Hello all, I have had a white smoke issue that was not solved last year before I laid my boat up. I'm hoping to get some fresh input. The boat is a 1989 Hunter 30G with a Yanmar 2gm20f. The engine has 650 hours of use. Upon start up I blow large amounts of white smoke. This is indeed smoke and not steam. The smoke lingers, does not dissapate quickly, smells heavily of diesel and leaves a sheen on the water. After warm up the smoke is reduced at idle but anything over idle produces increasing amounts of smoke. My "mechanic" claims that he has had the injectors and compression tested but is vague about where they were tested or any specifics about the results which causes me to question if the work was ever done. I read this in the archive: "You can tell which cylinder is firing by flipping each cylinder compression lever - if no change... that is the one not firing... the other one will kill the engine since it is firing only on 1... fyi, these compression levers are great to know about ... if you ever run your house bank down too low to turn the engine over.... you can open up these levers and there will probably be enough juice to spin the engine ... while spinning at a high rpm close one lever and that cylinder can fire and then you close the second one and your are good to go...." Is it possible that my engine is only firing on one cylinder and expelling raw unburnt fuel as a result? If so, is this method an acceptable method of finding out? As always, thanks in advance for any help. Tim
2gm20f White smoke (again)
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Easier than the compression levers
An easier way than doing the compression lever is just crank it up. Let it run a few seconds and put your hand on the engine. If one cylinder is not firing, the difference in temp should be obvious, front or rear. You should be able to do this at the injectors, or almost anywhere on the head. And find you a mechanic that is not a little evasive.
An easier way than doing the compression lever is just crank it up. Let it run a few seconds and put your hand on the engine. If one cylinder is not firing, the difference in temp should be obvious, front or rear. You should be able to do this at the injectors, or almost anywhere on the head. And find you a mechanic that is not a little evasive.
I think it would be possible...
however wouldn't it run a little rough? I think the method is acceptable. I know on cold days... if the engine won't turn over... Yanmar tells you to use the decompression levers to turn over. Nice and Easy has something too. If you are like me... you need a good mechanic... or you'll be chasing this down forever. I have an issue with my transmission... I think. If I can get through the summer... it will be diagnosed and fixed over the winter (and not by me). Good luck!
however wouldn't it run a little rough? I think the method is acceptable. I know on cold days... if the engine won't turn over... Yanmar tells you to use the decompression levers to turn over. Nice and Easy has something too. If you are like me... you need a good mechanic... or you'll be chasing this down forever. I have an issue with my transmission... I think. If I can get through the summer... it will be diagnosed and fixed over the winter (and not by me). Good luck!
I think I have a better chance finding......
..... Tahoe Tessie (Lake Tahoe's version of the Loch Ness monster) than a good mechanic in my area. Really. Tim
..... Tahoe Tessie (Lake Tahoe's version of the Loch Ness monster) than a good mechanic in my area. Really. Tim
2GM20F
I'd question the 'one cylinder' operating issue. believe me you will know when a two cylinder engine is running on one. Maybe that test works OK on a three cylinder engine but the 2GM would run pretty rough if only one were working. Did your mechanic check or adjust the valve timing; if he didn't messs with the high pressure pump the injection timing should not have changed, but it does seem like retarded injection and you are pushing unburned fuel thru the cylinders. I assume your top speed is also down?
I'd question the 'one cylinder' operating issue. believe me you will know when a two cylinder engine is running on one. Maybe that test works OK on a three cylinder engine but the 2GM would run pretty rough if only one were working. Did your mechanic check or adjust the valve timing; if he didn't messs with the high pressure pump the injection timing should not have changed, but it does seem like retarded injection and you are pushing unburned fuel thru the cylinders. I assume your top speed is also down?
Yes, my top speed is down.
The valves have not been checked. The high pressure pump has not been touched. The lift pump appears to be weeping a small amount of fuel where the top and bottom meet. There are also some copper washers that are "moist". Could this be letting air into the fuel system and possibly cause the problem? I've been told that air in the fuel may cause white smoke. I've also been told that any air in the system will stop the engine so I'm not sure about that one. Tim
The valves have not been checked. The high pressure pump has not been touched. The lift pump appears to be weeping a small amount of fuel where the top and bottom meet. There are also some copper washers that are "moist". Could this be letting air into the fuel system and possibly cause the problem? I've been told that air in the fuel may cause white smoke. I've also been told that any air in the system will stop the engine so I'm not sure about that one. Tim
Tim, if you are having trouble finding a good mechanic
(a marine diesel mechanic that is) go to a local truck stop and ask for a recommendation. They have some good mechanics who work on a lot of diesels. One of them may be interested in some after hours work on something that is a little different from what they normally work on. They may be a little cheaper too. Just a thought. Joe S
(a marine diesel mechanic that is) go to a local truck stop and ask for a recommendation. They have some good mechanics who work on a lot of diesels. One of them may be interested in some after hours work on something that is a little different from what they normally work on. They may be a little cheaper too. Just a thought. Joe S
Do some work yourself.
