Random smokey LD28

[hamahona]

I bought a used LD28 in which I was told was a excellent runner. When I received the engine via courier I took off all the intake, hoses etc, so I could give it a fresh coat of paint so it didn't look shabby. I fitted everything with new gaskets (easy to source in New Zealand).

I ran the engine and it randomly smokes blue which is oil. The engine runs smooth, starts first pop when cold(bit of a vibration when running, Im suspect the gearbox mount needs replacing). There is absolutely no blow by. There is no turbo fitted.

I removed the inlet manifold and discovered that number 1 cylinder was oiled up. I refitted everything and idled the engine for one hour. Randomly it would run smoke free and then suddenly start puffing out blue smoke. It would then stop smoking randomly. When it smoked it did not run different. Im suspect its number 1 cylinder due to the fact it is oiled up and the others cylinders are not.

Im going to empty the oil sump and fill the oil sump with 100% diesel and run it for 15 minutes. I do this with petrol engines and they run like clockwork afterwards, so maybe it will fix my smokey LD28.


Now heres my questions;
1 - I am suspect that the engine had been sitting for a while, could this be a sticky ring?

2 - Will filling the combustion cylinder with diesel via the injector plug, and leaving it for a day to soak in, free this sticky ring (if that what it is)?

3 - Because I have no blowby am I safe to say that my rings are excellent and not causing this blue smoke?

4 - Could valve seals cause this since there is no blowby?

Thank you for your help in advance.

[diesel-man]

Save your diesel in the crankcase for some piece of crap that doesn't matter.

Take off the valve cover and check for something that resembles "chocolate pudding", and if so wash it out with gasoline. While you are there, check valve clearance (adjust valves).

Make sure the thermostat is working and that the engine is coming up to full temperature. Put a couple tablespoon fulls of WD40 or diesel into that one cylinder and let sit for 2 or 3 days. Drive car on highway (preferably in the mountains or like 60mph) for 30 to 50 miles at one time...not 5 trips 10 miles.

If no improvement, then drive car for 3 months, and hopefully the rings will free up or the injector will operate like it is supposed to.

[hamahona]

Thank you for your reply.

I idled the motor for about 90 minutes today and the blue smoke is now light grey smoke. Has a real typical diesel sooty smell. Really only present when revving. I thought the injectors were faulty so put the other injectors from the other engine which were overhauled a few years ago. But it ran the same.

I removed the rocker cover and its was pretty clean, no chocolate pudding look. I set the valves and Im sure they tick more now, I might set them at 8 intake 10 outlet at a later date to make them quiet.

The car is not legal for road use (I need to get the engine smoke down before they comply it for the road) so cant take it for 50 mile drive, instead I will jack up the rear off the ground and put a brick on the accelerator to bring the speedo to 60mph and leave it there for 3 hours or so.

Again thank you for your advise and I will keep this post up to date as I progress.

Save your diesel in the crankcase for some piece of crap that doesn't matter.

Take off the valve cover and check for something that resembles "chocolate pudding", and if so wash it out with gasoline. While you are there, check valve clearance (adjust valves).

Make sure the thermostat is working and that the engine is coming up to full temperature. Put a couple tablespoon fulls of WD40 or diesel into that one cylinder and let sit for 2 or 3 days. Drive car on highway (preferably in the mountains or like 60mph) for 30 to 50 miles at one time...not 5 trips 10 miles.

If no improvement, then drive car for 3 months, and hopefully the rings will free up or the injector will operate like it is supposed to.

[diesel-man]

I bought a LD28 in a 82 Maxima from a salvage yard and it smoked in a similar way. I let it idle, and puttered around the yard (also no tags) and finally drove it to my house (still no tags) and it did not clear up until I was 20 miles down the road after going 60MPH.

I believe that 90 minutes of idling is useless and that jacking it up and running the car the way you describe is next to useless. A lack of heat has caused the rings to stick/gum up, and heat UNDER A LOAD is what is going to free it up. Diesels don't create that much heat just idling. Running the air conditioner will help create "load".

I have a bunch of these cars (go through some of my old posts) and this is not bullcrap.

