Smoke on startup Volvo Penta D3 150

D

dclagett

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Fluid Motion Model
C-26
We are new to diesels and have a question on smoke at diesel startup. Our Volvo Penta smokes somewhat at a cold startup and the smoke disappears after the engine is warm. If the engine is warm and is restarted no smoke appears. The engine has 141 hours and the smoke has somewhat of a blue tint. The engine runs well and I have not seen any oil usage in the short time we have had the boat (14 hours). Is this smoke normal or should I be concerned there is an underlying problem.

Thanks for your help.
 
Totally normal. Ours does the same thing when starting up cold!

Enjoy your tug!
 
I don't have a Volvo but at the Rendezvous at Roche Harbor I attended a Volvo presentation. I heard the Volvo rep talk about a crankcase filter of some kind that needs to be changed on a regular basis and should not be cleaned. I thought I also heard him say that if the crankcase filter does get to much oil in it that it has to go somewhere....is it possible it gets burned off during start up warming? Need a Volvo owner to clarify here but I thought I'd throw this out there.

Jim F
 
Ditto...a little smoke on cold start. Goes away very quickly...just an initial puff....
 
We noticed some additional smoke on cold start-up with similar hours on our D3. The Volvo rep at the 2015 Rendezvous-vous installed a software update and the amount of smoke significantly dropped.
 
I get a small amount of smoke (sort of white/gray in color) at startup. That's been true since the engine was brand spanking new. I asked the factory about it, and it sounded like it was normal (I know Captain Mac had recently taken delivery of the same model -- R27 with the 200HP D3, and he said his behaved identically, although he was hoping Volvo would look into it).

The software update is news to me, and interests me. Anyone know what else it did? And what it takes to get it for engines out of warranty can get it (other than attend the Rendezvous)? Locally, the authorized Volvo service has not inspired my total confidence or that of some other Ranger Tug owners in the area. But if the software upgrade were worth it, I might go through them if necessary.

Gini
 
Hello,

Early D3s did smoke at startup until they were warm, as someone else mentioned there is a software update for D3s that helps eliminate smoke at startup. The software came out about a year ago maybe a little longer, engines that were built and sitting at the Volvo warehouse didn't receive the new software when it came out. The only way to get the software upgrade is through a Volvo Penta dealer. Any Volvo Penta diesel dealer can tell you if the software needs to be updated using your serial number, before they charge you for connecting their tool to the engine and re-installing software already there. If anyone would like to know if their software needs to be updated you can email me your serial number and I can tell you if there is a software update.

Someone brought up the crankcase filter and maybe that needing to be changed. If it has never been changed in the first 141hrs, I would suspect that it does need to be changed. If the crankcase filter gets saturated with oil, it will push oil into the air filter causing the engine to burn the oil that begins to saturate the air filter.

Alan
adodson@coastalmarineengine.com
 
Our D3 lost the blue smoke on start up after 200 hours. I think it takes awhile for the piston rings to seat. I think the Volvo book calls for the air filter and the crankcase filter to be changed at 200 hours. And they are crazy,crazy expensive no wonder people would try to clean them.
 
Had the issue on my 2014 R27 with the D3. Was annoying to slip neighbors. Volvo did the software upgrade at the 2015 Rendezvous. Instant fix, I'd highly recommend it if there is a VP dealer anywhere near you.
 
Thanks everyone for your response. It appears I have a normal engine with maybe needing a software update or new crankcase filter. I will check on both. We are enjoying the boat and get many complements as we travel the Chesapeake Bay. Just this past weekend we put 10 hours on the boat traveling from Cambridge, MD to Great Oak Landing on Fairley Creek and back. Engine ran superb and the boat handled well in varied sea conditions. My wife and I feel we have picked the right boat for our travels.

