General Diesel Engine Diagnostic Guide

The following is a general diesel engine diagnostic guide. It may not be 100% effective for your diesel engine.

Symptom Cause Remedy

Black or Dark Gray Smoke
Smokes under load, especially at high and medium speed. Injector pump timing Set timing
Engine is quitter than normal. retarded
Smokes under load, especially at low and medium speed. Engine Injector pump timing Set timing
is noisier than normal. advanced
Smokes under load at all speeds, but most apparent at low and Weak cylinder Repair engine
medium speeds. Engine may be difficult to start. compression
Smokes under load, especially at high speed. Restricted air cleaner Clean/replace air filter element
Smokes under load, especially at high and medium speed. Dirty injector nozzle(s) Clean/replace injector(s)
Power may be down.
Smokes under load, especially at low and medium speed. Power Clogged/restricted fuel Clean/replace fuel lines
may be down. lines
Puffs of black smoke, sometimes with blue or white component. Sticking injectors Clean/replace injector(s)
Engine may knock.

Blue, blue- gray, or gray-white smoke

Whitish or blue smoke at high speed and light load, especially Injector pump timing Set timing
when engine is cold. As temperature rises smoke color changes retarded
to black. Power loss across the full RPM band, especially at full
throttle.
Whitish or blue smoke under light load, after engine reaches Leaking injector(s) Repair/replace injector(s)
operating temperature. Knocking may be present.
Blue smoke on acceleration after a prolonged period at idle. Leaking valve seals. Replace seals. Check valve
Smoke may disappear under steady throttle. guide/stems.
Persistent blue smoke at all speeds and loads, and operating Worn rings/cylinders. Overhaul/rebuild engine.
temperatures.

http://BestManuals.net
Best.Manuals@yahoo.com
Light blue or whitish smoke at high speed under light load. Over-cooling Replace thermostat
Pungent odor.

Engine cranks slowly but does not start. Cranking system Check battery, cable terminators, and
malfunction starter motor
Crankshaft bound, Bar engine over by hand. If it appears
viscosity tight, check oil for ethylene glycol leaks
into sump.
Faulty injectors Check injector opening pressure.
Cranking speed erratic, engine does not start. Valves out of time Check valve timing
Engine cranks normally, but does not start. Glow plus inoperable Check glow plugs, control circuitry
Incorrect or contaminated Check fuel supply
fuel
No fuel to cylinders Trace the supply forward from tank to
transfer pump, transfer pump to high
pressure pump (which may be the same
unit), high pressure pump to injectors,
injectors to nozzles.
Incorrect pump timing Check timing
Air intake restriction Check filter element
Exhaust system restriction Check system

Low compression Test cylinder compression

Engine does not idle Incorrect idle adjustment Correct adjustment
Air in fuel system Bleed system, tighten connections.
Clogged fuel filter(s) Replace filter(s)
Fuel return line restrictedDisconnect line to verify restriction and
remove obstruction
Air inlet restriction Replace filter element
Exhaust system restriction Repair system

http://BestManuals.net
Best.Manuals@yahoo.com
Engine runs erratically at low speed Any of the idle Check as indicated
malfunctions above.
Loss of compression in Test cylinder compression
one or more cylinders
Engine does not develop normal power Insufficient fuel supply Check filters, transfer pump, cap vent,
for possible air leaks into system.
Incorrect or contaminated check fuel supply
fuel
Injection timing error Check timing
Air inlet restriction Check filter element
High pressure fuel system Check high pressure system, beginning
malfunction with leaks and concluding with pump
calibration
loss of engine Test cylinder compression
compression
Engine knocks excessively Defective injector(s) Test by substitution
Restricted fuel return line Open line to verify, remove obstruction
Injection pump Test pump
malfunction
Bearing knock Verify and repair engine.

http://BestManuals.net
Best.Manuals@yahoo.com