I hope things work out for you. )

[diesel-man]

Google Barry Smith (also a Kiwi). I watched him on TV (a series he did) and was just awesome...worth checking out.

http://www.omegatimes.com/page.php?intid=1263

http://www.barrysmith.org.nz/

[hamahona]

Well, I tried taking the car for a drive through the country side. Made it into the street and surprise, surprise, the whole street was filled with a white/grayish smoke. My neighbors must of thought I was doing burnouts or something. It was so bad I had to turn back. My gearbox must be stuffed too, it seems to be taking off in second gear and takes for ever to kick into 3rd. Oh well old car...

Last thing I can really try is empty the oil out of the sump, as I put in 7 liters and that might be too much. Its a Nissan Laurel Sump that has been cut and fitted to the rear to make it a rear sump. The dipstick is custom so there could be a possibility that the dipstick is reading wrong and I could of over filled the engine by going off the custom dipstick.

If no luck Im going to have to sell it for parts. Oh well.

You probably right about taking it for a thrash, I probably would of kept on driving but it was very gutless (gearbox stuffed) and very smokey (Police would give me at least $1200 of tickets).

Thanks for the advise thou. I do appreciate it.

I bought a LD28 in a 82 Maxima from a salvage yard and it smoked in a similar way. I let it idle, and puttered around the yard (also no tags) and finally drove it to my house (still no tags) and it did not clear up until I was 20 miles down the road after going 60MPH.

I believe that 90 minutes of idling is useless and that jacking it up and running the car the way you describe is next to useless. A lack of heat has caused the rings to stick/gum up, and heat UNDER A LOAD is what is going to free it up. Diesels don't create that much heat just idling. Running the air conditioner will help create "load".

I have a bunch of these cars (go through some of my old posts) and this is not bullcrap.

I hope things work out for you. )

[nogrip]

buy my van then....its complete with ld28t...
just needs a good drive, ive only driven it about 5km in the last 3 months, before i got it, it sat for 5months due to excessive smoking issue, turned out it was way overfueled....

im desperately needing to sell the van....too many vehicles at home,and wanna focus on my hunting truck for now...

[hamahona]

Ok, Take 2. I built up my confidence to take it for a longer drive. I thrashed it for about 6kms up and down this real step hill, you could not see a thing for at least 500 meters due to the large mass of smoke, then suddenly the smoke got least and least. Now there is virtually no smoke at all. I can rev it madly now and it dont smoke (Just a tiny tiny bit). I am confident to say that the engine will pass compliance. Then I will be able to take it for a 150mile run down south to really free things up.

Your a legend mate, you really helped me and my LD28 get over this hill. Now I can progress on to the next thing that requires rectifying on my LD28 (Cracked thermostat housing). THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!

I bought a LD28 in a 82 Maxima from a salvage yard and it smoked in a similar way. I let it idle, and puttered around the yard (also no tags) and finally drove it to my house (still no tags) and it did not clear up until I was 20 miles down the road after going 60MPH.

I believe that 90 minutes of idling is useless and that jacking it up and running the car the way you describe is next to useless. A lack of heat has caused the rings to stick/gum up, and heat UNDER A LOAD is what is going to free it up. Diesels don't create that much heat just idling. Running the air conditioner will help create "load".

I have a bunch of these cars (go through some of my old posts) and this is not bullcrap.

I hope things work out for you. )

[hamahona]

Yea I seen your van on trademe. I really want a car, I saw a LD28T Jaguar on there. Does the turbo really make a difference as I find that my LD28 NA really slow on take off and struggles to climb hills.

Best of luck with selling the beast.

buy my van then....its complete with ld28t...
just needs a good drive, ive only driven it about 5km in the last 3 months, before i got it, it sat for 5months due to excessive smoking issue, turned out it was way overfueled....

im desperately needing to sell the van....too many vehicles at home,and wanna focus on my hunting truck for now...

[nogrip]

yup it does,as soon as the turbo starts winding up your gone...
the van gets to 100kph quicker than my petrol 4x4,both of them and ones a 4l v6..

and its only at 7psi...

[hamahona]

That sounds like one mean van, thanks for the reply

yup it does,as soon as the turbo starts winding up your gone...
the van gets to 100kph quicker than my petrol 4x4,both of them and ones a 4l v6..

and its only at 7psi...