not serious but a little embarrassing some times

John

[4ePikanini]

does the vehicle use coolant?

If not don't stress too much. It is an indirect engine and in the cold it does start more difficult than the new direct injection engines. The white smoke may just be a puff on unburnt diesel.

Do you start it without depressing the accelerator pedal?

How long does it swing before it takes?

Try to make the engine warm with lots of hot water or a heater when it stood overnight and see if it does the same. (Try to cycle the glowplugs 4 times before starting and see if it reduces the smoke)

[Jonk]

does the vehicle use coolant?

If not don't stress too much. It is an indirect engine and in the cold it does start more difficult than the new direct injection engines. The white smoke may just be a puff on unburnt diesel.

Do you start it without depressing the accelerator pedal?

How long does it swing before it takes?

Try to make the engine warm with lots of hot water or a heater when it stood overnight and see if it does the same. (Try to cycle the glowplugs 4 times before starting and see if it reduces the smoke)

Thanks - I have tried both with depressed pedal and without - same result when cold but not so much smoke in warmer weather, and occasionally none at all. It starts easily although in these lower temps (7C ish) one cylinder seems to miss for a few seconds.
What do you mean by cycle the glowplugs - do you mean heat until light goes off, release, repeat and so on four times?

John

[4ePikanini]

Thanks - I have tried both with depressed pedal and without - same result when cold but not so much smoke in warmer weather, and occasionally none at all. It starts easily although in these lower temps (7C ish) one cylinder seems to miss for a few seconds.
What do you mean by cycle the glowplugs - do you mean heat until light goes off, release, repeat and so on four times?

John

correct. That will cause the glowplugs to heat up the cylinders a bit more and in so doing, possibly eliminate the cold combustion chamber causing some unburnt diesel to be ejected as smoke.

[Jonk]

Thanks - I have tried both with depressed pedal and without - same result when cold but not so much smoke in warmer weather, and occasionally none at all. It starts easily although in these lower temps (7C ish) one cylinder seems to miss for a few seconds.
What do you mean by cycle the glowplugs - do you mean heat until light goes off, release, repeat and so on four times?

John

correct. That will cause the glowplugs to heat up the cylinders a bit more and in so doing, possibly eliminate the cold combustion chamber causing some unburnt diesel to be ejected as smoke.

Right! I'll give that a go - probably tomorrow morning. Thanks,
John

[Jonk]

Thanks - I have tried both with depressed pedal and without - same result when cold but not so much smoke in warmer weather, and occasionally none at all. It starts easily although in these lower temps (7C ish) one cylinder seems to miss for a few seconds.
What do you mean by cycle the glowplugs - do you mean heat until light goes off, release, repeat and so on four times?

John

correct. That will cause the glowplugs to heat up the cylinders a bit more and in so doing, possibly eliminate the cold combustion chamber causing some unburnt diesel to be ejected as smoke.

Right! I'll give that a go - probably tomorrow morning. Thanks,
John

OK - tried that this morning. No difference in smoke but easier start! Fair amount of smoke but as soon as under way no more so not a real problem. Don't use any coolant or oil so can't be too serious! Don't know much about diesels, is extra fuel injected at a cold start to help the start? If so perhaps too much is injected when the engine is really cold?

John

[nicbas]

White smoke is unburnt lubricating oil that typically enters a warm engine from the valve guides and sits in the piston combustion chamber overnight where it cools down to a point of high ( thick) viscosity. When starting your car for the first time in the morning it take two or three ignition cycles to clear this high thicky goo. It is quite normal and does not indicate anything wrong with your head or liners/pistons.

All Series Discoveries up until the latest series do it - more so than most other diesel cars because of the design configuration of the piston chambers in relation to the guides. Japanese designers went away from that yonks ago and thefroe Japanese engines are not as prone to this.

If it irritates you , buy a wintering kit from the USA which keeps your engine warm at night by plugging a heater into the mains and sustains the engine temperature overnight.