19j missing and white smoke

my DT is difficult to start and you'll see why in a sec,

when it gets going it bellows out white smoke, runs lumpy like its missing on one cylinder after it warms up a little (maybe 15 mins of smoking out anyone within 20mtrs of me) it just clears and runs pretty well. where do i start to look for problems?

White smoke from a diesel is water in the exhaust. This could be just condensation if the ambient temperature is very low.....possible this time of year. However....given it is also running rough my guess is that you have a head gasket fault/failure that is letting water into one or more cylinders. Worst case senario is that the head is cracked as well.

Either way it is a head off job to investigate. If you have the funds (and time) then a Tdi conversion may well be the way forward as you may well have suffered some localised over heating and this will lead to cracked pistons on this engine.

FBF said:

my DT is difficult to start and you'll see why in a sec,

when it gets going it bellows out white smoke, runs lumpy like its missing on one cylinder after it warms up a little (maybe 15 mins of smoking out anyone within 20mtrs of me) it just clears and runs pretty well. where do i start to look for problems?

Click to expand...

White smoke would suggest you've got water in there somewhere.
Assuming your not loosing any coolant?
Is there a water trap on your fuel filter? I suspect there is. When was the last time you bled it?

Bromsgrove Defender said:

Is there a water trap on your fuel filter? I suspect there is. When was the last time you bled it?

Click to expand...

Good point, but IIRC the 19J/TD fuel filter is like the Series diesel one; the Tdi filter however, does have a water trap.

Agreed with above. Are you loosing coolant? Do you have a pressure guage to check compression. Should all be roughly the same

You sure the smoke is white cos it sounds like the eccess fuel device for cold starting is sticking on too long thats why it clears up after a while

Bahh, i never returned to thank you all for your replies of help. It was head gasket in the end.

Dont you hate it when people ask for help but never return?

All said and done i decided to cut my losses and sell up.