white smoke yanmar 4jhe.

[luvitt]

The white smoke is pretty thick when i first start the engine. the engine sounds fine, doesnt get hot. It lessens considerably after it has run for 20 minutes. I only ran it about 20 mins today.

I read several possibilities: water in the fuel, fuel not fully burning, coolant in oil, air getting into fuel lines, etc. The engine had previously been submerged. I have only run it a total of 8 hrs since I got it. didnt notice, or maybe didnt pay attention to smoke earlier. it stinks like exhaust would. didnt have any trouble when i moved the boat around the marina the other day, but i think it was smoking then too. The oil is not milky. the oil is not overfilled. it has been changed many times. maybe injectors? I have been running on a jerry can with the fuel line just stuck in the open cap of a gas can. maybe air getting in? also, i do not have the return line running to the jerry can. it overflowed my onboard tank last time i ran. I have since drained 20 gallons, so it is not overflowing now. I am getting the tank polished next week.

maybe i just need to run it for a while till i feel the engine heating up? it didnt hardly get warm at all in 20 min.

what do u think? it is stinky.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

It doesn't seem like air to me because that would screw up the engines running. It also doesn't sound like water in the fuel because if that were the case your fuel filter would be almost all water. Check your fuel filter again to make sure.

Your fuel from a jerry can should be pretty clean so I don't think your problem is on the fuel side. I don't know how the oil galleys run on that engine but it could be water in the oil either trapped up in the engine or in the sump. You have changed the oil several times you said, but did you suck it out the dipstick, or drain it out a plug in the bottom of the sump. You may not have gotten all the water out if the change was out the dipstick.

White smoke in my recollection is caused by steam from water. Did you change out the air filter and dry out the intake.

If the fuel is clean and you have no water in the oil or air you are getting water in some other way. You have a 4 cylinder engine so it is conceivable that one exhaust valve was open when the engine was submerged and let water into one of the cylinders. If you turned the engine over without releasing the compression the remaining cylinders may have enough detonation to turn the engine against a partial hydraulic lock on that one cylinder causing a gasket to fail. If perchance that did happen, you would be getting coolant into your cylinders (all of them).

Check your filters and the bottom of your oil sump so that problem can be set aside and we can go from there.

Anybody else have a better feel?

Joe S

 

[kloudie1]

In a regular gasoline engine that white stinky stuff is about 100% a head gasket failure. I am thinking on a diesel, it is probably the same, but a diesel doesn’t have a vacuum in the intake manifold to help the coolant get into the cylinder.. But a thick puffy white smoke is almost always due to ethylene glycol being burnt.. You should be seeing the coolant getting contaminated if it is a head gasket.. Probably time to consult a good Yanmar guy .. he’s going to want to pull the injectors and check the compression and leak-down to verify. Continued operation may lead to gas “cutting the head and block where the leak is located.. Happens pretty fast on an aluminum head, but not nearly as fast on a cast iron one like your Yanmar has. Good Luck with it!..

 

[Stu Jackson]

Maybe

what brobins needs to do is actually run the engine, like under load and not just running in idle at his dock or putting around the marina. Until he gets some actual "loaded" operating experience, we're all just guessing, given the limited input, albeit long topic post.

He seems to have done everything right so far.

I had some white smoke last winter. Everything looked fine. A ahlf hour later the temp gauge pegged. The intake through hull was jammed with critters, I guess, so I blew it out with the dinghy foot pump and it's been fine ever since.

Don't know what condition his raw water impeller is, either.

I'd take it step-by-step and not get too overly concerned what with everything else he has going on now.

 

[luvitt]

the engine sounds like its running great. maybe I do need to run it under load. I didn't have time to run it long yesterday, but the amount of smoke did lessen considerably after 20 minutes.

the coolant loks fine. the filters have about 8 hours on them. I changed the oil from the bottom of the pan, bc I never could get the dipstick methid to work.

I don't remember it smoking when I cruised 5 hours to my marina. I think maybe it has something to do with fuel return line. maybe there is undetonated fuel. im running on the jerry can, but the fuel return is still hooked up to the onboard tank. or maybe the ijectors are dirty.

the fuel polishing company said they were gonna use an additive that woukd clean the injectors. the engine was sitting for at least 2 years before I ran it. maybe there was old fuel in the system crapping it up. it started on the first try though, after 2 years of sitting.

im gonna try to run it around the harbor this weekend and see what happens.

is there anything I can add myself to clean the injectors? I would think that additives wouldn't clean them real good.

