90WLSP36 Smoke and heat

[williamcharrison]

Thanks to all who responded. One thing I notice is that there is no
oil smoke after the engine warms up. Doesn't this say that the
problem is not the rings?

Chuck Harrison
Akron, Ohio
90 WLSP

[pattypape]

On our 88 FC the only switch is a circuit breaker in the 110 AC
Load center panel. It is labeled Block Heater. Some BB's have an
on/off switch in the co-pilot feet seat area on the floor.
You probably know to plug into 110 AC shore power.
Four hours is probably sufficient time. Many school district busses
are plugged and warmed overnight

Bill 88 FC Michigan

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "williamcharrison"
wrote:
>
> Thanks George,
> I tried an experiment, I kept the bird in our heated warehouse
> over the weekend and when I started it this morning there was
little
> or no oil smoke. By the way, how do you turn on the engine
> preheat?
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mrdonut12"
> <mrdonut12@y...> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > Chuck,
> > Although the smoke is getting worse, the weather is also
> getting
> > colder. It may just be cold weather that's causing the smoke.
> > Last winter, mine smoked so bad when started on a very cold
> day
> > that it appeared someone should call the Fire Dept. ;o)
> > I found my engine heater had quit working. I went to NAPA
and
> > bought a 2,000 watt engine heater.
> > If I pre-heat the engine, it barely smokes at all, but if
the
> > engine is bone-cold when I start it, it can produce significant
> smoke.
> > The 3208 has no glow plugs, so it's extremely inefficient
on a
> > cold start and that's where the smoke comes from.
> > Pre-heat your engine before starting and if that reduces the
> > smoke significantly, it may not even be broken, just a 3208.
> > Regarding the engine temp, you need to go to a Cat dealer
and
> get
> > the "thermostat kit" so you have good quality thermostats (it
uses
> 2).
> > Running the engine below operating temp isn't good for the
> engine.
> > If fact, I believe in changing thermostats about every 3 years
as a
> > maintenance item. A bad thermostat can have a significant
impact
> on
> > an engine and I don't like risk. Better safe than sorry.
> >
> > George Witt
> > 81 FC 35
> > Lincoln, Nebraska
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "williamcharrison"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Just recently my bird began to blow blue oil smoke when it
was
> cold.
> > > This symptom has gradually gotten worse over the last 3 months.
> > > After warmup the smoke disappeared (after 10 min or so). I
took
> it
> > > to the local Cat dealer who discovered that the turbo was shot.
> > > He replaced the turbo ($4000.00 +) and the oil smoke is worse
> than
> > > before, what's more, the engine will not heat to above 160 deg.
> > > whereas before it ran at 190 deg. The dealer says I have to
run
> it
> > > hard to clean the engine out but I have to get the engine temp
> up.
> > > The oil temp also does not go up over 170 deg. Does this
sound
> like
> > > symptoms of a stuck thermostat? If so, how hard is it to
> replace and
> > > what would cause the excessive oil smoke?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Chuck Harrison
> > > Akron, Ohio
> > > 90 WL SP36
> > >
> >
>

[dspithaler@...]

Chuck My 89 SP 36' has the breaker in the box as you come in the door.
There is no switch for it. You have to turn the breaker on for mine.
Don
89 SP 36'
Butler, PA
Thanks George,
I tried an experiment, I kept the bird in our heated warehouse
over the weekend and when I started it this morning there was little
or no oil smoke. By the way, how do you turn on the engine
preheat?

