Diesel goes nuts once in a while

[Mercoman]

Hello folks,

I have a 1989 Transit with the 2.5 Di engine that runs fine BUT...
once in a while while sitting at a traffic light, the idle suddenly gets lumpy, the engine revs up and emits a BIG cloud of white smoke ! and then settles down
All this with my foot off the throttle.

What causes this ? Everything else is normal ...

I have a spare pump from a 1993 but the fast idle setup is different ... can this be made to fit ?
I ordered a gasket set from Delphi for the original pump but have yet to find information on overhauling the pump... if that is what it needs.
...
Any help would be appreciated as Ford Transits are hell to maintain in southern France ...;

Denis
Grenoble
France

[Aardvark]

Before you jump into changing the most expensive bit on your engine, take a look under the rocker cover and check the tightness of the rocker shaft bolts. A common problem is one of them coming loose and allowing engine oil to escape and be mistaken for fuel. It causes your symptoms initially but gets worse until you will have trouble stopping the engine. Cheap to check. You could be lucky.

[Djrobin]

Before you jump into changing the most expensive bit on your engine, take a look under the rocker cover and check the tightness of the rocker shaft bolts. A common problem is one of them coming loose and allowing engine oil to escape and be mistaken for fuel. It causes your symptoms initially but gets worse until you will have trouble stopping the engine. Cheap to check. You could be lucky.

how do you mean? can you take a picture what we have to do ? i think i have the same problem..
thx

[ceurieusneus]

Before you jump into changing the most expensive bit on your engine, take a look under the rocker cover and check the tightness of the rocker shaft bolts. A common problem is one of them coming loose and allowing engine oil to escape and be mistaken for fuel. It causes your symptoms initially but gets worse until you will have trouble stopping the engine. Cheap to check. You could be lucky.

how do you mean? can you take a picture what we have to do ? i think i have the same problem..
thx

Read "probably another engine swap" and you will know...

[Mercoman]

Never thought of that ! I was going to adjust the valves so might as well delve in !

Denis