 

[zeehag]

is fresh water cooled or raw water cooled?? does the engine run well under load??
is there any performance lag?? raw water cooled engines of yanmar's will run cool--very cool....mine in san diego runs less than 120 degrees.temp is dependent on ambient water temp...i havent any smoke from running engine, but a friend with a 3gm does---his smoke is white and seems not to have any effect on engine performance. if there is exhaust water coming out of boat is all goood---if you are nervous, have an overhaul done---will fix everything....sporty cars use seafoam--ask your yanmar distributor about additives--he will know what to use without messing up your engine....goood luck--yanmars are totally wonderful engines......goood luck and have fun with yours.....

 

[RichH]

"White smoke" upon starting is usually an indication of
1. blown head gasket .... the water/glycol may being 'sucked' into a cylinder when the cylinder cools down when the valves are closed. Look at the 'quality' of the cooling water mixture (on the 'fresh water' side; but, NOT the 'reservoir') - if it looks 'dirty' you probably have a blown head gasket . It doesnt take much water/glycol to make a LOT of white smoke, so you may not notice any drop in water level in the 'reservoir'.
If you do suspect a blown head gasket (and water entering a cylinder), find an 'automotive machine shop' or local engine rebuilder who can 'analyse' cooling water with 'blacklight'. If so, go to a 'good' automotive supply store (one that caters to 'mechanics' and get some 'phosphoresing cooling water indicator tablets' and put one (or more) in the system (not in the reserviour tank)....run the engine several times, drain some of the cooling mix and take it for 'blacklight analysis". The blacklight analysis with 'treated' cooling water will 'glow' if there is significant dissolved CO or CO2 in the water - proof positive that you HAVE to do a head gasket job.

2. Obstruction in the raw water circuit
Get you engine manual (of telephone your engine distributor) and find out the 'volumetric raw water cooling output'... most engines of this size will have a volume out-the-exhaust of 3 gallons per minute at ~2000 rpm. Use a bucket and stop watch AT the exhaust through-hull at the stern of the boat. If 'much' less than the 'spec.' flow, you HAVE an obstruction (or failing water pump) somewhere in the raw water cooling circuit.

Hope this helps.

 

[Stu Jackson]

is there anything I can add myself to clean the injectors? I would think that additives wouldn't clean them real good.

Yes, go to Napa or Kragens and buy some injector cleaner. The next time you replace your fuel filter, fill it up with injector cleaner.

 

[luvitt]

cooling water is pouring out good.

Engine has a heat exchanger, so it is fresh cooled, but the heat is exchanged through passing cool raw water around the hot fresh water.

I think i just might be overly panicky. im gonna run it. maybe clean the injectors.

 

[Ross]

White smoke on a cold diesel during a winter start-up is common. It isn't over load it is just unburned fuel. After you are certain that you don't have a blown gasket run the engine under load for an hour or three and watch the oil pressure and temperature. Stop occasionally and check the oil and wipe down the engine looking for things that shouldn't be.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Relax Brobins

A cold engine will act like what you discribe with the "white smoke" going away after warm up. Just like your car on a cool moist morning.
Head gaskets don't just blow you have to do something pretty bad to make them blow and it will impact the engine preformance.
It is not water or air using similar arguments.
Just relax and go sailing.

For the record:
white smoke is unburned fuel, usually loss of compression
black smoke is incomplete combustion aka partially burned usually too much fuel
steam looks like white smoke but smoke will drift out over the water while steam evaporates. Steam goes away as the engine heats up but cool moist weather can cause it to stay visable even when the engine is hot.

 

[luvitt]

im thinking its unburned fuel. I ran the engine for a while today and then took the small return line off, the one on the engine side that is connected directly to the engine and connects to the larger return hose leading to the tank. as soon as i took it off, diesel came squirting out under pressure, all over my cabin. I would think the return would be that pressurized? Im thinking its blocked somewhere between the engine and the tank. I blew on the end of the return line and it was real hard to blow, and fuel squirted back out as soon as i removed my lips (sounds gross). so i am thinking the fuel that is getting returned is having trouble getting back.

