Why does my Duramax engine have white smoke at idle?

A common issue with the GM 6.6L LB7 Duramax engine is white smoke at idle. Worn and damaged injectors are often the cause however there are other causes and considerations that should be looked at prior to injector replacement. 1. Remove IGN 1 relay. 2.

Why does my GMC diesel have blue smoke in it?

Blue white smoke that burns your eyes is un-burnt fuel; cold temperatures, high altitude and excessive idle time all mean cold combustion and white smoke. Possible bad injector, use the scan tool to cancel one cylinder at a time and see if the smoke clears up.

Why is there white smoke coming out of my exhaust?

Usually, white smoke indicates that the diesel fuel is not burning correctly. Unburned diesel fuel will make its way through the exhaust completely unused. Be careful of white smoke as it will irritate your eyes and skin. If white smoke occurs during a startup in freezing temperatures, then goes away,…

Why does my diesel engine have smoke coming from the exhaust?

Consistent smoke coming from the exhaust most likely indicates a deeper internal problem with the engine. A small puff of smoke during quick acceleration is acceptable with older diesel engines due to a lag before the turbocharger’s air flow can match the increased volume of diesel fuel injected into the cylinders.

What kind of truck blows out white smoke?

Hello, I own a 2003 Silverado 2500HD 6.6L Duramax with 286k miles. As of recent, the truck will blow out white smoke after a couple of minutes of running. The owner before me didn’t take the best of care of the vehicle and have been fixing things as I go.

Why do I have white smoke coming out of my injector?

Other causes of white smoke include lack of compression, or water/coolant entering the combustion chamber. BLACK SMOKE. Black smoke indicates excess fuel is being injected into the combustion chamber and/or not enough air is present. This can be caused by worn/leaking injectors or restrictions in the air intake system.

What does white smoke coming from the tailpipe mean?

In many cases, white smoke emanating from the tailpipe (often at idle once the engine reached operating temperature) typically means a worn out injector.

Are there any issues with the Duramax pickup?

This can produce long cranks and hard starts. Glow Plug System Issues – Nearly half of the check engine lights that come in for the Duramax pickups are for glow plugs. The glow plugs burn out over time and can be a real nuisance to remove from the aluminum heads sometimes.

Are there any issues with the Duramax check engine lights?

Glow Plug System Issues – Nearly half of the check engine lights that come in for the Duramax pickups are for glow plugs. The glow plugs burn out over time and can be a real nuisance to remove from the aluminum heads sometimes.

What causes a fuel filter to leak on a Duramax?

Fuel Filter Housing Oring Leaks – The Duramax fuel system does not have any sort of low pressure fuel pump pushing fuel to the engine from the tank. The injection pump sucks all the fuel from the tank.

Why does my Duramax smoke?

The black smoke is caused by unburned fuel. Many methods can blow smoke from a stock Duramax diesel engine, which is common in GMC and Chevrolet vehicles. Most of those methods use the concept of reducing the air-fuel mixture within the motor.

What causes white smoke from diesel engine?

In most cases, the white smoke may sting or irritate your eyes due to the presence of unburned toxins. White smoke in diesel vehicles can be caused by a clogged fuel filter, worn motor or loss of compression, faulty injector pump timing, or possibly water or contaminants in the diesel fuel.

What does white smoke from diesel engine mean?

Sometimes diesel engines emit a white smoke while starting. The white smoke is due to unburnt fuel caused by improper heating. Diesel engines need high compression and heat for fuel combustion. It can be especially difficult to start a diesel engine during cold weather.

Why is my LMM engine blowing black smoke?

Any injectors that are more than +/- 6 are a possible cause for rough run. .Miss, smoke or rough run usually indicate that the injectors are the cause. LMM engines with a DPF may not show any smoke, but frequent DPF regen events would suggest poor combustion.

When do you get black smoke in your car?

During the 2–3 hard accelerations after normal light load driving there may be some black smoke momentarily but should not last for more than 5 seconds. During hard acceleration there may always be a very faint puff of black smoke. Compare the scan tool data at idle with the scan tool data list. Refer to Scan Tool Data List.

What to do if your Duramax has a cold start?

