Bongo Fury

Hi all,
Had Bingo for a few years now, she's never used any water and always started ok. About a year and a half ago she began starting on 3 cylinders only then went to 4 after a while. I changed the glow plugs and she was back to normal. About 6 months ago she started using a little water, nothing excessive but one morning Hayden's super alarm stayed on and I had to top up. This has been getting a little worse until I was up to half a litre every month. I decided that it was about time I gave her some tlc this summer and have booked a week off starting 14th august to change water pipes, cam belt and re-underseal her. Two weeks ago while starting she began to start on 2 then 3 then 4, this time I had clouds of whiteish smoke which eventually clears. Uh- oh glow plugs I think and change them. No difference, however she is now using lots of water probably a litre a week, and it is not under the van. Sometimes she starts superb others it's on 3 cylinders then 4, sometimes I have smoke others there's nothing. This morning I fitted a new fuseable link and examined, cleaned and greased all the glow plug relay earth points. I also checked the voltage on the glow plugs and this starts at 10.5 and goes to 11.5 before the relay shuts down. Unfortunately so does my battery.
So to the questions, have I got a problem with my battery, all other times apart from starting the battery is about 12.7.
Do I have a sticky injector hence the white smoke( it smells like diesel to me)
If I happen to have both above where's the water going?
Thankfully I have been collecting parts since the day I bought her and the only thing I need to whip the head off is a new set of bolts.
So in 2 weeks do I change cam belt, water pump and hoses or go the whole nine yards and do head gasket as well.
Oh and I've just found no1 stud snapped on the exhaust which would obviously be easier to replace on the bench.
Ideas, opinions or quotes I will listen to all.
Ps forgot to say oil looks like oil, no mayonnaise, performance is ok and fuel usage is the same.

Is it "white smoke" which smells oily - a bit like paraffin.

or steam? Which smells damp.

Which it is determines what the problem may be, as they each have completely different causes.

Hi scanner it's like smoke, smelly like paraffin and slow to dissipate. Not like steam which I imagine would clear quickly.

sounds like you just have more than one problem going on.

what length and type of glow plugs did you fit in the past and whats in now. battery voltage does sound low, are you getting 12.7 when started and glow plugs off and revving. is the alternator/battery chucking out enough to make the plugs glow well!!.

that amount of water loss sounds like a water pump leak at the 6 oclock position hole in the casting, this is very hard to see leaking get a dentist mirror and torch.

sent you a pm mate.

Cheers Ady, replied.

lazyb5 wrote:Hi scanner it's like smoke, smelly like paraffin and slow to dissipate. Not like steam which I imagine would clear quickly.

I've had that in the past on a different indirect injection diesel and it was ignition timing because the cold start device was sticking. I think the cold start works by retarding the timing a bit and that can cause the incomplete combustion that causes the white smoke.

White smoke means that the diesel fuel is not burning correctly due to a lack of heat in the combustion chamber. This unburnt diesel contains minor toxins that may sting your eyes.
This problem may be caused by:
• A clogged fuel filter
• Incorrect injector pump timing
• Worn engine (low compression)
• Water or petrol contamination of the diesel fuel.