Clouds of smoke???

I have recently purchased a 1975 2.25 Diesel Series 3 to completely rebuild (even though I have absolutely no mechanical skills at all at the moment) the engine appears to run fine, apart from when first starting there are clouds of smoke from the exhaust on initial fire up??? As soon as started they disappear and then seems to run fine - Am I potentially looking at something major???

Any hints gratefully received

Thanks

If it is blue smoke first thing=valve stem seals or guides
If it is a Diesel white smoke at start up is un burnt diesel-part of the course

Thanks Fanatic - I would say basically white smoke - Big cloud on start up then none when on throttle but some when throttling back for a few minutes, before disappearing...

Par for the course then???

yes old diesels like plenty of heat in general and white smoke when starting is due to the combustion process not burning fuel completely. As Long as it isn't continuously smoking like a steam train-don't worry as the old series are not modern diesels

wat if its a petrol doin that? like mine does, with added bit o blue smoke on startup and under sudden power

1396midget said:

wat if its a petrol doin that? like mine does, with added bit o blue smoke on startup and under sudden power

Click to expand...

As A general rule of thumb

Blue smoke on start up=valve stem seals

General smoking can be valve stem seals.

Drive down a hill on overrun and it smokes like a bitch when you accelerate=oil control rings (worse when warm)

black smoke on accelerating =un burnt petrol

White smoke on diesel startup=unburnt fuel

White smoke on petrol Coolant vaporising due to cracked head or hgf


Before jumping to conclusions-look for pointers to the issue
unexplained water loss (lots)

Massive oil consumption.


Be aware your vehicles will use oil during normal running and don't panic

cheers fanatic

dun't use any water, but gettin thru a pint of oil every 125 miles :frown: most of it might be falling out of the sump gasket which is fubar'd but it's burning/using a bit plugs aren't fouled and it still runs OK, so i guess not much to worry about for the moment, just a bit worn out....