w211 e280cdi slow start and white smoke

[jon_viola]

Hi,

My friends w211 e280cdi is a little hesitant to start although does fine after turning over a few times. There is a lot of white smoke on start up too and the engine idles a little roughly. This seems to clear when the car warms up. The glow plug light goes out as it should and does not re-appear.

Could you help me help him as I'm at a loss!

Cheers

Jon

 

[camerafodder]

White smoke is probably non combusted diesel vapour. Could be caused by heater plugs (although you have mentioned that they seem ok), dodgy injectors, poor compression etc...

 

[jon_viola]

Thanks for this- will get checking. Just out of interest will this show up as a fault code?

Cheers

Jon

 

[BlackC55]

It will probably be an injector issue. There is a check on the Star for this.

 

[murray motors]

probably an injector let it sit all day and test the disel return with test bottles

 

[jon_viola]

This turned out to be the wrong glow plugs fitted by a MB "specialist"

 

[BlackC55]

How can they fit wrong glow plugs? Strange

 

[jon_viola]

I agree!!! We took it in the end to another specialist who checked out what was what in 1/2 hour. changed the plugs and hey presto!!

 

[bobbydigger]

did this fix your problem then mate?

 

[jon_viola]

Amazingly yes!!!

Beware what you fit.....

 

[Dieselman]

Probably the wrong length plugs altering the combustion swirl pattern.