Smoke from Exhaust

[PALLEN Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PALLEN]

Hi All,
Had the Prado now for 18 months (2009 ) 230K ( diesel auto).
Over the past few weeks it is having moments of considerable smoke ( white/grey) from the exhaust. Usually happens with engine at temp and having stopped and then start off again. Example in stop start traffic. Also have seen a reasonable high use of oil . Engine doesnt seem to lack in performance and doesnt have any misses or rough running.
Have just done an oil change and air filter replacement. Also replaced coolant recently andthere does not appear to be any loss of coolant evident .
When I drained the oil there was no water that I could see in the oil. Any idea for things to start checking on??

[Lawesb Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Lawesb]

Just search DPF issues anywhere, so much info on the issue (would not cause loss of engine oil though, that would be blue smoke).

[Daniel150 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Daniel150]

Just search DPF issues anywhere, so much info on the issue (would not cause loss of engine oil though, that would be blue smoke).

Mate, he has a 2009 prado… well before dpf.
White smoke is unburnt diesel. I’d be getting you injectors looked at asap.
Could be a number of things, but if your spray patterns are stuffed and the injector is not atomising the diesel, it will result in the diesel not being burnt properly. Hence the white smoke.
Unfortunately the excess oil use could be that the damage has already been done, but I hope not.
Get the injectors looked at and a compression test ASAP.
Not trying to over dramatise it, but not the best motors to have injector problems with.
Grey smoke is also burnt oil.

[Piggy Water pistol pilot. Find all posts View Profile Close Piggy]

White smoke could be a number of things:

Condensation in exhaust
Coolant leak into combustion chamber
Cracked block or cylinder head
Incorrect injector pump timing
Faulty injector
Piston ring or valve seal leak

White/ grey is possibly a lack of fuel.

As said, Off to a mechanic (Diesel) to have some things checked..

[PALLEN Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PALLEN]

Thanks for responses, yes I thought it may have been injector related although the motor was rebuilt a few months before I bought it so would have thought that new injectors would be part of a standard rebuild. Nevertheless added some injector cleaner half a tank ago and seems to have lessened the issue so far. Not blowing any smoke that I can tell from start up and 10km to work and tends to be much less than it was at any rate ( hard to tell when trying to see whilst driving but the big clouds of smoke seem to be a lot rarer and havent seen much for the last 200km.
Yes the oil is another issue. I will have a good look over the motor next week and see if I can identify any leak other than this catch can setup. Looks like the pipe on drivers side of engine has a loose hose on it going to catch can. Catch can has two hoses connecting to nothing and routed down in front of wheel well and dripping a bit of oil so obviously disconnected and a drain pipe.
What is the recomendation with this gear as I see a lot say get rid of it and others swear by it.
Regarding a recommended Diesel mechanic. Any recommendations in Western Sydney ( Parramatta area).
Thanks

[carco Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close carco]

I’d sort that catch can plumbing ASAP. Could be breathing via those disconnected pipes in the mudguard.
Check if it’s a Ryco can too. If so, give it a thorough going over, Google etc.

[Daniel150 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Daniel150]

Hey mate, I hope you get the smoke issue sorted out.
Regarding the oil use, I’m not a believer in rebuilds, I’ve never seen one done well or anywhere near as good as a new motor. Unfortunately you may be stuck with and oil burner. Could possibly have been a cheap rebuild to get the car moved along.
Of course I’ve never seen the car so I could be way wrong.

[PALLEN Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PALLEN]

Just took it for a run and after five minutes running pulled up at lights and when taking off blew a bit of white smoke but seemed to be fine thereafter. Anyone know of a decent diesel mechanic in Parramatta region. Love to work out how this oil catch can is supposed to be plumbed. Is there a diagram somewhere or do I rip it out

[Daniel150 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Daniel150]

Got a photo of the catch can

[PALLEN Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PALLEN]

[Daniel150 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Daniel150]

Looks like an imitation provent 200.
Have you drained it lately?
The only catch can I have confidence in is the provent. Personally I’d buy a vehicle specific kit and fit that if the existing one looks shoddy.
Provent is…
Rocker cover to top inlet
bottom outlet to turbo/air intake
bottom drain on the longest hose you can fit with gradient on it and a tap on the end.

[Piggy Water pistol pilot. Find all posts View Profile Close Piggy]

Yep, check if catch can is full, also may need a replacement filter. make sure its a genuine provent as there was a lot of imitations.

Catch cans are worth their weight in gold for removing oil blowby, hence why they are used on most earthmoving and mining equipment. . Dont believe the hype peddled by some self-proclaimed gurus that are simply out to line their pockets.

[PALLEN Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PALLEN]

Ok so if the bottom outlet is not connected to the turbo air intake as described above ,what would normally be on the turbo intake ( with no catch can setup) . Assume its accessible from under the car ? Will take a look when it stop bloody raining.
Will take it all apart and drain it as expect that it is full given the oil drops its leaving from the drain pipe (no tap on existing drain pipe).

[PALLEN Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PALLEN]

Update on this and more questions.
pulled apart catch can and return hose from can was disconnected. hose from rocker cover was connected to inlet on can. emptied and cleaned out can as much as a could, not clear on how the filter comes out . centre button can pulled up but seems spring loaded, rest of it was inaccessible. Had replace air filter last service and notice black ish Oil on airfilter already which may be pulling oil fumes from oil dripping out of the can through diconnected pipe cant see where any other contaimination would get into airbox. Any thoughts?
Another Question is that i have a rocker cover pipe going to catch can and a disconnected return from catch can. The hose which I assume would be the factory fitted hose, comes from down near turbo and is bent over on itself and tied off. Assume this originally went to rocker cover pipe. I would think that the way it is would have little effect as i assume there would be a vacuum at the turbo sucking the oiled aired from the rocker cover pipe into the catch can and then back to the turbo or does it rely on the slight pressure in the engine. First diesel and first turbo so there is a lot to get to know on this.

[Piggy Water pistol pilot. Find all posts View Profile Close Piggy]

Update on this and more questions.
pulled apart catch can and return hose from can was disconnected. hose from rocker cover was connected to inlet on can. emptied and cleaned out can as much as a could, not clear on how the filter comes out . centre button can pulled up but seems spring loaded, rest of it was inaccessible. Had replace air filter last service and notice black ish Oil on airfilter already which may be pulling oil fumes from oil dripping out of the can through diconnected pipe cant see where any other contaimination would get into airbox. Any thoughts?
Another Question is that i have a rocker cover pipe going to catch can and a disconnected return from catch can. The hose which I assume would be the factory fitted hose, comes from down near turbo and is bent over on itself and tied off. Assume this originally went to rocker cover pipe. I would think that the way it is would have little effect as i assume there would be a vacuum at the turbo sucking the oiled aired from the rocker cover pipe into the catch can and then back to the turbo or does it rely on the slight pressure in the engine. First diesel and first turbo so there is a lot to get to know on this.

It sounds like it's been plumbed wrong. The filter looks like this. Does yours have this part? Or has it been removed?



And is fitted like this:



Is this part in yours?

6 is an Empty point for captured oil; it should have a hose on it going to a valve you can use to empty the catch can.
7 and 8 are the inlet hose from the engine and the return hose to the engine. If one of these is not connected, it's likely pressurising your engine and causing your smoke issue. As well as having the problem of possibly pushing out the main seals of the crankcase from pressurising.

What is connected to where from your engine?