smoke could be anything from putting the wrong fuel in to the head gasket going and being water mixing (steam not smoke) you need to give more info for anyone to help or better still take it to any garage for them to look at
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Clues in the colour of the smoke:
White is water into combustion chamber (after engine is warmed up, some normal when engine cold but not normally with current temperatures!)
Blue(ish) is burning oil. Number of causes. One being overfilling sump with a top-up!
Black is bad combustion of fuel. Number of causes.
NONE are good or normal if that noticeable! Best not to drive it until problem resolved.
Just as an outside chance, haven't filled up with wrong fuel have you, either your mistake OR fuel station got wrong fuel in their tanks? - that tends to hit local news as affects lots of people!
Worth getting it looked at ASAP by someone who truly knows what they are doing, some causes can be fatally damaging to the engine. - and that's BIG bills!
It's a elddis suntor 130 2009 new to us ....a diesel engine and definitely didn't wrong fuel it. Getting it looked at tomorrow but just wanted a general idea from other motorhome owners of the problem. It runs great for a while then starts putting out black smoke ...runs fine then does it again. Hopefully find out problem tomorrow...thanks
First, I am not a mechanic so this is only a suggestion based on our experience of something similar with our previous VW T4 diesel MH, when it was c.20 years old. It was becoming increasingly unwilling to start & eventually refused on a site up north. There was a lot of smoke as we kept trying, .
We called out the AA & he diagnosed that most of the engine’s Glow Plugs were goosed. He got us started & said don’t turn off the engine until you get home - a 6 hour drive. Our mechanic said only one of the 5 (?) was working. All Glow Plugs replaced at no great expense & the MH started first time after that.
Quote: Originally posted by Janette Scott on 24/6/2025
Getting it looked at tomorrow…
Hopefully find out problem tomorrow...thanks
A week later, hopefully it’s diagnosed now & you’re out enjoying the good weather - what caused the smoke? It might help other people in future searching the forum with the same problem.
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