Intermittent miss and smoke

[GYonk]

I have a 2002 GMC 2500HD D/A with 5000 miles. I love the truck and it has performed flawlessly until a few days ago. I was on the freeway at 70 mph when it suddenly the engine started missing and a loud clacking sound came from the engine area. Then a large puff of black smoke came out of the tail pipe. I slowed down, then went back up to 70 and no more trouble. Called the dealer and asked if a warning light or error code was displayed. I never noticed any and they said they had not heard of this before, and just continue to dirve it. It happened again today, except this time it happened 6-8 times within about 15 miles at speeds of 40-65 mph. Same symptoms but this time no clacking sound and the puffs of smoke were sometimes black and at other times blue-white. Each incident lasts only a couple of seconds. It does not seem to be associated with heavy acceleration and I was not carrying any load. Other than this problem the truck runs fine, has good power, and gets 19-20 mpg.
I called the dealer again but with the same questions and answers - they have never heard of this problem. I made an appointment to bring it in to get it checked.

I am suspecting an injector problem. Anyone else had this problem?

[John B]

Yep! Had the same problem except mine started at 30 miles on the odometer! Sounded like it was going to throw a rod! Dealer said it was an injector that stuck and to just keep driving it. Happened off and on 4 or 5 times and finally the dealer did an injector balance test and found 2 injectors that were a problem and replaced them. I've still got a tapping/knock in the engine that they are trying to determine where or what is causing it but it is running fine. I also think that the mpg has increased with the replacement of the injectors but don't know for sure yet. I'll let you know what happens.

[mcfly]

Any word on the mileage?

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2002 4X4 Chevy 3500 LS Ext Cab Dmax/Allison

[GYonk]

My mileage has not changed. Still get 19-20 mpg.

The missing and smoking happened again yesterday. Driving steady at 65 mph. Coughed, backfired and smoked several times. Accelerated and power seemed normal with no missing. Only seems to happen at steady speeds. No error code is displayed on the message center.

The truck is going in today to get checked out. My real satisfaction with the truck will now depend upon the dealer's service response to this problem. I am sure it is an injector problem. Will keep you posted.

[wildcatDMAX]

GYonk, What was the reply from your service department? I experienced the same problem tonight for the first time. I came to a stop at a light and the engine shuddered, knocked then belched out a big cloud of smoke. It was dark, so I couldn't tell what color the smoke was, but I assumed it was from excess fuel.

[TheMikeZ]

Had the same thing happen to me. The dealer here replaced two injectors, and that solved the problem. Just for your info, the firing order on the D-max is opposite of that in the 6.5. So if the replace the injectors, and the problem is still there, they may have replaced the good injectors on the wrong side of the engine. Also happened to me.

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Mike
Laredo, TX
2001, 3500, CC, D/A, 4X4, LS, Leather, K&N

[D-max Man]

TheMikeZ,

I have gotten complete engines back for warranty due to that same thing. I guess it is tough to figure out which head sits furthest forward on this engine. (#1 is always the first one isn't it?)

[GYonk]

The dealer was not able to find the cause of my problem. There were no error codes and then they did a 40 mile test drive with no misfires. They said it sounded like an injector related problem and they talked to GM Tech Line who agreed, but they said it could also be caused by a load of contaminated fuel.

The dealer did not doubt that I had the problem, but without knowing the root cause were reluctant to take the shotgun approach and start replacing things. I had to agree. But they did install a data logger and asked me to drive the truck for a few days with it installed. If the truck misfires again, I press the recorder start button and it records the engine parameters at that time. It can record up to 4 events. If I am able to record a misfire I take the logger back to the dealer and they send the data to GM Tech Line for analysis.

I drove the truck about 150 miles that day, mostly freeway driving which is when the problem normally happened, but naturally it ran flawlessly. I had to refuel so filled up at a Mobil station. I had used Union 76 for the previous few tanks. I have driven the truck for 3 days with the data logger but still no glitches.

