I have just bought a 318 tds bmw. it is a 95 model with 100 k on the clock.
the engine sounds sweet with a nice diesel rattle, but a little tappet noise on heavy acceleration.
there is no evidence of crank case pressure.
the engine starts ok from cold when given three blasts with the heater plugs. However the engine is very reluctant to start when warm. The engine will start eventually but requires 4 seconds and more on the starter to fire it up. this always results in a great cloud of white (unburned diesel) smoke and could I guess eventually damage the engine. I have replaced the fuel filter. and checked that the fuel pump delivers fuel from the tank to the filter ok.
there does not appear to be a leak in the system between the injection pump and the injectors. my next guess is that the valve clearances are not correct.(I think they maybe auto adjusting but am not sure, as I have not looked under the cover yet.) unfortunatly I cannot get hold of the tech spec as there is not a haynes manual for the diesel engine.
does anyone have any ideas as to what could be causing this warm starting problem or how to adjust or replace/repair the tappets?
any replies appreciated even if they are generic diesel warm start problem suggestions.
thanks.
|
|
if you have a sense of humour here is a product which might help, www.nulon.com.au/prod SYB.htm ,hope the lnk works, if not look on the website under aerosols.
|
exactly the mantra to be heared evry time I try to start the thing.
thanks for the chuckle.
as a side point I dont think me and this car are going to get along, today, less than 48 hours after buying the bleeding thing I lost the only set of keys. just trying now to work out how to kick myself up the rear end :-)
|
|
|
|
Not certain of your car but would think poss head prob..White smoke is generally caused by water induction into cylinder..Poss caused by head split..Just a thought and may be wrong??
--
Steve
|
My ol' XUD 1.9 has enthusiastically spluttered and thrown out clouds of white smoke from new on a cold start. Always assumed it was natural for a diesel.
On the other hand, it'll start on one revolution cold or hot, so don't really care. ;)
|
|
|
|
well given that it should only need 1 blast of the glow plugs, I would say you have a general starting problem and not just a warm one (where the plugs are not used)
I would say the injectors are shot. A good clean may improve them.
|
|
I agree with steve o.White smoke is not unburnt diesel but water,and i think it may be a cracked head (not uncommon with BMW heads).
|
Right! (Rolls up sleeves), not much help to your problem, but some misconceptions about diesel smoke.
White smoke can be both unburnt diesel or water. If the combustion chamber is cold (as on a cold start) and the diesel doesnt burn, its ejected as white 'smoke'. (Its actually diesel vapour.)
If however, you have a hot combustion chamber, lots of fuel being injected and not enough air to burn all the fuel, you get black smoke. Black smoke is not unburnt diesel as most people think; its where not enough air is present during combustion to cleanly burn all the available fuel (My chemistry is decidedly hazy). A catalytic cracking type reaction takes place and the combustion chamber temp rockets upwards, causing the burnt fuel to combine, causing larger particulates (seen as black smoke). Hence the fuel is burnt but is seen as a black smoke.
I'm sure a google search will throw up a much more accurate scientific explanantion than I have just tried to convey!
|
thanks ross, I tend to agree with you.
if it was water based white smoke/steam I would see it all of the time and probably see water in the oil (mayonaise) or oil in the water. In my case it literally is a cloud of white smoke smelling very diesely that disappears once the car has started.
I will take the car to the local bosh/lucas specialist this week and let you know of the outcome.
|
|
|
|
that is a fair point, I will leave that to the pro's though
thanks for the reply
|
I'm surprised no-one has yet mentioned glowplugs - or have I missed something? Given that severaal shots of the glowplugs are needed from cold, and that older diesels also need a shot of glow even when "warm" (exactly what is "warm"?) they might be worth investigating, mightn't they?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did you ever get an answer to this problem, I have exactly the same with a 1994 325td and no-one seems to know the answer..........
|
Did you ever get an answer to this problem,
Profile for sleethd:-
Last visited forum: Mon 15 Nov 2004
However, that's not to say that someone else may be able to help you.
|
|
|
|
