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Carrier reefer blowing white smoke???

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by gothedistance, May 4, 2011.

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  1. May 4, 2011 #1
    gothedistance

    gothedistance Bobtail Member

    10
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    Apr 27, 2011
    margate, fl
    0
    Our Carrier unit started blowing white smoke. When you crank up the unit, is OK, after an hour of the unit been running it starts blowing white smoke for 3-4 seconds and the unit goes back to normal, no noise, no more smoke. But then every so often it does it again in a period of 15 minutes to 1 hour, same thing...blows smoke 304 seconds and then normal. When the unit is in idle, everything is normal as soon as the compressor kicks in it takes about 10-15 minutes for that white smoke to blow for 3-4 seconds.

    Bled the whole system, put a new filter so that I could deliver my last load. The service dept that checked it cleaned the fuel sytems but after I left the place after a couple of hours it started again (go figure!).

    So now, I have called several places and I get mixed answers.

    Has anybody had a similar problem? Any advise is welcomed!
     
    gothedistance, May 4, 2011
    gothedistance, May 4, 2011
    #1
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  3. May 4, 2011 #2
    FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    6,665
    5,501
    Sep 14, 2008
    Back behind the Wheel and out of the OFFICE
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    White smoke can be caused by coolant leaking into combustion chamber ( cylinder ) result of bad head gasket or craked block
     
    FLATBED, May 4, 2011
    FLATBED, May 4, 2011
    #2
    Makoman Thanks this.
  4. May 4, 2011 #3
    gothedistance

    gothedistance Bobtail Member

    10
    0
    Apr 27, 2011
    margate, fl
    0
    Thank you! We will check into it! I really appreciate it!
     
    gothedistance, May 4, 2011
    gothedistance, May 4, 2011
    #3
  5. May 4, 2011 #4
    SHO-TYME

    SHO-TYME Road Train Member

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    Apr 20, 2011
    Dahlonega, GA
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    Check your oil, is it milky looking or clean?
     
    SHO-TYME, May 4, 2011
    SHO-TYME, May 4, 2011
    #4
    Makoman Thanks this.
  7. May 4, 2011 #5
    gothedistance

    gothedistance Bobtail Member

    10
    0
    Apr 27, 2011
    margate, fl
    0
    The first thing the technician checked was the coolant level and it was OK. Level didn't drop. Then he went into the fuel system and cleaned it up.

    We did an oil change and there was no sign of any coolant or water mixed with the oil. What you are telling me we have been told by some mechanics we have contacted, yet why is it not doing it constantly only so often?
    The unit might run for an hour and won't do nothing and then white smoke.
    Thanks for the info!
     
    gothedistance, May 4, 2011
    gothedistance, May 4, 2011
    #5
  8. May 6, 2011 #6
    Yatista

    Yatista Medium Load Member

    479
    206
    Jan 25, 2009
    Upstate New York
    0
    A diesel blowing white smoke is spewing unburned fuel. Does the engine use glo-plugs? Unburned fuel could also be caused by low compression on one or more cylinders.
     
    Yatista, May 6, 2011
    Yatista, May 6, 2011
    #6
  9. May 6, 2011 #7
    FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    6,665
    5,501
    Sep 14, 2008
    Back behind the Wheel and out of the OFFICE
    0
    Excess fuel is BLACK SMOKE , white exhaust of gas or diesel engine is usually indication of moisture.

    Has the injectors been checked ?
     
    FLATBED, May 6, 2011
    FLATBED, May 6, 2011
    #7
  10. May 7, 2011 #8
    Kittyfoot

    Kittyfoot Crusty Ancient

    2,092
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    Sep 21, 2009
    Sorrento, Louisiana
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    I'd be thinking a cracked head on the reefer engine with that intermittent "smoke". Probly just a hairline crack into the combustion chamber that "widens" under heat. You'll need to get the head magnafluxed to find it most likely.
     
    Kittyfoot, May 7, 2011
    Kittyfoot, May 7, 2011
    #8
  11. May 8, 2011 #9
    Yatista

    Yatista Medium Load Member

    479
    206
    Jan 25, 2009
    Upstate New York
    0

    Both conditions are unburned fuel, one when loaded and the other with no load on the engine.
    Unburned fuel (no ignition) is white. Can be caused by low compression (not high enough to ignite fuel) or, if equipped, a bad glo-plug. Think about a cold start that blows white smoke until head temperature gets high enough. Black smoke comes from lugging or overloading the engine. The injectors over charge the cylinder with fuel. The excess is blackened by the partial burn before being vented out the exhaust.
     
    Yatista, May 8, 2011
    Yatista, May 8, 2011
    #9
  12. May 8, 2011 #10
    CondoCruiser

    CondoCruiser The Legend

    19,726
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    Apr 18, 2010
    Tennessee
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    Normally white smoke is an indicator of coolant getting into the cylinder. But if the coolant level is full, a bad injector will create the same problem. It will dribble fuel into the cylinder. If it's bad enough, smell your dipstick and see if it smells like diesel.
    I'm pretty sure that's your problem. That and it's a Carrier, lol. Try ThermoKing, you'll be much happier.
     
    CondoCruiser, May 8, 2011
    CondoCruiser, May 8, 2011
    #10
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