80 Series TD Smokes (Blue) when cold

Are you loosing any oil? My turbo diesel smokes when cold but only low revs and a lot of right foot (incomplete combustion). Are you sure the smoke is blue and not grey with a hint of blue? Don't think you've got much to worry about if the problem clears when motor warm.

Wil, Have the same model as yours, and it smokes when cold at idle. Doesn't appear once hot. The smoke looks blue, but after 196,000 kms it doesn't use any oil. Been a good vehicle with few problems, put on 3" exhaust, and it makes it better. Pulls better and economy is improved a little. Regards...

Wil,

Blue/grey smoke when cold indicates incomplete combustion, it is OK in winter until it warms up a little but if it still smokes this time of the year and compression etc is OK as you indicated, you need to get the injectors done.
Depends on where you are, if you are in Sydney call West End Diesel or Hiflo in Melbourne.

Will

Hi Will.

The bluish smoke I do not think is unburnt fuel as that is usually black in colour.

Bluish smoke indicates oil being burnt, and only happening when cold indicates to me that you are getting an slight oil leak-down from your valve guides.

Over a period of time, the seals on the valve guides goes hard and brittle thus allowing oil to creep past. This is not an area of concern.

I would say in your case, as the vehicle is standing, a small amount of oil is seeping past. When you fire up the old girl this seeped oil is burnt off until it is gone.

Some times this oil smoking can be induced/simulated by finding a long hill and while driving down-hill take your foot off the pedal letting it coast down hill still in gear.

Chances are you wont see it unless bad. Get someone to drive behind you and take a look at your exhaust.

As I said before, in your case it does not appear to be an area of concern.

If you are very concerned you can do a compression test to determine where the oil is coming from. Easy in older petrol engines but more difficult in diesels as the compression is very high which does not allow much room between the piston and the head to accommodate the oil you would have to squirt into the chamber to make this test.

I would not worry about it in you case.

Regards

I had a non turbo 2H in a 60 series. that did the same thing
blue smoke when cold ok when warm . got the compression checked all ok, seeing motor had 360000 kms I thought of valve seals . however got the glow plugs checked and 2 were crook . I hadnt noticed any problems starting the vehicle so hadnt considered them. in the end problem solved.
hope you sort it out
regards
howard

Wil, stop looking for the glow plugs! Direct injection diesels don't need them! Your vehicle is normal. Just drive it and enjoy!

Cheers

Phil G

Will, The multi valve turbo doesn't have glow plugs as such, it does have a heater coil between the inlet manifold and cross-over tube. this works much the same as the g/plugs, with after glow etc. Cheers...

Will,

I agree with Phil G.

Enjoy it....

I give you one last hint...

I bought a new Patrol GU 4.2 TD in 99 and it did that from day one, also the test drive vehicle did it.
Also a friend just bought a new one 02 model and it does the same thing...

100 series one is a computer controlled engine and you cannot compare them.

Will

Thanks Everybody for the advice..

I'll be Cruizing on my Heavy Gear...

This site is really awesome!!!