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mrdonut12"
<mrdonut12@y...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Chuck,
> Although the smoke is getting worse, the weather is also
getting
> colder. It may just be cold weather that's causing the smoke.
> Last winter, mine smoked so bad when started on a very cold
day
> that it appeared someone should call the Fire Dept. ;o)
> I found my engine heater had quit working. I went to NAPA and
> bought a 2,000 watt engine heater.
> If I pre-heat the engine, it barely smokes at all, but if the
> engine is bone-cold when I start it, it can produce significant
smoke.
> The 3208 has no glow plugs, so it's extremely inefficient on a
> cold start and that's where the smoke comes from.
> Pre-heat your engine before starting and if that reduces the
> smoke significantly, it may not even be broken, just a 3208.
> Regarding the engine temp, you need to go to a Cat dealer and
get
> the "thermostat kit" so you have good quality thermostats (it uses
2).
> Running the engine below operating temp isn't good for the
engine.
> If fact, I believe in changing thermostats about every 3 years as a
> maintenance item. A bad thermostat can have a significant impact
on
> an engine and I don't like risk. Better safe than sorry.
>
> George Witt
> 81 FC 35
> Lincoln, Nebraska
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "williamcharrison"
> wrote:
> >
> > Just recently my bird began to blow blue oil smoke when it was
cold.
> > This symptom has gradually gotten worse over the last 3 months.
> > After warmup the smoke disappeared (after 10 min or so). I took
it
> > to the local Cat dealer who discovered that the turbo was shot.
> > He replaced the turbo ($4000.00 +) and the oil smoke is worse
than
> > before, what's more, the engine will not heat to above 160 deg.
> > whereas before it ran at 190 deg. The dealer says I have to run
it
> > hard to clean the engine out but I have to get the engine temp
up.
> > The oil temp also does not go up over 170 deg. Does this sound
like
> > symptoms of a stuck thermostat? If so, how hard is it to
replace and






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[mrdonut12]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "williamcharrison"
wrote:
>
The results of that experiment would lead me to believe the smoke
isn't oil smoke at all, just an extremely inefficient diesel engine.
The smoke most likely has a very strong diesel smell to it. Oil smoke
would smell more like burning oil (duh). ;o)
My results are the same--cold engine, lots of smoke, warm engine,
very little smoke on startup.
Happy I could help.

George Witt
81 FC 35
Lincoln, Nebraska


> Thanks George,
> I tried an experiment, I kept the bird in our heated warehouse
> over the weekend and when I started it this morning there was little
> or no oil smoke. By the way, how do you turn on the engine
> preheat?
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mrdonut12"
> <mrdonut12@y...> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > Chuck,
> > Although the smoke is getting worse, the weather is also
> getting
> > colder. It may just be cold weather that's causing the smoke.
> > Last winter, mine smoked so bad when started on a very cold
> day
> > that it appeared someone should call the Fire Dept. ;o)
> > I found my engine heater had quit working. I went to NAPA and
> > bought a 2,000 watt engine heater.
> > If I pre-heat the engine, it barely smokes at all, but if the
> > engine is bone-cold when I start it, it can produce significant
> smoke.
> > The 3208 has no glow plugs, so it's extremely inefficient on a
> > cold start and that's where the smoke comes from.
> > Pre-heat your engine before starting and if that reduces the
> > smoke significantly, it may not even be broken, just a 3208.
> > Regarding the engine temp, you need to go to a Cat dealer and
> get
> > the "thermostat kit" so you have good quality thermostats (it uses
> 2).
> > Running the engine below operating temp isn't good for the
> engine.
> > If fact, I believe in changing thermostats about every 3 years as a
> > maintenance item. A bad thermostat can have a significant impact
> on
> > an engine and I don't like risk. Better safe than sorry.
> >
> > George Witt
> > 81 FC 35
> > Lincoln, Nebraska
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "williamcharrison"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Just recently my bird began to blow blue oil smoke when it was
> cold.
> > > This symptom has gradually gotten worse over the last 3 months.
> > > After warmup the smoke disappeared (after 10 min or so). I took
> it
> > > to the local Cat dealer who discovered that the turbo was shot.
> > > He replaced the turbo ($4000.00 +) and the oil smoke is worse
> than
> > > before, what's more, the engine will not heat to above 160 deg.
> > > whereas before it ran at 190 deg. The dealer says I have to run
> it
> > > hard to clean the engine out but I have to get the engine temp
> up.
> > > The oil temp also does not go up over 170 deg. Does this sound
> like
> > > symptoms of a stuck thermostat? If so, how hard is it to
> replace and
> > > what would cause the excessive oil smoke?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Chuck Harrison
> > > Akron, Ohio
> > > 90 WL SP36
> > >
> >
>

[Gregory OConnor]

