Black smoke all of a sudden.

[SFA hilux]

Hi all.
Just looking for any suggestions on what would cause my engine to all of a sudden become very smok
Engine has been basically smoke free for an old engine (Toyota 3l 2.8 turbo, 260ks)
All of a sudden it is belching black smoke as I accelerate.
Don’t know if it is coincidence but I noticed the smoke a day or two after I changed the engine oil and it was slightly over the hi mark on the dipstick. Maybe a few hundred ml. I took some out after I saw the smoke.
I haven’t lost any power, it starts instantly.
The injectors (I presume) are very rattly on cold start since I’ve had it Dyno tuned a couple of months ago.
Since noticing the smoke I’ve changed the fuel filter and the air was done just prior to the smoke.
Anyone have any ideas?
the injectors have been recently rebuilt. Maybe 10000kms ago.
I could understand if it became smoky over thousands of kms but not instantly.
any input would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[Petunia]

Black smoke = unburnt fuel
White smoke = starvation of fuel [ eg; blocked filter/s ] or a blueish tinge is oil burning.

My first guess is an injector problem? that is only a guess based on a diesel will black smoke if it is working very hard in too higher a gear ratio and your foot is into it. Dirty fuel? got past your filter? clogged injectors? allegedly even the spray pattern of the injectors affects how the fuel burns?

Oil, I always overfill, I figure there is always some in the holes some in the head some here some there, that a few Mil aint here nor there. Oh but but but you can bend your crank? well I not bent nor broken a crank in 45 years, broken everything else possible in the old 12R work truck when they let go they were non refundable due to electrical problems, there were no mounts left to hang the alternator off of.

 

[Rusty Panels]

Actually black smoke usually indicates too much fuel, white smoke is unburnt fuel and finally blue smoke is burning oil.

You say that the smoke appeared after changing your oil and the air filter. I'd be checking the element is the right one and not faulty or something strange like you left a rag in the filter box. If it's rattling on start up and then quietens down it sounds like air in the injectors. Have a good look at the fuel side, check for any leaks. You might need to re-bleed it after having changed the fuel filter.

As for the advice on overfilling oil one word, Don't. The manufacturers put a full and low mark on the dipstick for a reason. I would NOT be taking advice from others to add more than the recommendation. While it won't hurt to be a little over the full mark too much oil can cause catastrophic engine failure. I had a mate who overfilled his 1KZ and bent conrods was the result. The most common problem though is the crankshaft causes the oil to foam as it is beating through it and this actually causes oil starvation to bearings and other parts.

 

[cam04]

As above. First place to check when you see black smoke is always the air filter/intake. Start simple.

If that is all good, ask the mrs how much unleaded she put in it and how far she drove it.........

 

[SFA hilux]

As above. First place to check when you see black smoke is always the air filter/intake. Start simple.

If that is all good, ask the mrs how much unleaded she put in it and how far she drove it.........

Haha, funny you say that my previous hilux I put the unleaded in. 25lts she drove it towing a trailer flat to the boards for 60kms! Drained it, refueled and it ran like a dream dream.

 

[SFA hilux]

My first guess is an injector problem? that is only a guess based on a diesel will black smoke if it is working very hard in too higher a gear ratio and your foot is into it. Dirty fuel? got past your filter? clogged injectors? allegedly even the spray pattern of the injectors affects how the fuel burns?

So I could have something blocking my injector, I hadn’t thought of that. Guess the only way to find that out is to pull the injectors and get them tested.

 

[SFA hilux]

You might need to re-bleed it after having changed the fuel filter.

I did have to roll start it to get the diesel through everything again when I changed the diese filter last, don’t think the primer pump works. Can’t see how it can completely get all the air out anyway if it did.
Surely once it’s running it bleeds it self? I don’t know, I’m just guessing? The fuel line looks pretty old, could be letting some air in like that?

 

[cam04]

Haha, funny you say that my previous hilux I put the unleaded in. 25lts she drove it towing a trailer flat to the boards for 60kms! Drained it, refueled and it ran like a dream dream.

The mechanical injection systems didn’t mind a bit of a clean out every now and then, the same cannot be said for common rail. We had a lighthouse tech manage to get a 4.2 N.A. Diesel patrol from Cape Flattery to Cairns on unleaded by mistake - it made it but wasn’t in a good way after that.

 

[Petunia]

don’t think the primer pump works

They never do, and or never did, they are actually pathetic. 17mm spanner crack the nut on top your injectors, pump that pathetic black button til you have a coronary or diesel comes out each nut, with no air. Most small diesels will pump fuel in as long as one cylinder fires.
I cured mine .... bought a massey ferguson fuel filter and housing, least it has a decent priming pump.
Note I didn't recommend nuffink.

 

[SFA hilux]

Just checked the air intake side up to the filter. All clear.

 

[Rusty Panels]

Check all your hoses coming in and out of the turbo. Look for a leaking or split hose or one that's gone soft and is collapsing as you accelerate.
Because you say it's only developed the issue since servicing, I would think it unlikely that it's suddenly suffering from crook injectors. I still think it may have some sort air restriction.

As for bleeding the fuel line, those pumps can be very slow but they are pretty reliable. You sometimes need to pull pretty hard on the plunger to get it to the full length for pumping. They normally pop out after you unscrew them and are usually abut 75mm long. A bit of oil applied to the outside surface of the plunger might help seal it if it's a bit worn. It also sounds like you still have air in the fuel line and may need to crack each injector while its running to bleed it properly that is unless you can get the primer to work. You can have air trapped in the system that simply won't disappear till it's properly bled out.

 

[Triton14]

Imo can be as simple as checking the settings on your ECU.

I had a similar issue, drive into the mechanics, he plugs his computer into ECU, says ok the fuel/air mixture is off, taps a few keys on the computer & off I go with no more smoke.

Not every problem has to have a big mechanical issue.

Take it to someone reliable who understands diesels!!.

 

[SFA hilux]

Imo can be as simple as checking the settings on your ECU.

I had a similar issue, drive into the mechanics, he plugs his computer into ECU, says ok the fuel/air mixture is off, taps a few keys on the computer & off I go with no more smoke.

Not every problem has to have a big mechanical issue.

Take it to someone reliable who understands diesels!!.

ECU. Only plug this Ute has is for the trailer lights. Ha.
I agree though, it probably just take it to the guys who tuned it and rebuilt the injectors if I can’t figure anything out.

 

[SFA hilux]

Check all your hoses coming in and out of the turbo. Look for a leaking or split hose or one that's gone soft and is collapsing as you accelerate.
Because you say it's only developed the issue since servicing, I would think it unlikely that it's suddenly suffering from crook injectors. I still think it may have some sort air restriction.

As for bleeding the fuel line, those pumps can be very slow but they are pretty reliable. You sometimes need to pull pretty hard on the plunger to get it to the full length for pumping. They normally pop out after you unscrew them and are usually abut 75mm long. A bit of oil applied to the outside surface of the plunger might help seal it if it's a bit worn. It also sounds like you still have air in the fuel line and may need to crack each injector while its running to bleed it properly that is unless you can get the primer to work. You can have air trapped in the system that simply won't disappear till it's properly bled out.

I think it’s purely coincidence that it happened since I changed the oil but can’t rule it out yet.
I’ll check the intake side hoses
Guess I’ll do a google on how to bleed injectors and sort that out as well.