Bucking and Blue Smoke

jschildm · Aug 23, 2013

Last weekend when I started my truck one morning I noticed some blue smoke from the exhaust. That's not unheard of from it (usually in cold weather), but usually stops pretty quick as it warms up. It puffed a couple times but ended up going away (drove 5 hours).

On my way to work this morning, it seemed fine, but after driving a bit there is some construction. I drove slowly through it, and the truck started to "buck" a bit on me, and I noticed a decent cloud of blue smoke. The buck quickly went away, and so did the blue smoke. It did this one more time cruising slowly in the parking lot.

Truck has 165K on it and runs great so long as its not doing this. TS chip, intake, exhaust, efuel, and adrenaline is whats been done to it.

I was thinking it sounded like it could either be turbo seals or injector o-rings, but wanted to see what people thought, and if there was a way to check such things. I believe for the turbo I can look in the intake boots for oil? Any other thoughts or ideas.

Thanks.

jschildm · Aug 23, 2013

After a trip through town it seems to like to do it going fairly slowly after I let of the gas a bit.

Nodge · Aug 25, 2013

Cam sensor.

jschildm · Aug 26, 2013

Hadn't thought of that, but also haven't replaced mine since I bought the truck 4 years ago. Do those normally throw a code? I haven't seen the check engine light come on during any of this, and there weren't any codes when I scanned it. Its something fairly cheap and easy to try though.

jschildm · Aug 26, 2013

I fired it up yesterday and it blue smoked like crazy just sitting there idling. We took off in it and it didn't smoke at all after that. Maybe tonight or tomorrow morning I will fire it up and try to get a video.

jschildm · Sep 4, 2013

I replaced my CPS yesterday with a Delphi sensor. The sensor I removed looked to be the same kind that I had purchased to install. Its a bit early to tell since I haven't really driven it around at all, I just ran it in the garage, but I don't believe that it was the problem.

I took some video of it as i started it and let it idle some. There are a few revs at the end of the video as well. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbWIGP7ghLM

Once I get to driving, it either goes away, or I just cant see it anymore; because it definitely doesn't smoke like that by the time we get to the boat ramp and idle there.

I am still thinking injector o-rings or maybe turbo seal. Is there any way to test or decipher between the two without pulling them and taking a look/rebuilding?

Rideracelivemx7 · Sep 4, 2013

sounds like injector orings for sure. If you rev it from idol does it pop around 24-2500?

Lethalthreat7.3 · Sep 4, 2013

So it only smokes when cold? Once it is driven and brought to operating temp it doesn't smoke until it has cooled down?

jschildm · Sep 4, 2013

Rideracelivemx7 said:
sounds like injector orings for sure. If you rev it from idol does it pop around 24-2500?

I am not sure. The closest thing to a "pop" that I have noticed is cruising about 35, while its rev'ed pretty high before the last shift if you hold that speed sometimes it will start "jump" some and smokes. I can try revving it tonight and seeing what I hear. I don't think I ever got it that high in the video.

jschildm · Sep 4, 2013

Lethalthreat7.3 said:
So it only smokes when cold? Once it is driven and brought to operating temp it doesn't smoke until it has cooled down?

That's sure what it seems like its doing to me. I am also not sure it always smokes like that on start up, although it seems like it might be getting worse. We drive about 25 minutes to the boat ramp and by the time I get there it idles on the ramp and doesn't smoke like the video. Usually it doesn't due it when we load the boat after a day on the water either, although it did this last sunday after sitting about 12 hours.

By the time I get about a mile to the highway, it seems like it has stopped smoking, although maybe the smoke is just more diluted since I am moving. Its almost like an o-ring is leaking slow enough its not noticeable until it sits long enough to bleed off more oil.

jschildm · Sep 5, 2013

Took the truck out last night. When I started it up, it smoked like the video, but after getting up to highway speeds I could not notice any smoke. I met someone about 15 minutes away, and then they followed me. There was no blue smoke while idling, and they were looking and saw no blue smoke while I was driving. It sat for a few hours, and there was still no smoke. Just wanted give an update after paying special attention to these things.

Lethalthreat7.3 · Sep 5, 2013

So when it's warm it doesn't smoke. It smokes when cold but once it is brought up to operating temp it stops and doesn't smoke again until it has completely cooled back down(12 or so hrs), correct?
Does it start easily after sitting overnight or does it take longer than when it has been warmed up?
Sounds as though it might be glowplugs. Have you checked them out? Resistance readings.

jschildm · Sep 5, 2013

It starts the same weather its warm or cold. I haven't checked resistance through the connectors, but did put 8 new Motorcraft plugs in maybe a year or year and a half ago.

I think there is more to it than just GP's because of the surging and blue smoke that I get on occasion while cruising around 30 or 35 mph (started doing this around the same time as excessive blue smoke). It just doesn't happen often enough at this point for me to try and take some data while its doing it. When it does it, it will last a second, maybe two, and then is fine again.

I suppose whatever the problem is will eventually get worse and become easier to diagnose?

ghohouston · Sep 5, 2013

Could be the injectors getting worn, or o rings like stated. I'd drop the 80-90 bucks for o rings and see if it doesnt solve your problem. You can also disconnect your down pipe and check inside your exhaust outlet of your turbo to check for oil.

Lethalthreat7.3 · Sep 5, 2013

[When it does it, it will last a second, maybe two, and then is fine again.]Imo, an o-ring issue wouldn't be interrmittant. Yes it might change depending on engine temp(expansion/contraction) however in the world of hydraulics, leaks from o-rings don't "will last for a second or two....." then go away.
You need to scan it and gather some data when it acts up as it sounds electrical.

jschildm · Sep 5, 2013

Are the Alliant o-rings any good, or do I want to stick with motorcraft?

jschildm · Sep 9, 2013

Haven't been able to record any data. I did make an interesting discovery yesterday though. I have no idea how long it has been this way, but I noticed the knob of my chip was in a different position than normal ... sure enough ... it was in "Stealth Mode". :doh:

I believe that advances the timing some to ATTEMPT to quiet the engine, and I could see where it might cause some haze at idle. I don't think that is the full problem, but I am going to fire it up tomorrow morning and see what kind of difference it makes on the haze at start-up.

ghohouston · Sep 9, 2013

My truck would do the same in stealth! I tried it twice, and didnt like that.

jschildm · Sep 10, 2013

Well ... I went out to the garage and fired the truck up with the chip in a normal setting and it was pretty well smoke free. Switched it to stealth mode and sure enough, bring on the haze. Time will tell if that's my only issue the whole time, or if I still have the occasional bucking and smoking in certain situations.