Rings, Ipump, Inozzle, Condensation, They all contribute to the
smoke. Diesel fuel is oil and it will have a oil smell but the prob
is not burning oil it is unburned fuel oil. Modern diesels have
computers to control the emissions but those engines would smoke
untill warm up if the computers did not take actions to prevent this.
If you notice diesel tractors on construction sites that do not have
mandatory computer controlled emissions, they smoke alot untill
warm. Piston rings are not the correct size untill the heat goes up
to Mfg thermostat setting. That is why it is not a good idea to
replace the Tstat with a colder one. The viscosity of fuel oil and
lube oil is thicker and spray patterns are not correct untill the
temp is up. Running the cold engine under a load causes the pistons
to run ascew and ill lubed. If after warm up a emissions screening
shows unburned fuel it may be time to have the injectors cleaned or
the rack adjusted on the pump. You see more smoke for two reasons, 1-
now you look back in horror 2- modern diesels dont smoke much and
you compare. My advise is 'Dont look back' and have a cat dealer
gyro test it warm befor you spend any money on needless repair.

Gregory O'Connor
94pt40 (2- 1985 3208 dump trucks)

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mrdonut12"
<mrdonut12@y...> wrote:
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "williamcharrison"
> wrote:
> >
> The results of that experiment would lead me to believe the
smoke
> isn't oil smoke at all, just an extremely inefficient diesel
engine.
> The smoke most likely has a very strong diesel smell to it. Oil
smoke
> would smell more like burning oil (duh). ;o)
> My results are the same--cold engine, lots of smoke, warm
engine,
> very little smoke on startup.
> Happy I could help.
>
> George Witt
> 81 FC 35
> Lincoln, Nebraska
>
>
> > Thanks George,
> > I tried an experiment, I kept the bird in our heated warehouse
> > over the weekend and when I started it this morning there was
little
> > or no oil smoke. By the way, how do you turn on the engine
> > preheat?
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mrdonut12"
> > <mrdonut12@y...> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Chuck,
> > > Although the smoke is getting worse, the weather is also
> > getting
> > > colder. It may just be cold weather that's causing the smoke.
> > > Last winter, mine smoked so bad when started on a very
cold
> > day
> > > that it appeared someone should call the Fire Dept. ;o)
> > > I found my engine heater had quit working. I went to NAPA
and
> > > bought a 2,000 watt engine heater.
> > > If I pre-heat the engine, it barely smokes at all, but if
the
> > > engine is bone-cold when I start it, it can produce significant
> > smoke.
> > > The 3208 has no glow plugs, so it's extremely inefficient
on a
> > > cold start and that's where the smoke comes from.
> > > Pre-heat your engine before starting and if that reduces
the
> > > smoke significantly, it may not even be broken, just a 3208.
> > > Regarding the engine temp, you need to go to a Cat dealer
and
> > get
> > > the "thermostat kit" so you have good quality thermostats (it
uses
> > 2).
> > > Running the engine below operating temp isn't good for the
> > engine.
> > > If fact, I believe in changing thermostats about every 3 years
as a
> > > maintenance item. A bad thermostat can have a significant
impact
> > on
> > > an engine and I don't like risk. Better safe than sorry.
> > >
> > > George Witt
> > > 81 FC 35
> > > Lincoln, Nebraska
> > >
> > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "williamcharrison"
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Just recently my bird began to blow blue oil smoke when it
was
> > cold.
> > > > This symptom has gradually gotten worse over the last 3
months.
> > > > After warmup the smoke disappeared (after 10 min or so). I
took
> > it
> > > > to the local Cat dealer who discovered that the turbo was
shot.
> > > > He replaced the turbo ($4000.00 +) and the oil smoke is worse
> > than
> > > > before, what's more, the engine will not heat to above 160
deg.
> > > > whereas before it ran at 190 deg. The dealer says I have to
run
> > it
> > > > hard to clean the engine out but I have to get the engine
temp
> > up.
> > > > The oil temp also does not go up over 170 deg. Does this
sound
> > like
> > > > symptoms of a stuck thermostat? If so, how hard is it to
> > replace and
> > > > what would cause the excessive oil smoke?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Chuck Harrison
> > > > Akron, Ohio
> > > > 90 WL SP36
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

[Fred Hulse]

I apologize for being late with this suggestion,
My SP36 smoked early in the AM and when it was cold,
I took it to CAT dealer in Phoenix and had them retime the injector pump
taking care of the smoke.
Really!!
Fred & Jeanne Hulse
Morristown Arizona
1997 Wanderlodge PT41