300 ISB white smoke at Idle & black smoke on acceleration

[Pschweizer]

Need some educated-real help not just cut n past info. Have a 04 Monaco Cayman with 112,000 miles. Cummins 300 ISB engine (mfg in late 2003)
At idle have some white smoke from exhaust. when I step i on throttle & increase RPM to 900 + it seems to stop. I also have do this on emission's test to pass?
It seems to load up at Idle. also 3 +second puff of black smoke on acceleration from dead stop and sometimes when driving and accelerating.
Slobber tube - breather has minimal smoke not much pressure ( i have a hose extending it past the rear cap and yes tow car is clean.

Fuel filters- just changed both again with no change (YES Fleetguard) Air filter new, air intake system is clear and clean, Valves adjusted, Good turbo boost 30 Oil serviced, uses about 1 QT / 1000 miles - fully loaded towing 4000 lb. car up n down hills thru California, Colorado, Idaho Oregon etc. We try and stay off interstates as to not see the same view from coast to cost to coast to border.

I ran several tankful's of Diesel Kleen over the last 1500 + miles - no change

[shootist]

White smoke can be evidence of too lean to the point of not firing.

[NevadaNick]

White smoke when its not warm enough to combust properly and black smoke that clears is normal.

[Will1515]

I have a Cayman with a 300isb that has the exact same thing going on. Driving me nuts. I’m leaning towards a leaky injector. Have you had any luck getting yours fixed? Not enough heat to burn all the leaking fuel at idle causing the white smoke then a pretty good puff on acceleration blowing out all the built up fuel…. I’ve heard the EGR’s on these engines can cause headaches but I’m not getting a check engine light so I’m thinking that’s not the problem.
Thanks
Will

[Pschweizer]

Will. I have not resolved the white smoke but recently the turbo blew due to an shaft bearing failure . Once it's fixed I will know if the oil consumption and white smoke could have been contributed to this. BTW turbo $2700, cracked exhaust manifold $1000 , CAC, $2000, MISC parts hoses etc $300. Labor not determined yet but most likely 12 - 15 man/woman/ they, hours..

[Will1515]

Wow. That’s ugly. Funny I was originally thinking turbo seals/bearing. I’m going to check the end play on mine and look at the CAC for oil buildup to see if the seals are going bad. Currently on a tugboat for a couple more weeks but plan on digging in when I get home. Very interested to hear how yours turns out after the new turbo. Thanks for the update. Best of luck!
-Will

[Boomper]

You could ask the tech or service manager at the shop that is replacing the turbo, if they are educated enough to give you an opinion without cutting and pasting the answer. Spending the money that you are, I think they would give you a solid answer about the white and black smoke.

When I was a Cummins mech, white smoke in small amounts was usually over-fueling unless the engine was worn out.

[CecilD]

Doubt that a 2003 5.9 has EGR. Don't believe they added that until the 6.7 in 2007.5.

One comment, I've tried Diesel Kleen and much prefer Optilube XPD fuel treatment. My 5.9 just runs better with it however I don't have any smoking issues.

I've always wondered about something. I have a pyrometer on my 5.9 and when towing 18k# combined, I get into the EGT danger zone quite often when driving the hills and mountains. It seems like the same engine toting around a heavy class A like the Cayman and a toad would be pushing high EGTs all the time. Maybe life has been hard on your engine.

[Will1515]

My 2005 5.9 300ISB In my Motorhome does have and EGR on it and my 2005 5.9 cummins in my dodge does not. I heard a rumor dodge or cummins was paying a epa fine for everyone produced in these years because they didn’t meet emissions requirements. Maybe this is why they had the EGR on the 300ISB. Either way the EGR seems to be a major cause of issues with these engines.

I agree with the high load on the engine pushing a Motorhome. You would think it wouldn’t live as long of life. I know mine spends quite a bit of time under fairly high boost conditions. Asking a lot for a 5.9L to move a Motorhome with a toad vs a pickup. I don’t have an EGT gauge on mine but would hope the stock tuning would keep it in the safe zone.

[CecilD]

I live in the Northwest and there is a mountain no matter which way you turn. My 5.9 will easily move to 1,350 degrees of pre-turbo EGT at less than full throttle. If I believe the gauge, the engine would keep pulling and heating up under full throttle possibly to the point of damage. The stock truck had no sensors on the exhaust system so no defueling programs. The motorhome may be different. Also, the truck has a 4 speed and downshifting lowers the EGT. I'm guessing a six speed Allison on the Cayman might help to keep the revs up.

Truck is stock except for Banks intake and cat back exhaust.

[Pschweizer]

see attached pics of turbo and header. site would not let me up lod the video showing the wobbley turbo shaft/ bearing that caused the failure

Will 1515 - Cecile - my 2004 Cummins 300 HP RV engine, 28,000 lbs GVW has an EGR valve note: these engines used in these class A diesel pushers are set up differently and use different parts then the pickup truck 5.9 engines. You alway have to give Cummins the engine S/N when ordering parts.

Boomper- Thanks this shop does not hve the udated software so I will have to bring it to a shop when I get back in Phoenix. originaly when I brought it to Massesy's RV in Phoenix 2 yrs ago, for the white smoke they had it for 3 weeks did not hook it up, Tom just said it did not smoke?? told me they adjusted the ride height, which I did bot ask for thy just did it, and billed me $145.
I figured out that when getting my yearly Opacity "throttle stomp" emissions test I hold the Idle above 900 rpm and it passes.
I may have to take it to Cummins $$$$$$ to check the ECM fuel air settings.

The cost associated with this repair where all needed. I was also a Aircraft Mechanic and tryically do most all of my repairs. This happened while on the road andI had other guests and time restraints /commitiments that did not allow me to do the repairs shomewhere outside in 25- 45 degree weather. I know that sometimes one just has to swallow.... and PAY!

[Will1515]

Wow that’s some carnage. Hope you are getting it sorted. I’m the same way with repairs and maintenance doing most myself but sometimes you have to pay and hope you get what you pay for. Best of luck. Hope the repairs go well and they get you back on the road. Let me know how your smoke situation turns out afterwards. Interested to see if it clears it up. Cheers
-Will

[Will1515]

Just wanted to update you on my situation. I had the same white smoke at idle and black on acceleration problem. I just replaced the injectors, hard lines and fuel rail. It solved the problem. No more smoke at idle and runs clean. I checked my turbo end play before doing the job after hearing about your bad luck and no end play or oil in the intake side.
I got the injectors from injectors direct. New Bosch. They offer rebuilt, Bosch rebuilt, and new bosch. Went with the new ones and they worked great.

[nehog]

Originally Posted by Pschweizer

Will. I have not resolved the white smoke but recently the turbo blew due to an shaft bearing failure . Once it's fixed I will know if the oil consumption and white smoke could have been contributed to this. BTW turbo $2700, cracked exhaust manifold $1000 , CAC, $2000, MISC parts hoses etc $300. Labor not determined yet but most likely 12 - 15 man/woman/ they, hours..

You may want to check both Amazon and eBay for turbos. I got a turbo for my ISC off of Amazon, a perfect identical unit, for about $300! Everyone else wanted thousands! The only thing I had to do was swap the intake nose on it to my old one as the new turbo was configured a bit differently. Exhaust manifolds are on Amazon as well--not sure of quality but suspect they are good. I could do an exhaust manifold and turbo in about 2-4 hours. The CAC could easily be a PITA to replace!

BTW, when you replace the turbo, replace the oil feed hose if you can.