See full version: How to Troubleshoot White Smoke From the Exhaust of an Outboard
Observe the oil pressure and the temperature of the engine. If the oil pressure drops precipitously, shut the engine down and request a tow, using your marine VHF radio. If the oil pressure and temperature remain within the normal operating range, reduce your speed and proceed to the nearest dock or marina by the shortest route possible.
Take note of how the outboard performs when returning to the dock or marina. If it runs poorly -- as if it's starved for fuel -- there may be a small leak around a seal or gasket. Cylinder temperatures will be higher than normal, but oil pressure will remain stable.
White smoke from the exhaust of any internal combustion engine is cause for concern. In an outboard, though, it may mean something other than a tow to shore and an expensive repair. White smoke may mean that water has entered one or more of the outboard's cylinders -- which can cause the engine to suffer irreparable damage -- but it also may mean that the water jacket on the exhaust manifold is leaking. A single test can differentiate between the two problems.
Sounds like it has too much oil in it, that normally is what causes the white smoke. So why did the oil go low? And how much did you put in after that? Have you checked your sc?
The white smoke is normal on these machines and most boats. The hot exhaust gas is cooled by injecting water into the exhaust system which naturally produces steam or the 'white smoke' you see. This should only be coming out of the exhaust port at the back of the ski near the jet pump, but NOT from the jet pump itself. When you run it out of the water and see this smoke do you have the hose hooked up and turn one? If not, the exhaust system can heat up very quickly and vaporize any remaining water in the system which could come out as steam from the flush port around the jet pump. This is not good and you should not run it out of water without the hose hooked up, you will fry the machine in no time. here
As for the oil disappearing, I have no idea. It is going somewhere and cannot be burned off that fast from worn cylinders or rings. If it was a bad head gasket, more likely that the oil level would increase and be contaminated with coolant rather than the other way around. Check your compression if you suspect a bad head gasket or cylinder problems. As long as you are using the correct oil weight recommended by seadoo, it cannot be the oil's fault. [links]
This is a Crusader 350 (a 454), a brand new rebuild from a long block. During initial test drive after finishing the motor install, I'm seeing steam from the exhaust. The boat has always done this, but as long as I've had it the boat has always had a cracked block. Is this normal or a sign that I've still got something wrong? more
Risers and manifolds are junk.
A cracked block is not normal; its definitely "something wrong"
Unless you feel confident about removing injectors for service this is a job best left to a competent diesel mechanic. more
To tell the difference between the two is fairly easy, if your engine is making white smoke right from start up and the smoke sits on the water without disappearing you’re most likely looking at un-burned diesel. This is usually caused by:
Next, if you have a saildrive and suspect debris or growth is blocking the water flow you can collect an alternative raw water pipe to the input of your sea strainer. for this you would need an alternative through hole available and a suitable pipe to connect them such as the inlet for your water maker or through hull to the galley sea water pump etc. at a pinch you could run a pipe overboard. A clogged sail drive is a common culprit and it’s good practice to give it a flush out with vinegar or another growth inhibiting treatment when next on the hard.
Lets face it, any time we see smoke coming out of our engine we start to see dollar signs flash before our eyes however there are a number of things that could cause your engine to smoke. If you’ve found this page you will likely already have taken a look and concluded that you are getting white smoke and would like to take a step further to investigate the cause.