1999 E300TD - using oil and smokey for first few seconds

[pcman_jh]

Any suggestions for my 1999 E300 TD. Now using oil between changes, about 2 pints in 4000 miles although looks OK in rear view mirror when driving, but...

when starting first time in the day, noticeable white smoke out of the back for about 20 seconds then appears to be (visibly) OK. Starts first turn of the key, so compression appears to still be good.

Valve seals or piston rings, or just type of oil being used. I'm using MB certified oil (Chevron diesel oil which was last changed 4500 miles ago).

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Well I can tell you that in 10,000 miles my E300TD has used pretty much no oil whatsoever.

White smoke, isn't that normally a sign of a coolant leak?

 

[bigasotonuk]

Could be condensation burning off

 

[pcman_jh]

E300 TD using oil

I've assumed the white(genre) of smoke is oil since it's went from the maximum on on the dipstick to minimum in about 4500 miles and coolant level is OK. Also, it didn't use any oil in the last change (6000 miles) using the same oil.

If it was condensation, it's just started over the last few weeks (being noticeable anyway).

 

[slim_boy_fat]

To be honest thats not outragious oil consumption. Keep you eye on it, if it stays the same then all you are doing is adding a bit of fresh oil evey now and then, no bad thing eh!

 

[Bolide]

Is the car using any coolant? How many miles has the car done? How has it been used? You don't give us much to go on

White smoke, according to a few Internet sources, is caused variously by air in the fuel system, lack of fuel, low compression, faulty injector(s), too low a cranking speed, failed glowplugs (and subsequent cold start) and / or incorrect timing

If the car is using oil then I'd assume it's losing compression, either through worn rings, poor valve sealing or worn valve guide oil seals. A leak down test should help find out where the problem lies

I've come across 606 engines with not much compression but I've never come across one that uses oil. It doesn't sound good

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Parrot of Doom]

It might be worth getting up on ramps, pulling the undertray off, and looking for leaks. Those undertrays have spongey material on top, that can soak up a lot of oil so you wouldn't notice much of a puddle under the car.

 

[oigle]

Think maybe you are confusing white smoke with blue oil smoke. Does it also smoke a bit when you accelerate after idling for a longish period? Smoking for about 20 seconds is a classic symptom of hardened up valve stem oil seals that have given up - have you overheated the engine at all anytime? Getting the engine a bit hot hardens the rubbers, eventually leading to failure. Of course, general wear and tear eventually stuffs them anyway.
This would account for your oil usage too.

 

[pcman_jh]

Re E300 white smoke`

The car's never overheated (it's actually very good at keeping the same temperature).

I was checking it today through my rear view mirror and there was absolutely no sign of any smoke when accelerating in front of cars with their lights on - I find the lights can really show up any smoke in the air - and nothing, despite it smoking very noticeably first thing this morning for 20/30 seconds. All strange!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

The car's never overheated (it's actually very good at keeping the same temperature).

I was checking it today through my rear view mirror and there was absolutely no sign of any smoke when accelerating in front of cars with their lights on - I find the lights can really show up any smoke in the air - and nothing, despite it smoking very noticeably first thing this morning for 20/30 seconds. All strange!

Do yourself a favour and stop worring about it and just drive the car. Check the oil once a week and top it up when required. Other than that it should be fine.

If it starts using any more than 1l every 1000 miles then start looking into things.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

With regard to the smoke - are you sure its not just unburnt fuel being spat out of the exhaust?

Mine has 1 faulty glow plug thats too expensive to fix right now, and every cold morning I start her up I get a few puffs of smoke from the back until that 1 cylinder starts firing. We're talking about 10 seconds on a cold day, 2-3 seconds on a normal day.

 

[pcman_jh]

E300 smoking first thing

I don't think it is a glow plug as I'd experience one being down on my C250 diesel with none of the momentary lumpiness or glow plug dash light coming on.

Just been to Aberdeen and back today (300 miles round trip) with the obligatory smoke first thing for 15 secs, but then nothing obvious when driving.

Will have to keep an eye on it and just hope its a case of living with it assuming it doesn't get worse.

 

[Hibbo]

My E300D (same engine, just lacking the turbo) has a knackered glowplug (or two) and splutters and smokes from cold for about 20 secs, it then runs perfectly. What I do find interesting is that the spluttering stops instantly, not gradually gets better, leading me to think that there must be some kind of 'cold start' assist or something.

Could explain your smoke? It may be worth checking your glowplugs even though the light is behaving normally. Should be able to do it easily from the plug on the relay,

 

[eric242340]

1999 E300TD - using oil and

I wouldent worry about the blue smoke in the morning, however I would worry about the missing oil, Valve seals alone would not cause this much of an oil loss

 

[Hibbo]

I am starting to think that you have two seperate issues issues here. I think the smoke is unburnt fuel (as it only ever does it on start up) and the oil is going astray due to a leak.


Just my guess!

 

[Flying Scot]

My E300D (same engine, just lacking the turbo) has a knackered glowplug (or two) and splutters and smokes from cold for about 20 secs, it then runs perfectly. What I do find interesting is that the spluttering stops instantly, not gradually gets better, leading me to think that there must be some kind of 'cold start' assist or something.

Could explain your smoke? It may be worth checking your glowplugs even though the light is behaving normally. Should be able to do it easily from the plug on the relay,

KUNFOOSED IS ME i thought TD was Touring Diesel 'an estate' not Turbo Diesel my wee Puto Turbo Diesel for sure starts with a light blue/white smoke for 5/10 seconds just flew through the MOT with no emission issues.

 

[television]

KUNFOOSED IS ME i thought TD was Touring Diesel 'an estate' not Turbo Diesel .

What what you have thought if we had the 300TDT in the UK, someting I aleays wanted ehen living in Sweden.

Malcolm

 

[Hibbo]

It is somewhat confusing. The w123 and w124s were badged as TD for touring diesels, the turbo diesels (only available in LHD ) where DT (saloon) TDT (estate) and CDT (coupe - yes, they did make them!)

HOWEVER, with the introduction of the E-class (including the late w124s like mine) the T for touring was dropped and they were simply called estates. Mine is an E300D estate. A 2.2 petrol estate is NOT an E300T, just an E220 estate.

The w210 saw the first RHD turbodiesels (I think due to the w210 using a steering rack as opposed to gearbox) thus an E300TD is a turbodiesel saloon, and an E300TD estate is a turbodiesel estate.

Hope this is clear!

 

[FIBAMAN]

Fibaman

look at the consistency of the "smoke", if it is fairly thick then it probably is lube oil. If it is relatively thin then it may be unburnt atomised fuel / air mixture, indicating you may have a glow plug off. Have a sniff if it smells like diesel then it is. Your engine may start ok on five cylinders without the "miss" being too noticeable, the missing cylinder will quickly fire up to give full six and you may not notice.

 

[FIBAMAN]

Get Someone Else To Start The Car For You And You Can Sniff The Smoke. If It Smells Like Diesel, Then You Have A Glow Plug Off And The Smoke Is Unburnt Atomised Fuel / Air Mixture.
Your Engine Will Start On Five And Quickly Run Up To Six Cylinders.