Thanks again,

Dick Clagett
 
Very likely the smoke is from extra fuel being injected during the the cold start routine to ensure it remains running until the piston and cylinder head surfaces warm up (seconds) sufficiently for reliable compression ignition. With electronic injection the factory can lean it out during the cold start to reduce smoking - they can also burn a piston/valve (shrug)
The deal here as that during a cold start the metal surfaces inside the cylinder are bitterly cold (compared to ignition temperature) As the injector fires a burst of fuel into the swirling air the fuel has to vaporize and mix to make an air-fuel mixture in the correct ratio to support combustion. This is even more critical with a compression engine than a spark ignition engine. The problem is the cold metal surfaces instantly condense some of the fuel vapor out of the swirling air onto the metal as sweat, thus making the air-fuel ratio too lean for reliable ignition. The cure is to inject extra fuel for starting a cold engine. The side effect of that is smoke from the sweat finally igniting. If the boaters down the dock don't like seeing smoke for the first 3-5 seconds, tell those weenies to look the other way.

Interestingly, yesterday we started the combines - 1980's technology with mechanical fuel racks - to bring them out of the shed and go over them. Harvest will start here in a couple of weeks. You want to talk about smoke for the first 30 seconds after the engines have been sitting for 11 months :mrgreen: We had to wait before backing out because we could not see. But then they settle down, quit smoking, and will run just as long as they have fuel and air, whether that is minutes, hours, or months. No worries about a defective Bosch ECM. No hunting for that elusive intermittent ground problem. No wondering which sensor has gone bad and shut down the engine while you are 10 miles offshore and a storm is brewing.
 
Our 26 Cutwater with 220 D3 2016 has smoked since delivery at a cold start. Once warmed up its fine. When the temperature is cooler out it smokes more. I did the 50 hour service, changed engine oil and filter, Trans oil and filter, fuel filters and crankcase filter. The crank case filter was actually cleaner then I expected. After changing it there wasn't any change in cold starts, still smoked. At 60 hours I decided to start using an additive PRI-D . I didn't actually use it to reduce smoke at start up . I started using it because I was going to lay the boat up for a couple months because of work( storage). At 74 hours a Volvo technician did a software update , ( The update -duplicate a fob ) finalized my PDI and 50 hour inspection so that I was sure my warranty was not compromised by me doing the work myself . I started it up and there seemed to be a reduction in smoke , I asked him if the update included something for cold starts. He said no. It still smokes but not as much as before. While I can't say that the PRI-D helped I can't say it didn't. The PRI-D reviews seemed to be positive for, storage, reduction of smoke, elimination of slim and sludge, performance. I can't give it a full recommendation with 3 months of use and 18 hours of run time . I did notice a reduction in smoke. Update ? PRI-D ? My imagination?
Brian Brown
26 Cutwater
PORT-A-GEE
 
Denny-o and Brian thanks for the additional information, I will eventually understand the diesel.

Brian I am glad you mentioned fuel additives for diesels. I have started to look into the various additives to help with fuel stability during storage and corrosion inhibitors. Why did you select PRI-D over others that are available?

Thanks,

Dick
 
Many tug owners with Yanmar engines use FPPF. http://www.fppf.com/products-by-name?ta ... duct&id=16
Yanmar approves of this product, I treat every gallon that goes into the boat and 800 hours later never had a fuel related problem.
You may want to see what Volvo recommends before using any product.
 
The additive PRI-D is one of many diesel additives on the market. In doing a Google search I came across this product . I did some research on where it as been used , military, municipalities, hospitals use it in there generator fuel tanks , trucking companies , it has been used in more of an industrial environment. Bulk . I read many reviews , all positive. I'm sure there are all kinds of opinions on what is the best additive to use . Do your research.
Brian Brown
26 Cutwater
PORT-A-GEE
 
Here is a link (https://www.dropbox.com/home/Service Bulletin?preview=18-8-9_US.pdf) to the Volvo Penta service bulletin regarding diesel fuel additives. However, we have had customers who have used a quality additive for years without any problems. The most common additive that we see and have had experience with is Stanadyne.

I wouldn't worry much about the other items on the service bulletin since it is similar to what other diesel engine manufacturers require. Just make sure that you are getting diesel from a reputable supplier that moves a lot of fuel and your fuel filters are not filled with water.

Alan
 
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