Mechanical CAT, smoke at idle

Ha

hard to find anyone who has the meters anymore, much less know how to use em

 

Mine smokes blue/grey after a cold start at dead idle too. Cleans up when she warms up. Throttle response is immediate. Sounds like a two stroke dirt bike.....braaap.....braaap. Maybe post a video?

 

Mine runs fine as far as I can tell, nice and smooth, it usually looks worse than in this pic. It will pretty much do this all day engine warm or cool

 

One thing you young ones need to understand. That light smoke haze on an old mechanical engine in cold weather is normal, nature of the beast. Dont have electronics to meter fuel. What ever the pump is set at is what is going to be squirted in the chambers. Cold air and cold fuel will not burn as well as warm air and fuel. Change timing or fuel settings in a mech and watch it smoke!

 

Mine too. Been following this thread to see if maybe I should have it looked at.

 

My brother in law has a 95 Pete that has a 3406C mechanical, no tweeking that I know if on it, when he starts it in the morning and let's it warms up, there is a constant bluish haze coming from the stacks and stays like that till he gets on the road. Once on the road it clears up and runs clear. But I always remember when I was around it when it is was idling it would smoke you out and burn your eyes.

 

Yea it runs fine, I like it better than the 3406e I had before this truck lol. It will just smoke at idle, and only at idle, whether the engine is warm or cold. I figured it's the quality Mexican oem caterpillar reman nozzles I put in. I would still like to meter time it for pure curiosity, before that stuff and people who run them disappear

 

I just bought a 91 5YG 3406b. It was a factory 460hp PEEC that was converted to manual. First thing I done was go thru the pump, max the rack and meter time it. It has the same haze as my other 3 until warm.

 

That haze is completely normal!

 

In 1989 I bought a 1988 FLT 120 for my wife. Cat 3406B. She got about 5.5 mpg with it. I drove it a few times. I got 4.25 mpg. Must have been my lead foot. What a difference from my old Pete with a 335 Cummins.