Whit smoke from perkins 4108

[Leon 12]

My engine smokes white when you give it revs also there seems to be diesel dripping from exhaust. The engine stood for a long time before I bought the boat.

 

any advice would be great

Some say fuel pump miss timing, others the injectors.

 

[TonyDunkley]

27 minutes ago, Leon 12 said:

My engine smokes white when you give it revs also there seems to be diesel dripping from exhaust. The engine stood for a long time before I bought the boat.

 

any advice would be great

Some say fuel pump miss timing, others the injectors.

 

The white smoke is mostly vaporized, but unburnt, fuel with possibly some steam in the mix as well, and we need a bit more info. for a diagnosis of the likely cause of it. Is it, or has it recently become more difficult to start? Does it lose/use coolant? Is it running on all four cylinders throughout the governed speed range?

Edited September 13, 2017 by TonyDunkley

[Tony Brooks]

As above.

If you want a "what to look at first"  gut feeling type of reply I would suggest injectors. Based on the scant information you give I think there is a better than 50-50 chance that one or more are dribbling and not atomising the fuel.

[Machpoint005]

Doesn't it smoke during any other liturgical seasons?

[LadyG]

1 hour ago, Machpoint005 said:

Doesn't it smoke during any other liturgical seasons?

I'm going to have some fun with graphics on NB Magic Dragon

Edited September 13, 2017 by LadyG
afterthought

[cereal tiller]

1 hour ago, Machpoint005 said:

Doesn't it smoke during any other liturgical seasons?

I do so enjoy a Whitty Quip

[LadyG]

7 minutes ago, cereal tiller said:

I do so enjoy a Whitty Quip

Or a witty quiff?

[RLWP]

3 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

Doesn't it smoke during any other liturgical seasons?

That would be an ecumenical matter

[Leon 12]

It has smoked since installed. It smokes upon starting. It subsides at average revs. If you give it a burst of speed it puthers. Around 2000 revs it smokes white. Smokes. Also it spits fuel out of exhaust. Coolant seems pretty constant and oil too.

 

200 for new injectors part ex. So not bad really.  Also 30 quid for new rail for the injectors.

[Leon 12]

I'm sumising  it's fuel.

[bizzard]

Is it worse at Whitsun?   As TB said probably a dribbling injector, if bad accompanied by lumpy running and missfire or even running on 3 or less cylinders depending on how many injectors are affected, usually begins with just 1 though.

[Leon 12]

She runs great apart from the said smoke.

 

[bizzard]

13 minutes ago, Leon 12 said:

She runs great apart from the said smoke.

 

Does use much coolant? If not you could try my old fix to clean the injector nozzles using diesel fuel system cleaner, it can work wonders.  Remove the engines fuel filter, ''the one on the engine'', empty half of the fuel out and top it up with the fuel system cleaner, refit, you may have to give it a little bleed. Start up on full throttle reducing a bit once started. You should see the exhaust ever so clean after a bit while the cleaners working and then back to normal when back running on neat diesel with perhaps with a little blue haze from the exhaust. If this proves to work you would benefit by removing the injectors in the near future to get them serviced.

You've not been fiddling with the injector pump timing??

Edited September 13, 2017 by bizzard

[TonyDunkley]

1 hour ago, Leon 12 said:

It has smoked since installed. It smokes upon starting. It subsides at average revs. If you give it a burst of speed it puthers. Around 2000 revs it smokes white. Smokes. Also it spits fuel out of exhaust. Coolant seems pretty constant and oil too.

 

200 for new injectors part ex. So not bad really.  Also 30 quid for new rail for the injectors.

Does the smoke persist when the engine is up to full working temperature, and have you taken it out for a good, longish run, or are you just running it up in neutral ?

There are several things you really should check for before condemning the injectors, . . such as, the cleanliness and condition of the fuel supply and filters, and the 'Thermostart' fuel valve for leaks, correct engine operating temperature, sticking valves and/or incorrectly adjusted valve clearances, and alignment of injection pump timing marks.

Edited September 13, 2017 by TonyDunkley

[Neil2]

I came up the Stockton flight with a boat that had one of these engines and I was observing how it was unusual to share a lock with a boat that smoked more than mine...

The owner reckoned it was an inherent problem of cool running at idle/low revs, just like my Bukh, -  I wonder if this is why the 4108 was never a popular choice for narrowboats.  

     

[Rickent]

I have a perkins 4107 in my boat and she is a smokey old girl. Runs fine apart from that.

[Tony Brooks]

12 hours ago, TonyDunkley said:

Does the smoke persist when the engine is up to full working temperature, and have you taken it out for a good, longish run, or are you just running it up in neutral ?

There are several things you really should check for before condemning the injectors, . . such as, the cleanliness and condition of the fuel supply and filters, and the 'Thermostart' fuel valve for leaks, correct engine operating temperature, sticking valves and/or incorrectly adjusted valve clearances, and alignment of injection pump timing marks.

A very good point, especially if is one fed from the fuel system rather than its own little tin.

[Leon 12]

Update on the injectors. Had them replaced and no smoke. The old ones were in a terrible state to say the least. It smokes only at full tilt. But right up to 1950 revs it's clean, just a lovely sounding engine. Also no sludge from exhaust. My last post was regarding my  trojan batteries and they are performing great gun's.