2004 Cummins - smokey starts

bfe-offroad · Apr 6, 2008

Lately my 2004 Cummins has been starting really hard. It shakes, rattles and blows alot of white / blue (mostly blue) smoke for around 30 seconds.

Im waiting for my glow plugs before starting and it wasn't that cold this morning (about 45 deg.)

It smokes less and less each time I start the truck throughout the day.

Does this sound like a lift pump issue??? The truck has 40,000 miles...

Thanks for any input.

zukkev · Apr 7, 2008

Is it possible that gas got put in it last fill up?Take a sniff into the fuel filler neck just to be sure....could be just a fuel quality issue...just my .02

bfe-offroad · Apr 7, 2008

No, just diesel fuel. The fuel light came on today and I put more diesel fuel in her. Im sure it was diesel due to the $4.15 per gallon price tag.
I don't think i got GAS in the tank tho...

zukkev · Apr 7, 2008

Well, it's still possible that you have a fuel quality issue. I thought the cummins used a air intake heater,not glow plugs....could be the heater isn't working...check your fuses;If all looks ok, then you might get ahold of dealer---should be under warranty if it is indeed the lift pump...

1 grumpy · Apr 7, 2008

zukkev said:
Well, it's still possible that you have a fuel quality issue. I thought the cummins used a air intake heater,not glow plugs....could be the heater isn't working...check your fuses;If all looks ok, then you might get ahold of dealer---should be under warranty if it is indeed the lift pump...

what about not properly cooling the turbo down after running it hard.I hear you need too let the engine run for 2 minutes before shutting it down.Or is this just for 1st gen dodges??

zukkev · Apr 7, 2008

It's not a bad idea to let it run for a couple to cool down after a hard run with any TD, but generally for average everyday driving it's not necessary--I usually let my PSD run til the pyro's under 300 degrees before shutting it down....

82toyomud · Apr 7, 2008

Sounds like an injector issue to me...

bfe-offroad · Apr 7, 2008

Yeah, I will do a fuse check today and maybe swap out the fuel filter. The current filter only has about 4000 miles on it though.
Also, I have NOT been paying attention to temps before shutting it off, but this is a stock 04' Cummins with no mods and this is happening during daily "around town" driving. I have not towed for several weeks.

Thanks for the input...anyone else with similar Dodge issues???

bfe-offroad · Apr 7, 2008

Here is what the admin on the Cummins forum replied:

Can you smell the smoke?

White smoke is raw unburnt fuel and smells like fuel. Blue smoke is oil; and we've all followed a car burning oil, no mistaking that smell.

White could be an injector problem (most likely.)

Blue smoke, not good. Oil getting into the combustion chamber or leaking from the turbo seals into the exhaust. You can pull the intake tube and see the compressor side of the turbo and check for wetness around the shaft and well as in play and side play.

Fullywrecked · Apr 7, 2008

some of the common rails have injector issues. It should be under warranty. It could be a lift pump or a leaking fuel line. Have the fuel pressure checked. Unburnt diesel in a cold engine can smoke blue........diesel is oil so when the motor is cold if its white and blue thats kinda normal. Colder temps will make it more noticeable.

As for it being rings I would highly doubt any internal engine probs (not nearly enough miles), it could be turbo seals if the truck gets shut off right after stopping, its kinda uphill all the way to your house and if you are lugging the motor the temps will be higher. I would suspect injector issues. The newer injectors (I believe they are piezo injectors) sometimes have problems. We can thank the EPA for making cummins change to something that hardly ever had problems. :masturbanana[1]:

wazz · Apr 8, 2008

Mine did that one time when the water seperator needed to be drained but yet the water in fuel light never came on.

You should make sure your oil level is not growing if so stop driving it. And I think you should still be covered under the 7 year 70K warranty.

bfe-offroad · Apr 9, 2008

Thanks for all the input. We will see what Dodge says tomorrow.

wcjp · Apr 10, 2008

Which Dodge Dealer? Hopefully not BBC in Burien.

doctorhomo · Apr 10, 2008

my guess is that your head gasket is leaking
cousing the rough starts(water in a cyl.)

crash2 · Apr 10, 2008

doctorturbo said:
my guess is that your head gasket is leaking
cousing the rough starts(water in a cyl.)

Not likely

Mine did this when the VP was going bad. But it could be a leaky injector...

snowgoon · Apr 10, 2008

I am having this same problom, 43000 on a 04 CTD please let me know what you find out. I drive it so little figured it was just cold.

maverick1990 · Apr 10, 2008

i am not a diesel guy but my dad has a 98 1/2 dodge cummins and i help him do alot of work on it and it sounds like you either have dirty injectors or you injectors when bad. that just my 2 cents but i'm not positive.

bfe-offroad · May 6, 2008

The Dodge dealership in Auburn says the fuel system tests fine. They did do a software upgrade that was supposta help with cold starts, milage, and drivability??? It didn't do ****!

They told me "some diesels smoke more than others"

I started my truck yesterday (about 60 deg. outside temp.) and it smoked MORE THAN EVER! After about a minute or so it does stop smoking and it still runs great.

If i had injector issues, wouldn't it run poorly all the time?

What is involved with replaceing the turbo seals??? :eeek:

wazz · May 6, 2008

For a free and something to try, open your water separator drain while the engines running (put a drain pan under the lowest part of the front diff to catch the fuel) let it drain for around 15 sec or so, shut the valve inspect the fuel for water contamination and see if it still smokes. I still think you have water in the fuel tank.

82toyomud · May 6, 2008

bfe-offroad said:
The Dodge dealership in Auburn says the fuel system tests fine. They did do a software upgrade that was supposta help with cold starts, milage, and drivability??? It didn't do ****!

They told me "some diesels smoke more than others"

I started my truck yesterday (about 60 deg. outside temp.) and it smoked MORE THAN EVER! After about a minute or so it does stop smoking and it still runs great.

If i had injector issues, wouldn't it run poorly all the time?

What is involved with replaceing the turbo seals??? :eeek:

Was it blue, white or black smoke?

If it was turbo seals you would see oil in your intake track... And you have to send the turbo in to get the seals replaced