Perform a glow plug system and intake air heater check even if there is no complaint of a cold start problem. 1. Engine compression. 2. Dilution of the oil with fuel. 3. Engine coolant temperature sensor. 4. Rail pressure sensor. 5. Proper fuel supply to the high-pressure pump.

What causes a diesel engine to blow by?

Blow-by is a condition where diesel fuel, air and vapor are pushed past the rings into the crankcase of the engine. Correct pressure should be maintained in the cylinder chamber in order for proper combustion to occur.

What causes blue smoke to come out of engine?

Blue smoke is normally the result of engine oil entering & burning inside the combustion chamber. This is most often caused by low compression, or worn piston rings. But what we see more often than not are issues related to worn injectors.

What causes white smoke from exhaust on startup?

1 A bad, warped or cracked cylinder head. 2 Failed or Faulty Head gasket 3 A cracked, Fractured or Bad engine block

What causes white smoke from a fuel pump?

Continuous “light” white smoke 1 A clogged fuel filter 2 Low pressure in the fuel pump (Air in the fuel) 3 Faulty or damaged injectors 4 Incorrect injection timing (Worn timing gear or damaged crankshaft keyway). 5 Low cylinder compression (caused by leaking or broken valves, piston ring sticking, cylinder ring wear, or cylinder glaze)

Where does the coolant go in a Duramax?

1. Coolant may enter the cylinder from a damaged seal between the fuel injector sleeve and the cylinder head. The injector sleeve is often dislodged during an injector removal. 2. Remove the glow plugs and the IGN 1 relay and pressurize the cooling system to 15-17 PSI. 3.

Are there any issues with the Duramax fuel pump?

The new injectors available from us and others are updated and do not have the cracking issue. Fuel Filter Housing Oring Leaks – The Duramax fuel system does not have any sort of low pressure fuel pump pushing fuel to the engine from the tank. The injection pump sucks all the fuel from the tank.

What are the problems with a Duramax diesel engine?

Both of these issues result in fuel leaking from the injector which can then enter the crankcase. This can lead to more serious problems, as diesel fuel doesn’t offer the same lubrication properties as oil. You’ll also experience loss of power, excessive smoke, rough idling, and engine misfiring.

What happens to the head gasket on a Duramax?

Head Gaskets – As these truck reach the 100,000-150,000 miles we are seeing more and more head gasket issues. The Duramax has a multi-layer steel head gasket. When they have issues, they do not typically smoke out the exhaust or get coolant into the cylinders. What happens is the head lifts a little during the compression stroke.

What to do if you have bad Duramax injectors?

Here are common issues experienced when you have bad injectors. Fuel in Oil. Check Dipstick look for a surplus of oil or even smell the dipstick. When fuel is present, you can often smell it. Unfortunately, there is no good way to fix the factory LB7 Duramax injectors other than replacement.

What causes a Duramax crankcase to leak fuel?

The ball seat can deteriorate over time, resulting in an incomplete seal, and ultimately, injector leaking. Both of these issues result in fuel leaking from the injector which can then enter the crankcase. This can lead to more serious problems, as diesel fuel doesn’t offer the same lubrication properties as oil.

Why is my diesel engine surging at idle?

Fuel Pressure Regulator (FPR) is a device that is in charge of making sure the rail pressure is where it should be. Using a scan tool you can compare desired and actual rail pressures to often determine if there is a problem. If the engine is surging at idle (RPM fluctuations) it is a good indicated of a bad FPR.

What causes a Duramax diesel engine to heat up?

When the engine is working hard, the turbocharger is drawing in a ton of air, and the restrictive stock turbo inlet tube can effectively choke the VGT turbocharger causing the compressor outlet temperature to skyrocket, heating up the intercooler, and ultimately raising the temperature of combustion and the coolant temp.

What causes a Duramax injection pump to fail?

As a result (allegedly), the lack of lubrication in the fuel can cause a premature failure of the injection pump, to a point where it won’t allow the LML Duramax to run. You can be driving down the road and everything seems normal, and when the pump fails, the truck just shuts off.

What makes a Duramax LB7 diesel so special?

The introduction of common rail injection powered by the Bosch CP3 injection pump made the LB7 Duramax stand apart from other diesels of the day with excellent power and efficiency.