I think im gonna cut the return line and make sure it is clear and stick it in my jerry can and run it and see what happens. i think i will clean the injectors too.

let me try to clarify: there is a small line that is connected to the injectors (i guess its connected to the injectors), that goes down and into a fitting and on the other end of the fitting is the larger fuel return line. I took off the small line that feeds the return hose, and fuel squirted out of the large hose. then i removed the larger hose and blew in it.

whatcha think?

 

[Ron20324]

Sounds like you're saying the tank is pressurized, squirting fuel back toward the engine- like maybe a clogged vent?

 

[Bill Roosa]

I think you need a manual!!!

I'd caution you about randumly cutting lines and blowing in things. Some lines have restrictors by design.
Are you even sure you have a problem. Is the "white smoke" really smoke or just steam? Check the easy things first. Get down near the exhaust and smell it. A strong diesel smell is an indication of unburned fuel (white smoke). If the smoke evaporates it is steam and that is normal. If it just disipates but does not evaporate then you MIGHT have a problem.
In any case get a manual and follow the trouble shooting flow charts.

 

[luvitt]

I'd caution you about randumly cutting lines and blowing in things. Some lines have restrictors by design.
Are you even sure you have a problem. Is the "white smoke" really smoke or just steam? Check the easy things first. Get down near the exhaust and smell it. A strong diesel smell is an indication of unburned fuel (white smoke). If the smoke evaporates it is steam and that is normal. If it just disipates but does not evaporate then you MIGHT have a problem.
In any case get a manual and follow the trouble shooting flow charts.

its smoke, and it stinks. it aint really a whole lot.

i didnt cut anything yet, i just removed the hose clamps and blew in it. I did turn off the valve on the supply line at the tank. maybe it is air tight in the tank and building up pressure preventing the fuel from returning? thats why i am gonna cut, or use a temp piece of hose and direct the return to my jerry can. there is no restrictor in my return hose, at least not where i would cut it. maybe there is something at the tank, or the engine side, but the hose is just a hose.

thanks,

 

[jibes138]

Toxic

Never ever put your lips on a hose and ingest fuel of any kind. This stuff is toxic and really bad for you. Use a little pump or turkey baster but not your mouth. Are you saying just a straight piece of hose is pressurized? Is your tank overfull again and the fuel level is higher than where the hose connects to the tank? If you remove the return line at the tank is fuel going to squirt all over your boat until the level drops below the hose connection point?
Diesel fuel has a lovely odor that seems to last forever.
I know of a house with #2 heating oil that had a new tank put in the basement. They left the old fill pipe. An oil delivery guy showed up and proceeded to fill the basement with oil. The house was condemned.
Why not get yourself a 6 gallon tank for an outboard add a fitting for the return line and just use that. It sounds dangerous having a jerry can with an open top sloshing fuel around in the chop on charleston harbor?

 

[luvitt]

im a redneck and siphon fuel all the time. I wiped it off and spit afterwards. yeah, not good, but that's what I do. didn't even taste it.

 

[luvitt]

oh, the tank shouldn't be full again, yet. I siphoned a good 5 gallons out to test it. I haven't even used a 1/4 gallon since I did that.

 

[jackhartjr]

Bro...I Love my brother Chris to death...however...he won't listen to me at times and it cost him time and money. (He calls me...asks a question...I give my sage advice that comes from being a year and a week older...he doesn't listen.)

Bro...take the fuel line out of the Jerry can...hook it where it is supposed to be...it will run...or it will clog a filter or two. You will save a ton of money on 'fuel polishing' and the scam that it entails!
(Or for piece of mind...suck everthing out through the pickup line...there will be just a little bit of whatever is let in the tank left. (Picture a 40 gallon tank empty with a gallon or two in the bottom...maybe 3% to 4 % of the tank volume.) Fill it up and enjoy sailing buddy. (I only call friends buddy!)

Bro'....I Love you to death...

Jack

 

[luvitt]

yeah, I thought about doing that. the fuel really doesn't look bad. but its been sitting for 3 years. when I first started siphoning it, a little bit of black "snot" was coming out. but then it cleared up quick and the fuel looked decent to me. I didn't even really see water. im wondering if the previous owner did something with it before I bought it. the boat sank. but the tank is full, so im wondering if he filled it after it sank. I tried emailing him but he hasn't responded. seeing that it is full would indicate to me that he either hadn't used the fuel before it sank, or he filled it up for dry storage. what will happen if I run it and it is bad fuel? will it just clog the filters and stop running until I change the filters? or will it harm the engine? I only have a racor fuel/water separator and the engine mounted fuel filter.