Defender 200 tdi Pulsing white smoke when warm

Hello further to my introduction earlier here is the problem I have with my 200tdi engine. It starts on the button without any glow plug it runs smoothly with very little smoke. Then when it is warm it starts chucking out clouds of white smoke which I think is unburned fuel. There is a definite pulse to the smoke. I have a video if I can upload it. I have been researching forums for a couple of weeks but can’t find anything quite like this. I have done a lot of elimination work with the following:

Head gasket is fine
Compression is good and within tolerance across cylinders
There is no blowing or smoke coming from the oil filler cap
No oil is coming up the breather into the air filter
Tutbo, intercooler and pipes are all new and there are no air or oil leaks
Engine stops immediately so not running on own oil
Timing is correct
I have checked the actual timing of the pump itself and the gauge shows 1.54 mm lift at tdc which I believe is correct
The pump is leaking from the throttle spindle which I can fix
The pump has the correct banjos for fuel in and leak off
It is clear the engine has been assembled with parts from various engines. The block is a very early 11L, the head was cast in 91 and the pump was originally from a discovery.
I am pretty engine savvy having built up a 2.5N/A from a box of bits and have most if not all of the tools.
Any help greatly appreciated the key bit I can’t get my head round is the engine being able to run fine at the start before it starts pulsing out smoke.

Have the injectors checked, sounds like heat is causing it to dribble.

Eldon said:

Have the injectors checked, sounds like heat is causing it to dribble.

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Okay thanks Eldon

A run on a spray tester will soon show up if they are all good or not.
Hopefully it might just be one, then subject to mileage etc you can decide which route to go from there.

200tdi injectors are not expensive to get refurbed, Diesel Bob is your man.
Please make sure you let us know how you get on.

Will do thank you

I hope these work, the lower link shows the engine running clean after starting and for about the first 10 mins. The link at the top shows the pulsing smoke that starts after about 10-15 minutes.

White smoke is going to be retarded injection timing or another fuel issue, either drawing in air (maybe your leaking throttle shaft o ring?) causing the timing issue or faulty fuel injection equipment.

Check the crank bolt is actually tight, if not you will have variable timing!
Even if it appears tight it may be wise to pull the crank pulley off and check the woodruff key and its grooves, only seen it once on a RR 200tdi and the keyway was a right mess, but have read about it several times over the years.

When it is running and smoking crack each injector in turn and see if it makes any difference to the smoke, basically do you have one duff injector, if all four give the same results you can pretty much rule out the injectors.

lynall said:

White smoke is going to be retarded injection timing or another fuel issue, either drawing in air (maybe your leaking throttle shaft o ring?) causing the timing issue or faulty fuel injection equipment.

Check the crank bolt is actually tight, if not you will have variable timing!
Even if it appears tight it may be wise to pull the crank pulley off and check the woodruff key and its grooves, only seen it once on a RR 200tdi and the keyway was a right mess, but have read about it several times over the years.

When it is running and smoking crack each injector in turn and see if it makes any difference to the smoke, basically do you have one duff injector, if all four give the same results you can pretty much rule out the injectors.

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Thanks Lynall. The crank bolt is properly torqued and I have changed the cambelt myself so know that the wood ruff key is fine.

I have done the undoing an injector at a time and it was a bit weird. Running on any 3 cylinders the smoke pretty much went away which I can’t really rationalise. I did though switch the engine off between each change whereas I have since read the undoing the injectors should be with the engine running. Don’t know if that makes a difference.

Fairhaven said:

Thanks Lynall. The crank bolt is properly torqued and I have changed the cambelt myself so know that the wood ruff key is fine.

I have done the undoing an injector at a time and it was a bit weird. Running on any 3 cylinders the smoke pretty much went away which I can’t really rationalise. I did though switch the engine off between each change whereas I have since read the undoing the injectors should be with the engine running. Don’t know if that makes a difference.

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I have always cracked them with the engine running, messy but quick., brake cleaner cleans them up well.

I had an issue with a truck at work recently, swapped new 2nd hand engine in, and she white smoked like nothing I have ever seen before, turned out piston crowns were different and the cylinder heads, I was majorlly peed off, on the plus side someone else got to swap another engine into it!

lynall said:

I have always cracked them with the engine running, messy but quick., brake cleaner cleans them up well.

I had an issue with a truck at work recently, swapped new 2nd hand engine in, and she white smoked like nothing I have ever seen before, turned out piston crowns were different and the cylinder heads, I was majorlly peed off, on the plus side someone else got to swap another engine into it!

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I’ll redo with engine running. Have had head off all very clean inside and correct pistons etc. I wondered if the throttle shaft leak might be the problem. If fuel can come out air can get in I assume.