Why does my car have blue smoke coming from the exhaust?

Blue smoke usually appears in the morning when your engine starts up for the first time of the day. Blue exhaust smoke indicates that your engine is burning oil. Though this is primarily a problem in older cars, not taking care of maintenance issues can cause oil burning regardless of year.

What does blue smoke from a diesel truck mean?

Gray or Blue Smoke from Diesel Exhaust. Newer, low mileage truck owners can skip this paragraph, but many of us like to have a worn out beater truck laying around, or maybe your teenager bought their first car from a not-so-honest guy. Blue usually means one thing: you are burning oil.

Why does my car have black smoke coming from the tailpipe?

Whether you are running a gas or a diesel engine, you shouldn’t see black plumes of smoke issuing from your tailpipe, and it’s a clear sign that the engine isn’t being cared for properly. Obviously, you want your car to use as little fuel as possible, so burning extra is a problem that needs a quick solution.

What does it mean when your car has blue smoke in it?

Blue usually means one thing: you are burning oil. You might notice a burnt oil smell while stepping on the accelerator, or maybe see blue/gray smoke leave your exhaust on startup or heavy acceleration, these are some of the tell tale signs that you are burning oil.

What causes black smoke coming from diesel engine?

Sometimes if you’re carrying a heavy load with a diesel truck you’ll see a small puff of black smoke, but even that should be minimal in modern well-cared-for engines.

Why do I have gray smoke coming from my car?

Unfortunately, because ‘gray’ is such a wide color band, it can be a minor variant of any of the other colors or its own thing entirely. Truly gray smoke is most frequently caused by burning transmission fluid. Checking your transmission fluid is easy, and by evaluating the fluid on the dipstick you can learn a lot.

What does white smoke mean in an engine?

Thick white smoke, on the other hand, can indicate a problem. In particular, it could mean that your engine is burning coolant, which could mean a problem with a head gasket or a cracked engine block. These are big repairs, but it’s important to address needed repairs sooner rather than later.

What causes black smoke coming from a diesel engine?

Black smoke is the most common smoke color coming from a diesel engine and most likely indicates something is wrong during the combustion of the diesel fuel. When diagnosing the problem the first place to look at is the mixture of air and fuel flow into the cylinders.

When to shut down a diesel engine with smoke?

No matter the color of the smoke it is not something you should ignore. A properly working and maintained diesel engine should produce no visible smoke. Make sure to shut down the engine immediately if you encounter excessive smoke as further heat or load could severely damage the engine further.

Why is my diesel tractor blowing black smoke?

For more details, see What to Do When a Tractor Is Blowing Black Smoke and Has No Power If you see white smoke, this means that the fuel that is entering the combustion chamber is not being properly burned. Common causes of this situation are problems with the fuel injection system, proper injector pump timing, and low cylinder compression.

What causes black smoke in the combustion chamber?

Black smoke indicates excess fuel is being injected into the combustion chamber and/or not enough air is present. This can be caused by worn/leaking injectors or restrictions in the air intake system. Blue smoke is normally the result of engine oil entering & burning inside the combustion chamber.

Are there any problems with the LLY Duramax?

In terms of LLY injector problems, GM had sorted out the internal failures with the 2004 ½ redesign, but the LLY Duramax would occasionally exhibit a trouble code for the injectors, but in most cases it turned out to be an issue with the injector harness rubbing through and causing a short or open in the wiring.

Why is my Duramax diesel engine not working?

The trucks computer keeps track of how much fuel needs to be added or subtracted from each individual cylinder to make the engine run smoothly, and this value is called the balance rate. If one cylinder is contributing too much or not as much as the rest, the cause is usually a bad injector and the cure is a replacement.

What causes excessive smoke after an extended idle?

Excessive Smoke after extended Idle??? If my truck is warm and I sit at idle for an extended time (5 min or more) when I take off there is a large cloud of blueish smoke. After driving for a short while (3 min or so) it clears right up and doesn’t do it again until long idle.

Can a diesel engine cool off at idle?

Diesels cool off when at idle. This makes other problems worse. The engine doesn’t hardly use any oil, less than a quart between changes. The injectors were replaced last April, so I am ruling them out.

Why does my truck Smoke at low rpm?

