2005 transit 2.0 tdci engine knock and white smoke

[acerallyspares]

HI everyone
I bought a transit with a slipped timing chain. I changed the engine, used my pump and injectors. new timing chain was fitted and used a locking kit for the cams,pump and crank ( im happy with the timing) i put the engine in and started it up-smoking like mad and knocking and engine juddering. I have let it idle and the smoking has nearly gone( take it for a spin and it starts smoking,but not bad. The van drives nice, and pulls well but its knocking. I started it this morning, smoking like mad and knocking. left it idle for 15 mins, and smoke has nearly gone. If i rev it, i get some black smoke. i also noticed that when i undone the water drain on the fuel filter it sucked in air? i removed the filter and it was empty?- I will add i done this because the van cut out. I Refilled it and started the van up. I have had the van running about a hour now and have took for a small spin around the block. I pulled onto the drive and turned the engine off. I undone the drain and it sucked air in... but i checked the filter and it had diesel in it. I have no trouble codes. I have got f super if that helps, but have never used it

could this be a fuel problem or injector?

[ned]

Sounds like injectors did you code them in when you fitted them.
What colour is the smoke on start up and idle?

White smoke is unburnt fuel
Blue smoke is burning oil
Black smoke is overfueling

[wojciech]

If you didn't write actual injectors codes to PCM, waiting for selfadaptation, it could take sometimes 200 miles or more (with right temperature) - so that engine works without knocking. Good news is " The van drives nice, and pulls well ".
Sometimes white smoke can be beause of air in fuel.

Sounds like injectors did you code them in when you fitted them.
What colour is the smoke on start up and idle?

White smoke is unburnt fuel
Blue smoke is burning oil
Black smoke is overfueling

Hm... White smoke , sometimes little bit gray it is burning oil (with characteristic smell). Blue glazed smoke with charackeristic "chemical" tang - it is unburnt fuel.
Black smoke - ok, - it is overfueling.

So, for right conclusion, you need good eyes and good... sense of smell.

[acerallyspares]

I didn't code the injectors as they are the original ones for the van. I put the injectors in the order they come out off the original engine.The smoke is white with the smell of diesel to it. Is air in the system possible?

[wojciech]

Is air in the system possible?

Delphi fuel system hasn't own extra fuel pomp between tank and injection pomp. Injection pomp has own rotary vane pomp - so all pipes and fuel filter work on underpressure. Every one leakiness takes effect air in fuel.
Second thing - overflow pipes from injectors are going not to tank, but to injection pomp. If they are leaky - air can go into pomp. Check all overflow pipes.
Anyhow if engine works and start with white smoke - air in fuel is very, very little. If is plenty of air in high pressure section - it is absolutely impossible to start.

Try connect good tester with conscious diagnostician - maybe KS sensor is broken in new engine (sensor of knocking work)

[acerallyspares]

Starting the van is not a problem. I have just been out and started it. Starts straights away but a little lumpy. After 5 seconds it starts smoking white smoke. I know after 10 minutes the smoke stops and it idles nice and revs nice, with little smoke. I also noticed that it puffs some smoke out of the filler neck. I wondered about a holed piston but it drives so nice and the smoke eventually nearly stops. I think i may need to do a compression test. I have got a good diagnostic tool. You mention ks sensor - do you mean knock sensor? Would that cause this?

[wojciech]

do you mean knock sensor? Would that cause this?

Yes.

About smoke it is always question about an answer. I thing test of compression it is good idea.
But if work after start is " a little lumpy" - try do injectors overlow test - it is simply and cheap test. But this say almost all about their condition. Practically are two eventualities - fuel (air in fuel, dirty fuel, water) or worn-out injectors (valves in it).

[acerallyspares]

I will look at changing the knock sensor then. Will give anything a go. I will try and get hold of a compression tester aswell. What would cause the puffing from the filler neck though? There's no water in the oil or oil in water. I will try and do a leak off test aswell. I really appreciate the help and suggestions. Thank you

[acerallyspares]

Could a egr cause this? The vacuum pipe for the egr has a screw in it to blank it. There is no egr blanking gasket fitted though. Could a stuck egr cause the smoke out of the filler?

[wojciech]

You know - in tdci anything can happen...

the egr has a screw in it to blank it.

It is enough to blank it. EGR is not the cause of this problems. It is still closed now. EGR in 2,0 tdci has not sensor and PCM hasn't information about his work (position).

What would cause the puffing from the filler neck though?

This symptom is always - question how sharp? In older engine it must be bigger. Evaluation is subjective. Most important is what you wrote: "I will try and get hold of a compression tester aswell".

Take van for longer trip on motorway with high speed. She need it for injectors selfadaptation.

[gumgum traveler]

are you losing any coolant white smoke can also be water and not only in fuel as in leak in head gasket and you get a knock with it also

[acerallyspares]

Waiting on a compression tester and leak off kit. I was just thinking- when i fitted my injectors, one or two of the threads in the head were a bit dodgy. Could this cause my blow back,rough idle and smoke?

[acerallyspares]

Not losing any water. The smoke smells of diesel, so im guessing a injector is worn

[wojciech]

when i fitted my injectors, one or two of the threads in the head were a bit dodgy. Could this cause my blow back,rough idle and smoke?

No, no - injector keep tightness in head on a little steel washer on injector sprayer, not on thread in head. If injector locking sleeves is tight by correct torque (47Nm), force between little washer and head is really sufficient to keep tightness.

[ned]

Perform an injector leak back test, cheap and simple to do and will give you an idea of the injectors health. N