Smokey Diesel

[Texas Lake Sailor]

Went for a late afternoon sail Sat. Since the electric on the pier had been off for a couple of days I decided to run the diesel while we sailed. Was out for 4 to 5 hours motor sailing on the lake. As I dropped sail and headed back into the marinia as I was increasing speed I started getting white smoke and had loss of power. I reduced speed, engine rpm came up, smoke eased. I kept the speed down until I got into the slip. I ran engine for awhile in the slip no issues. Next morning in the light I ran engine after warm up I put it in fwd and ran it up to full power for 5 to 10 min. No issues, run in rev. no issues, cooled down and secured it.
What do you all think? Partially clogged filters? Dirty fuel? Everything else seems normal.

 

[jtm]

How much diesel antifungal did you insert last time? That stuff can add to some smoke. Also you might want to add some cetane for better pseudo octane. If you filters are clogged and you might be burning lean, you'll get less power. but iff lean then you might have an overheat alarm come on.

Is you air filter clear/clean- you can starve the engine for air and that would result is less power - but then I beieve you's have black smoke (incomplete burn).

Another positbility is that your exhaust elbow might be coked up from running for etended periods at low rpms. The coking would restrict the flow of exhaust and the cyl would have more back pressure and not clear exhaust properly hence the low power.

Filters are easy to replace- and bleed/repressurize the fuel line - remember to bleed at the injector top nuts.
The elbow can be a pain to reach and an expensive little piece of iron. I'd try that last.

 

[CaptChuck]

If the exhaust elbow is clogged you would have reduced power but the smoke would be black as it would be if the air filter is clogged. Lack of compression, water in the fuel, air in the fuel, defective injector, and cracked/leaking cylinder head gasket could all cause white smoke. The white smoke can be caused by unburned but atomized fuel as well. The first place I would look is water in the fuel since the problem has disappeared. Check you primary fuel filter.

 

[jtm]

just reread my post - boy is my spellin goin south! dahh