Peeing injectors will eat a hole in a piston. Another possibility is low compression in one or more cylinders causing incomplete burn or no burn at low rpm. A injection pump on it’s way out will sometimes smoke blue. I have a 93 with a bad IP that smokes badly all the time. It has 174500 miles. I was wondering if it was bad turbo seals?

Why did my 2004 Duramax engine not start?

My 2004 Duramax started and then died like it was out of fuel. Now it won’t start. I have about 1/4 tank of fuel, tried priming it until the batteries died.

How much power does a Duramax Diesel have?

Power was at an all-time high coming in at 397hp and 765 pounds of torque, and in order to provide this much power while still keeping pollutants low, GM needed to be able to increase the pressure in the fuel system to levels above what the tried-and-true CP3 could safely deliver.

What to do if your car has white smoke?

If no coolant is present and the vehicle has a history of low coolant level, check the rest of the cooling system, head gaskets and the EGR cooler for leaks. The Glow Plug System continues to operate for a time after a cold start to reduce white smoke and improve idle quality.

What’s the difference between black smoke and white smoke?

Typically with a diesel black smoke means too much fuel too little air – or vice versa. White smoke usually means total and utter lack of combustion. I’m not a licensed diesel mechanic but I’ve worked with more then a few….. It wouldn’t be coolant then if you aren’t loosing any, nor if doesn’t smell sweet.

What to do about a Duramax 6.6 LB7 engine?

If you are having a problem with your 2001-2004 Duramax 6.6 LB7 diesel engine, please feel free to give us a call. We carry a full line of repair and performance parts for these engines that we install in our shop on a regular basis. Odds are we have run across your problem before and would be glad to help. Call us at 1-877-367-9351.

How many versions of the Duramax diesel engine are there?

All told, there are six different iterations of the Duramax diesel engine: LB7, LLY, LBZ, LMM, LML, and L5P spanning from 2001 to the present day. Each version of the engine has its own issues and quirks, and some are less problematic than others.

The introduction of common rail injection powered by the Bosch CP3 injection pump made the LB7 Duramax stand apart from other diesels of the day with excellent power and efficiency.

Are there any problems with my 2003 Duramax?

Thaks for the help. injectors,water pump,headgaskets,injectors again,instrument cluster,steering shaft,pinion seal,and injectors again. I have on 03 with 66,000 on it and know problems. Friend of mine has 03 asmost same truck and know problems with 145,000 on it. Sure love mine. P:S Injectors should be warrantied to 200,000.

In many cases, white smoke emanating from the tailpipe (often at idle once the engine reached operating temperature) typically means a worn out injector.

What are the symptoms of a bad Duramax fuel regulator?

Common Duramax Fuel Pressure Regulator Problems 1 Black Smoke. As we’ve said before, one of the most common problems that fuel pressure regulator experience is black smoke. 2 Strong gas smell. What are some of the most common symptoms of a bad fuel pressure regulator? 3 Hesitation on the gas pedal. 4 A decrease in power acceleration. …

Is the fprv on a Duramax 01-04?

Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Watch how we test a faulty fprv on an 01-04 LB7 Duramax. Symptoms were hard/no start, long crank time, white smoke. Very little loss of power noticed. Truck has FASS pump no other upgrades Loading…

What causes the injector on a Duramax to leak?

Leaking Injectors—LB7 One thing the ’01-’04 LB7 Duramax is notorious for is injector failure. The two primary failure points of the factory injectors are internal cracking of the injector body itself and corrosion-induced failure of the internal ball seat.

Why does my truck keep loping at idle?

I was reading old posts over at the place and some suggested that it was a bad fuel rail pressure regulator (FRPR) or it could also be a loose reluctor wheel on the crankshaft sensor. Anybody have any ideas on what it would for sure be?

What happens to the exhaust note at idle?

The exhaust note will change pitch at idle, but there is no change in rpms if you watch the tach. You must log in or register to reply here.

When does fuel pressure regulator go too high?

If they stay close together its not a regulator if the Actual is high by more than 500 psi you’ve got a regulator issue. Click to expand… Here’s what I found via the Predator. Fuel Pressure regulator- jumped around from 1000 to 1700 …it did not state the desired level.

