Generator White Smoke

[DavidBall]

I was hoping someone on here could help me figure out the white smoking problem on my genset. Changed fuel filter Starts up clean, then starts smoking. Enough to be a scene.

thanks for any help

[NewellCrazy]

White smoke on a diesel engine normally means somethings not right and the white smoke is unburned diesel.

[prairieschooner]

Yes, could be Fuel also could be Moisture, really depends allot on the temperature and humidity. Did this problem exist prior to changing the Filter? not sure that this could have caused the problem just thought that I should ask. Does it clean up after running long enough to get up to temp? What Engine is it?

If the problem persists you may consider having the Oil and Radiator Fluid Analyzed. A Heavy Equipment Lab should be able to help with a diagnosis (Oil in the Fluid or Water in the Oil)

[ashley]

The air fuel mixture is to rich. Need to adjust more air in other words lean it out. There is an adjustment for that on the burner

[77newell]

David: help me out a bit more. I'm assuming this problem didn't exist before the filter change. You said it starts fine and then smokes, is that it starts clean and then as speed ramps up it starts smoking or does it start smoking some time after reaching full speed. It would be helpful in diagnosing to know when exactly it starts smoking. While it is smoking does it run rough? Once it starts smoking does it keep smoking - I'm guessing yes. If I had to make a SWAG at this point I would be thinking you have some air in the injector system and that bleeding it would be helpful.

[DavidBall]

ashley, Where is the adjustment located? 77Newell, it starts clean and then as speed ramps up it starts smoking then never quits.

[77newell]

David: unless you have a propane powered generator there is no mixture adjustment. If the white smoke smells dieselly it is unburned fuel as Newellcrazy Sean noted. The question is why are you getting too much fuel in at least one cylinder. If this were my situation I would start it up and immediately test the temperature of the exhaust ports right next to the head. Any that are slow to get hot are not working right. I would then try bleeding the air from them. If that didn't work I would have to sit back with a beer or two or ..... and conjure up some more. The other option is that some dirt got into one of the injectors (location determined as just described) and is holding the nozzle open slightly so that proper pressure and atomizing isn't happening. In this case you would need to remove the injector and have it worked on and tested. I had this particular thing happen on my drive engine, though it wasn't due to changing filters it was the result of rubber particles breaking off the interior of the hoses due to some fancy pants (not me!) painting the hoses to make them look nice without realizing the paint solvents would cause the rubber to deteriorate.

[ashley]

Im sorry i thought it was you aquahot