Tim: I have a guy that lives in the foothills (Bill Ingle) but he is going to charge you a couple of hours for just the travel. I suggest that you pull the injectors and take them to a diesel shop in Reno. There are plenty of them down there. They can test them & maybe rebuild them if necessary. If you need new ones you can get them from Golden State Diesel in Alameda.
Tim: I have a guy that lives in the foothills (Bill Ingle) but he is going to charge you a couple of hours for just the travel. I suggest that you pull the injectors and take them to a diesel shop in Reno. There are plenty of them down there. They can test them & maybe rebuild them if necessary. If you need new ones you can get them from Golden State Diesel in Alameda.
Hi Steve
I'd love the contact info for your guy. My First Mate has a nice 4bdr vacation rental at the base of Heavenly on the South Shore that he has offered to "donate to the cause". Perhaps I can work something out with him regarding a place to stay. Heck, he could even make it a working vacation for his family (they play, he works)!
I'd love the contact info for your guy. My First Mate has a nice 4bdr vacation rental at the base of Heavenly on the South Shore that he has offered to "donate to the cause". Perhaps I can work something out with him regarding a place to stay. Heck, he could even make it a working vacation for his family (they play, he works)!
Tractor Mechanics?
Yanmar marine engines are essentially the same as the ones in millions of farm tractors. Grasshopper, Gravely, Harley Davidson, Hitachi, Honda, International Harvester, Jacobsen, Kawasaki... hundreds of thousands of John Deere's compact tractors and 4000 series were built by Yanmar mostly the 3 series, but the technology is the esame. Locally, many of the ag mechanics moonlight as marine mechanics and are consistently pretty good. Try your local John Deere dealer.
Yanmar marine engines are essentially the same as the ones in millions of farm tractors. Grasshopper, Gravely, Harley Davidson, Hitachi, Honda, International Harvester, Jacobsen, Kawasaki... hundreds of thousands of John Deere's compact tractors and 4000 series were built by Yanmar mostly the 3 series, but the technology is the esame. Locally, many of the ag mechanics moonlight as marine mechanics and are consistently pretty good. Try your local John Deere dealer.
White smoke
If one cylinder is not firing at all it will be very obvious. Power will be less than half, and the engine will run very rough. Should be a lot of noticable vibration. You can still use the hand to check for heat method. If one cylinder is weak, running too rich, it will heat up slower than the good one. The cylinder that gets hot slower is the one you are having problems with. It is of course possible that both are getting way too much fuel. Running lean will cause problems too, but shouldn't cause the white smoke. Again, find a mechanic who will give you straightforward honest answers. If someone sounds even a little evasive, run him off. It's your money and there is no reason not to get straight answers.
If one cylinder is not firing at all it will be very obvious. Power will be less than half, and the engine will run very rough. Should be a lot of noticable vibration. You can still use the hand to check for heat method. If one cylinder is weak, running too rich, it will heat up slower than the good one. The cylinder that gets hot slower is the one you are having problems with. It is of course possible that both are getting way too much fuel. Running lean will cause problems too, but shouldn't cause the white smoke. Again, find a mechanic who will give you straightforward honest answers. If someone sounds even a little evasive, run him off. It's your money and there is no reason not to get straight answers.
Air will cause white smoke
Since you have indicated that the copper washers are moist, it may be enough to let some air in but not enough air to stall the engine and make it really rough. Those Banjo washers near the primary filter are only a few dollars and are worth a try - it may be the cheapest fix and one that actually may be the problem. Other things I have read indicate that white smoke is produced by poor compression, low temperature, air in fuel, injectors. Im sure there are many others but a skilled mechanic would know best.
Since you have indicated that the copper washers are moist, it may be enough to let some air in but not enough air to stall the engine and make it really rough. Those Banjo washers near the primary filter are only a few dollars and are worth a try - it may be the cheapest fix and one that actually may be the problem. Other things I have read indicate that white smoke is produced by poor compression, low temperature, air in fuel, injectors. Im sure there are many others but a skilled mechanic would know best.
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