What kind of head gasket does a Duramax have?

The Duramax has a multi-layer steel head gasket. When they have issues, they do not typically smoke out the exhaust or get coolant into the cylinders. What happens is the head lifts a little during the compression stroke.

Why does my diesel engine have blue smoke?

Blue engine smoke is the rarest type of smoke emanating from a diesel engine. The presence of blue smoke is an indication of burning oil. Blue smoke should not be ignored but is common when starting an engine in a cold weather. The oil thins out when it is cold and some could escape into the cylinder and be burnt.

What kind of smoke comes from a diesel engine?

Blue Smoke: Blue engine smoke is the rarest type of smoke emanating from a diesel engine. The presence of blue smoke is an indication of burning oil. Blue smoke should not be ignored but is common when starting an engine in a cold weather.

Why do I have white smoke coming from my exhaust pipe?

White smoke from the exhaust pipe on startup, idle, or acceleration tells us that coolant or water is getting vaporized in the exhaust pipe. You can also carefully smell the water or smoke from the exhaust; if it smells sweet, it’s most likely coolant, and in this case, you have a bigger problem.

What does Blue Smoke mean in an engine?

What Does Blue Smoke Mean? Blue smoke is a clear sign telling your car engine is burning oil. What happens is that the piston rings or the valve guide seals or other components of the engine are worn or broken, causing oil leaking. The oil will flow into the combustion chamber, then it is being burnt together with the fuel, creating blue smoke.

What should I do if I have white smoke coming from my engine?

The cooling system flows from the radiator to the engine block. Start by checking the coolant level in the radiator. Do not attempt to open the radiator cap while the engine is still hot. When the engine has cooled, check the coolant tank and radiator hose lines for signs of leaks.

Why does my car have a white smoke smell?

If the white smoke is coolant, your car is definitely having a crack in the cylinder head or a leaky head gasket, along with a sweet smell. In this situation, you can pressure test the cooling system if the coolant is low or the engine has been overheating. If it does not, your vehicle is mostly having a leaking gasket.

Are there any problems with the Duramax injectors?

However, Duramax injectors (in general) seem to be relatively sensitive to contamination and may fail prematurely if proper maintenance is not performed at regular intervals. It is extremely common for the injector wiring harness to chafe over time.

Are there any problems with the Duramax fuel filter?

The 2001 to 2004 LB7 fuel filter housings seem to be the most prone to problems. Water Pump Failure. Water pump failures for Duramax engine are somewhat common. It is not unlikely that a water pump will need to be replaced in the 80,000 – 100,000 mile range.

Is there a problem with the glow plug on my Duramax?

Often, you can verify the problem by wiggling the wires around the injector. If the problem goes away (even momentarily), you’ve identified the affected zone. Glow plug failure was a concern on the 2006 model year LBZ and LLY Duramax models, but the problem should have been long corrected for owners of these years.

Are there any problems with the Duramax water pump?

This seems to be inherent of the factory water pump design. Overheating issues with the Duramax diesel seems to be a hit-or-miss problem; some owners experience it, while others never will. Regardless, it’s more common with the Duramax than other engines.

Why do I have blue smoke coming out of my injectors?

This can be caused by worn/leaking injectors or restrictions in the air intake system. BLUE SMOKE. Blue smoke is normally the result of engine oil entering & burning inside the combustion chamber. This is most often caused by low compression, or worn piston rings.

Are there any problems with the Duramax engine?

The failure is most common in higher horsepower engines, but can still occur in moderately modified and even stock power plants. Not specific to one version of Duramax in particular (ex: LB7, LLY, LBZ, LMM or LML), the problem exists across all generations.

What happens when a Duramax engine goes down?

Not only does this mean game-over for the engine, but it results in a truck that’s down for weeks (if not months) and a huge chunk of change missing from your wallet. The failure is most common in higher horsepower engines, but can still occur in moderately modified and even stock power plants.

How can I Keep my Duramax Diesel pump healthy?

However, there are measures you can take to keep the pump happy and healthy, the first being to always buy your diesel from a high-traffic, reputable filling station that’s known to dispense good, clean fuel. Second, always change the fuel filter at or before the recommended service interval.

Why does my Duramax engine have white smoke at idle?