Smoking generator

[merle&louise]

My generator puts out white smoke while running most of the time. What could be the cause or what should I look for? The temperature is about 180, oil is at correct level, what gives?

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

My generator puts out white smoke while running most of the time. What could be the cause or what should I look for? The temperature is about 180, oil is at correct level, what gives?

Tuga, do you have that tell tale, sickening sweet smell (anti freeze) around the gen set, if so you may have a coolant leak into the combustion chamber, or exhaust.

Check your coolant level.

Pressure test the coolant system.

JIM

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jim is right on.

Generally, white smoke is typical when just starting and it is cold out. That is unburned raw fuel. When the engine is warmed up and white smoke is evident it is generally water vapor and could be an indicator of a cracked head, bad head gasket, or cololant entering the combustion chamber in some other way.

Blue smoke is usually oil and the generator would require oil added to the crankcase periodically if the smoke is pronounced. There is a distinct difference between the appearance and odor of blue smoke and white smoke. In the case of white smoke your nose can instantly detect whether it is fuel or coolant.

Black smoke is an indicator of an excessively rich mixture. It shows more fuel is entering the cyclinder than there is air for full combustion. This is typical when the load increases and is a temporary condition, or if continuous could be a sign of such things as a bad turbo charger, injector problems, or something restricting air to the cylinders such as a plugged air filter.

[Danss]

There is a sure cure for that Generator! Get online and spend 2 to 4 hundred thousand and get some STAINLESS!! Dan

[merle&louise]

The anti freeze level in the radiator is and always has been perfect. It is never low. The generator does use oil at the rate of a quart every 150 hours of operation. I have looked for leaks but found nothing.

The exhaust for the generator is on the roof, so it is impossible to smell.

I will bring it to a marine generator shop a.s.a.p.

Thanks guys

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I wonder if the length of the exhaust is an influence.

A quart in every 150 hours is inconsequential. That would be similar to a quart in every 5000 to 7000 miles.

If the exhaust exits through the roof perhaps the visible exhaust is water vapor such as would be seen coming from a car that has just been started on a very cold day. It could be just condensation.

Get up on the roof and give it a sniff Tuga.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Ours goes back, up and out the roof and it does not create white smoke.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

It doesn't take very much water to make visible steam.

Perform the pressure test over night and you can then rule water out if it passes.

[Kevin Erion]

Tuga, what size generator do you have? I have been told that if you don't "work" the gen set very hard the motor will build up unburned fuel and will smoke as you have described. I way to fix it is try and make it labor, turn on everything and let it run a few hours. you can also take it to a gen shop and they can put it on a load bank and run it very hard to burn off the raw fuel. What brand to you have?

[merle&louise]

Jim,

I don't think that it is the coolant. If coolant were leaking into the system the coolant level would be low and it's not.

Kevin,

I have a Kohler 20 KW generator. I have 4 - 14,000btu AC compressors that are running all of the time plus the other accessories on board, so I know that the gen has a full load on it.

I think Jon is right with the water vapor. I took the coach out this morning to fill up with diesel and the generator was not smoking! The temperature this morning is 87 with humidity of 66% and an 11 mph breeze. I will keep an eye on it. If we ever get any cool weather I watch it closely and see if in fact it is water vapor.


Thanks for the help.