head gasket?

bloodmcnally · **Joined:** Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:55 pm **Posts:** 17

just took a 2500 mile trip to GreenBay and back. After the first leg of the trip it was running better and more responsive than it has since I bought it three months ago (75K on it). Changed the oil(rotella) before I left. It has eco and tcm tunes from gde. Also has ehm. Had a few rough sounding morning starts in GreenBay. Drive home didn't seem as responsive and sounded like their was a secondary clatter beyond the diesel clatter. Like lifters or something. Got home to denver where it is quite cold these days and it started roughly the next morning. Later I noticed a black caking on the ground under the tailpipe. Next morning I tried starting it, it kinda turned over and tried going for about ten seconds and quit. Smoked like a mother while it tried. Did this twice so I plugged it in for half-hour and it started alright but the oily-sooty mist continues to cake the ground under the tailpipe. I have warranty so should I take her in now or is there anything I can do to correct the problem. Is this the head gasket? Thoughts.

p.s. no CEL at this time

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:36 pm

My lifters knocked when I first took posession of my vehicle.

I learned from the previous owner that he used conventional motor oil.

I poured some Rislone in before the oil change and the engine quieted down and ran smooth after that.

GreenDieselEngineering · **Joined:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1111

This could be several issues:

verify the oil level first, then air filter and could you tell where the noise was most prevalent?

It could be a turbo issue-blown seal, slipped timing (rare), head gasket or a broken valve based on your description. Was it noisy during the crank? It may just be a loose injector...hopefully. Bad fuel and broken glow plugs can also cause your issue, but these typically light the CEL.

We can help with more details if you want to start checking hardware and get the hands dirty...

bloodmcnally · **Joined:** Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:55 pm **Posts:** 17

took it for an easy city ride earlier...the oily-sooty mist coming out the tailpipe subsided after the ride...the oil level was right in the middle of min-max levels, air filter was decent...the turbo seemed to be responsive on the ride but i didn't really get to open her up,tomorrow for sure...even the lifter noise has mostly subsided..I think this motor just hates the cold with a passion,gonna plug her in on all cold mornings an hour before first start...I think the noise comes mostly from near the back of the engine...maybe loose injector #4...gonna check it in the next couple days when the weather improves...oh yeah...it was a fairly loud couple of clanks on the roughest couple starts but i wouldn't say it was ridiculously loud...does it make sense that an injector might get loose on long road trip going 80mph?

changingtime · **Posted:** Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:15 pm

i've had a little oil from the tail pipe and the loud chatter in the cold for a few seconds. that's a about it. just took a trip from MI to TN...nice and cold in the am. but the diesel chatter always goes back to normal.

GreenDieselEngineering · **Joined:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1111

If you start this motor at -15F (without block heater) it will sound like it is going to blow apart...just typical for diesels. The timing is more advanced and the pilot injection does not have much effect. During the warm-up period (10 minutes) it helps to load the engine a bit with rear defrost and lights. Good accelerations after the first 30 seconds of running help get through the warm-up quicker. Once the catalyst lights off the exhaust will clean up. Running it hard once in a while after it is warm helps keep the cat clean so it lights off earlier.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:53 pm

GreenDieselEngineering wrote:

Running it hard once in a while after it is warm helps keep the cat clean so it lights off earlier.

I knew there was a good reason for stomping on it :ROTFL:

Since it's an Italian engine it needs a Italian tune up at least once a day :BANANA:

bloodmcnally · **Joined:** Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:55 pm **Posts:** 17

first start in the morning produces some soot splatter out the tailpipe for a few minutes every time now

head gasket?

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