# Duramax: Blue smoke @ idle...



## NoStockBikes!! (Oct 29, 2002)

Yeeha. '02 dmax, 12k miles, and after I've driven a bit, I get a pile of blue smoke out the pipe. It goes away when I rev it up to approx 1000 rpms (returns when it returns to idle), and it seems to be running properly. But obviously, something isn't right. I called the dealership and they said to call back Monday am to talk to the diesel guys. Has this happened to any of you?


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

The only problems Ive heard of on the dmax are usually at higher mileage. The injection pumps can give you trouble at higher mileages,the injectors seem to start failing one by one after 100K. With only 12K miles you shouldnt have any trouble at all. The only thing i would do is check the air filter,and replace the fuel filter before it goes in.Then see if it still does it.


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## NoStockBikes!! (Oct 29, 2002)

I'll check those... Thanks.


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## NoStockBikes!! (Oct 29, 2002)

Well, I can verify that the air filter is good...


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

I figured as much,but ive seen huge nests plug them up solid on new trucks in 3000 miles if it sat long enough.those rodents will build them anywhere.With a diesel,the standard proceedure is to replace the fuel filter first whenever there is a fuel related problem,no matter when it was last changed,in case you picked up some algae or bad fuel. There is also one other way it will smoke,some fuel stations dump there drain oil in the diesel fuel tanks at night,especially truck stops,if your station does this then this is why its smoking. They do it for 2 reasons they get rid if it,and 2 they get paid for it at going rates. It actually lubes the pumps,so usually no harm done,it just smokes. When we used to drive dump trucks,they shop dumped our drain oil in our tanks when we got the oil changed,it smoked a tad until you ran it thru that tank ot fuel. I dont buy from stations that do this,I dont want drain oil in my fuel tank,so I avoid the truck stops whenever possible since they change oil there.


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## NoStockBikes!! (Oct 29, 2002)

Interesting... Although it would probably smoke all the time if that were the case... I'm wondering if there's some sort of internal oil line or something that has sprung a small leak, and when the revs are up, there's enough flow to dilute it invisible, but at idle, it just puffs out, ie a constant burn vs. a proportional burn. Of course, I know jack **** about diesels, so who knows... Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but I'm scared it's gonna be something big and I'll be riding a bicycle for a week, so I'm praying for something simple.


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## Mike 97 SS (Aug 11, 2002)

I dont know a thing about diesels either, but maybe its a possibility you got a bad tank of diesel fuel? This is the exact reason I'd never buy a diesel, cause I know nothing about them, then when something happens, you have to depend on someone else to fix it and hope they know what their doing. I'm ok with a gas engine vehicle.  Hope you get it fixed, and when you do, post what the problem was. Good luck. Mike


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## NoStockBikes!! (Oct 29, 2002)

Nope, not a bad tank, cuz I've had 3 tanks from a variety of stations through since it started (long road trip)... I'll definitely report back what it is when I find out...


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## snowflake (Jan 16, 2003)

do like john saided change the fuel filter and than add some power service to the fuel thats the name of the fuel conditioner. sounds like bad fuel or got water in fuel.if that aint the problem than sounds like got problems in the pump.


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## NoStockBikes!! (Oct 29, 2002)

Just talked to a guy who had the same problem with his '02 @ 14k miles... Ended up replacing the injectors (4 were bad) and the pump. I'll find out tomorrow, I suppose. I'm gonna hold off on any additives or anything until they go over it... Don't want to mask a bigger problem, or give them any wiggle room on warranty.


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## NoStockBikes!! (Oct 29, 2002)

Aight, it was an injector... Of course then I went to pick it up this morning, and the "service engine soon" light was on, so that's an hour of my life I'll never have back, ended up leaving it with them for the day again, since their D-max guy doesn't come in til noon. Phone message this afternoon says that they couldn't find anything, and believe it was related to the injector problem, which is now fixed, so they just reset it. Question in my mind is that if the service engine light wasn't on when the problem existed, why would it come on after it was fixed? Maybe it came on during the diagnostic process and jsut never got reset. Oh well, I'll just be keeping an eye on that.


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