Not a diesel owner, but white smoke is typically unburned fuel resulting from dirty injectors or low compression, but can also be timing resulting from worn gears. White vapor is similar in appearance and indicates a bad head gasket allowing coolant into the cylinders. Does the 'smoke' smell like diesel? Also check your coolant level to see if it's low or dropping.

If it smells like diesel, probably next step is a compression check. Hopefully that proves good and the injectors just need cleaning.

 

Diagnosing what is wrong with a diesel engine by the colour of the smoke falls into three basic colours. Blue, Black and White
Blue - The engine is burning engine oil.
1/ Worn cylinders or piston rings.
2/ Faulty valves or valve stem seals.
3/ Engine over full with engine oil
4/ Faulty injector pump/lift pump allowing engine oil to be mixed with the diesel
Black - This is due to an air to fuel ratio imbalance, either the fuel system is delivering too much fuel into the engine or there is not enough clean
air (oxygen ) a few things to look for:
1/ Faulty injectors (injectors need attention at about 100.000 to 120 000 miles) depending on service history and environmental conditions the engine has been used in.
1/ Faulty injector pump.
2/ Dirty air cleaner.
3/ Turbocharger or intercooler faulty.
4/ Problems within cylinder head, valves clogged up due to faulty EGR (exhaust gas recycling unit)
White - Normally means that the fuel injected into the cylinder is not burning correctly. The smoke will burn your eyes.
1/ Engine/pump timing out.
2/ Fuel starvation to the pump causing the pumps timing not to operate correctly.
3/ Low engine compression.
4/ Water/petrol in the fuel

Kev

 

Hi
Thanks for the reply. It smells like burning oil to be honest. But I don't know whether that is just the smell coming off the engine (which also seems to be hotter than normal - though not overheating)
However it doesn't produce it on idle. It's only after its been sat at idle and I go to pull off. Obviously it's difficult to tell what it smells like at this point as I'm in the car and I haven't been able to replicate it when the car is stationary. It's now gone into Honda so I'm awaiting there diagnosis

 

Carl, Did you check the coolaint as Tom suggested? Plus what sort of mileage do you have and has your motor had a service recently?
P.S. Let us know what Honda say

Kev

 

Hi. It's covered 101000 with a full Honda service history. I do maintain the car (ie check oil levels, tyres etc) but have to admit I haven't checked the coolant recently.
And I will do. The car is still with them and I'm waiting on a diagnosis..........and probably a large bill!!

 

Update. Call from Honda to advise the car has too much oil in it! I've owned the car for 5 months and it was serviced prior to me purchasing it. I check the oil regulally (albeit with the car on a slight slop so I make a slight allowance for this) but I'm confused as to why if this is the case why has it only started to be problem now? Honda have not been able to give me a real explanation. I'll guess I'll find out later when I collect it if it has fixed it. Good news is they are only charging their standard £65 for a diagnostic and the draining off of the excess oil
Thanks for advise previously received

 

I'm sure they would have spotted coolant in the oil they drained, but the potential exists for coolant to get into the oil (which would raise the oil level). Hopefully you are the victim of a strange set of circumstances and everything is resolved. Good luck!

 

Hi. I checked the oil level before I took it into Honda (was concerned if it was burning it that I didn't run out on the way to drop it with them!) and there was not any of the usual signs that would indicate water/coolant in the oil. Like you say I'm just hoping it was an unfortunate set of circumstances....time will tell later when I pick it up

 

Carl, your engine 2011 CR-V EX 2.2 iDTEC is fitted with the DPF system and one of the faults with this system is when it starts the RE-Generation (burn the shoot off) it over fuels the engine to do this process – However if the fuel is not burnt it bypasses the combustion chamber and ends up diluting the oil, hence over fill statement from Honda – Ask them about the problems / issues and TSB that have been issued by HONDA.
Let us know what they have to say.

Kev

 

Hi UK-KEV

I have been keeping a monitor on the oil level since Honda set it to its correct level. And after the car has gone through a DPF regeneration cycle the oil level has increased. It's going back into Honda again tomorrow for them to check it out. I will definitely bring it their attention though if this is a known fault. Do you know if it's an easy or expensive fix?

 

Carl,
Read what it say’s on HJ site regarding 2012 Mk4 CRV 2.2 iDTEC DPF problem, link is below. (http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/honda/cr-v-2012/?section=good)
From reading the above / other forums etc; I understand that Honda has issued a new software flash file to solve this issue - As far as I understand this software update seems to be working; but only time and oil monitoring will tell.
I would further add that good quality fuel, regular long runs and let the engine complete the re-gen process as per the information in the car manual can only help alleviate any issues.
Hope the above helps sorry I cannot be of more help
Kev

 

Hi
Thank you, that is brilliant information.

I do only use good quality fuel (BP) not supermarket stuff. I was warned off this when the DPF failed on previous car (2009 Honda Accord) and though Honda couldn't give me a specific reason for the failure they did say that if the previous owner had used cheaper fuel it could have added to its deterioration.
I do do motorway runs, but it's one of those things that you can't schedule a DPF regeneration for when you are on a run!!
I will discuss this information with Honda later and I'll post an update once they have told me what they think is currently going wrong.

 

You’ve hit the nail on the head >>> “You can't schedule a DPF regeneration” Honda must learn from this and give owners to option to do this and not have to rely on a visit to the dealer’s every 3 / 4 weeks to use the Honda service tool.

 

Car is back from Honda and after 'exhaustive' test (no pun intended) they haven't been able to find anything wrong. All software was apparently up to date, however they have forced all software updates again in case there were any glitches that were causing the problem. They have oil and filter changed it (at a reduced price) and I've just got to monitor it again.
It also passed an imissions test (as part of its MOT) and it came back clean so I'm hoping that it now doesn't happen again.
On a different note I was given a brand new CR-V as a courtesy car. 1.6 diesel SE. Nice car and drove very differently from my current model. Very nippy it just sits a bit lower to the floor!
Again thank you for all the advice on this matter some of it (UK-KEV) has been really useful

 

Hi,

I had the exact same thing happen to me, down to a tea...

White smoke after pulling away after idling at train gates, and lots of it... Enough to make people cost.

Checked oil level, it has also gone up.

Did you get to the bottom of this.

Thanks

 

What diesel model do you have?