Perhaps it was a fuel problem. All the misfires and smoking happened on the same tank of fuel. I asked the dealer if the fuel filter wouldn

[Ironhead]

I had the same thing with the injecter clatter and engine stumble on a trip to Wa I just returned from last night. It started happening within 20 miles of refueling in Redding and I stopped in the next town and put some fuel conditioner in and continued. It still missed, but started doing it farther apart. I refueled again in Oregon and no more problems all the way to Wa and back. I made sure to avoid that one station on the way back just incase it was bad fuel. I hope thats all it was.
For the guys keeping track of mileage, I averaged 10.5 mpg with my 5er on the trip with mountains and all. The same trip with same trailer on my "OLD" PSD I averaged 11.5 mpg
02 3500 4x4 ext cab D/A

[GYonk]

I have put on about 400 miles since I picked up my truck from the dealer. Data logger is still installed, but not a single miss so far. Am fairly convinced it was the fuel. The suspect station is fairly old and I wonder if they have dirty diesel tanks. I will leave the data logger in for a couple more days and return it to the dealer if there are no problems.

[The Cartman]

Did anyone find out for sure what caused this? I just experienced it today and it was not pleasent. A "miss" and bit of clatter for a second and a puff of black smoke. Happened several times on a three hundred mile trip. Tried to drain fuel filter but nothing came out.

[RVGuy]

Its funny that you should mention that your truck had a miss this weekend. Mine did to. Except, mine didn't emit any smoke that I saw. I was in some traffic going about 35 - 40 and it acted like it was out of fuel. It sputtered three or four times and started running again. It did it a second time and it hasn't missed again since.

It did stop by Wally world and pick up some Rotella and poured some down the pipe. The thing is, I had poured a little in this tank already...about a 1/4 of a bottle.

No lights or anything either. Very strange.

[The Cartman]

Yep, no warning lights or anything. Loud diesel clatter for a second, puff of smoke and back to normal. Seems to be at low throttle only. And very occasional. I dumped in some stanadyne and fresh fuel and am hoping it goes away. Hate to give the dealer a chance to screw something up if it is just a little bad fuel.

[AmericanThunder]

Seems to almost describe to exactly what my Dmax did recently as in this thread

http://forum.62-65-dieselpage.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=003828

Turned out to be the fuel filter as it cleared right up when I installed a new one. Like others have said I would also lean towards the problem being the fuel itself.

[ 08-12-2002: Message edited by: AmericanThunder ]</p>

[odoh]

My neighbor had the same experience w/initial diagnosis to the injectors. Injectors arrived and they found a cracked head near the lower gasket (valve cover) surface. FWIW. ~ odoh

[konacat]

Just wondering if the people having this problem use fuel additives on an ongoing basis? I use an additive with every tank. The additives state they clean and lubricate the injectors. I was just wondering from a prevention standpoint if the lack of additives could have been a factor in the problems? I am still new to diesels but have been told by friends to always use additive for protection.

[The Cartman]

I have not been using additives but may start to see if it helps prevent problems like this from happening again.

[stviera]

My 2002 had 1200 miles on it and I experienced the same thing. Dealer replaced two injectors and told me to use Stenadyne with every tank. Over 6000 miles now and runs like a dream.
Take it in and don't take no for an answer.

[H link]

I have experanced this issue two times now, bolth when it was raining. They feal all is in my head and say just bring it back if it does it again! The motor would caugh and belch out dark smoke (loose all power) then clear up to run fine. The first time I was pulling up MT Shasta (I-5), a loud clatter, loss of power and huge cloud of black smoke. Next time I was empty, a loud clatter, loss of power and huge cloud of black smoke. There was so much smoke, as I pulled over, people followed thinking my truck was on fire. The GM shop found three service codes: high fuel temp, boost failure and a mast air issue. For two weeks now, we have heard only the clatter, nothing else has happened.

[thechevyhdman]

Wow you all have described what I have been encountering for the past year. On occasion, generally in damp/and or rainy conditions my truck will clatter(worse than pilot inj) bellow white-black-or blue smoke. And then just return to normal. Now my problem was only encountered when running a Timed Juice Box(EDGE)Now that I run a non timed boxed I have no wet weather issues. If someones service dept. come up with an answer( I think it is sensor related) Please let me know. Gmanjr96@aol.com.
Heres exactly how it happens chime in if yours is the same.
Its not fuel filter related(its a timing glitch)
I lose my gas pedal
No power
Feather gas pedal she comes back
Starts knocking horribly
Bellows of white smoke
after 10-20 seconds all is normal
Did your guys screw up like this too.
Fuel Filters fine, no contaminants, no fuel additives, no codes, no nuttin. Bill