sluggish and smokey when cold...

[Green1]

I'm not entirely sure how to accurately describe this even, but here goes...

1994 L400 2.8L diesel

When I start the vehicle from cold it starts easily, and no smoke. However once I put it in gear and press the accelerator, it's almost like the wheels just aren't connected, I can floor it, and the vehicle just won't move, the right pedal starts regulating smoke output instead of forward motion (and at this point I can generate a LOT of black smoke!). After a bit it catches and goes, however for the first few minutes after this it hesitates significantly every time I step on the accelerator, and smokes accordingly. After 3-5 mins of driving the engine has warmed up and there is no smoke anymore and the van feels quite peppy.

Ideas?

[madmazda]

I was reading on the site from england and it read that you need to let the oil in the tranny warm up to aprox 50 f I think before the transmission works...... I think

[Green1]

hrmmm... how does one warm up the transmission without driving? my understanding is that transmissions don't warm up by the engine idling...

[madmazda]

yea i thought that was funny as well but they suggested letting it idle I guess or try leaving it in drive with brake on and idle for a bit to let the friction in the clutches warm the oil..... just a suggestion I'll find out in the next two days when mine gets here from edmonton weather it will do the same thing....

[Manitoba deli]

Sounds like you have a diesel engine. (Have you heard that one before?) If you want to warm up the trany put the park brake throw it in neutral. The trany oil is not actually pumped anywhere in park. You can also put the transfercase in neutral and put the tranny in drive or reverse if the oil in the transfer case needs to be warmed up, but the engine is pretty useless untill warmed up, the glow plugs stay on as long as 3 min or until the coolant reaches 20 degrees, which ever comes first.

Jason

[delicabits]

the l400 can be sluggish in the cold. normally put mine in neutral anyway for a few minutes out of habit but only when there is heavy snow around.

[jessef]

I experienced the same thing in 2 L400's.

In the morning, I turn the key to 'on'. One 'quick' click.. wait 5-7 secs .. then a 2nd 'quick' click.

Turn the engine over.

Handbrake on. Put in neutral. wait 1-2 mins. Drive off.

If I start it up and drive off right away, it will lurch like a bucking old cow for a few blocks until the fluids start flowing smoothly.

[Stiful]

The transmission oil is circulated through the bottom of the normal radiator so by warming up the engine properly you are also warming up the transmission fluid. If you lie under the front of the car you will see the 2 pipes going into a chamber at the bottom of the radiator. As far as the black smoke goes..could be a few things causing that. EGR would be the first thing to look at.. Cheers.

[loki]

maybe a pad/magnetic pan heater could be added to the tranny to help this out?

[flyfishn]

My Tracker did that. It was the tranny and finally I had to replace it and the issue was gone.

[MardyDelica]

hi, reason you still have some some if you dont warm up the L400 is that there is still remaining diesel fuel in the head system<
it takes a while for few minute as this L400 has a inter cooler engine, in result it got cold air coming to the intake turbo.
just press the pedal for few minute to take out the existingunburn fuel in the system & then your fine.
when the engine is warm the fuel burns quicker than colder engine; that will take out your smoke in the morning.
now as per transmission in the just let idle it first liek other people say. let the fluids circulate it towards the tranmission when its warming up; then you will be fine. remember this tranny is so big that when you change the filter & trans fluids it has 6 liter of tranny fluid to put in it. not like the old L300 its only carry 3.2 liters of trans fluids. big difefrence. but this L400 trans is way better than L300 as its so big design for a 1 ton trucks.
hope this help:
Cheers;
Mardy

[Green1]

Sounds like you have a diesel engine. (Have you heard that one before?)

Every vehicle I've ever owned has been diesel, none have behave like this before.

As far as the black smoke goes..could be a few things causing that. EGR would be the first thing to look at.. Cheers.

The problem is not consistent with an EGR issue as it is onlyk under HEAVY load and only for the first 2 minutes until the engine is warmed up, it seems definitely related to the other issue.

as per transmission in the just let idle it first liek other people say. let the fluids circulate it towards the tranmission when its warming up; then you will be fine

ok... is there any way to speed up this process? different transmission fluid maybe? (is there even such a thing?)

It's just that this is the first vehicle I've ever owned that I can't just get in and drive... something I'm very accustomed to doing!

[delicat]

I think the early Nissan Safari with the AT have a similar issue. They have a temperature sensor that will not allow lock-up until the fluid reaches the threshold. So from a cold start there is no lock-up for a few kms.

But hey, did you know the L300 doesn't have this issue?

[Green1]

But hey, did you know the L300 doesn't have this issue?

did you know that on the L400 once it warms up, pressing the pedal actually translates in to GOING... something the L300 didn't do so well...

Remember, I was skeptical of the L400... and I still haven't decided which is better overall, the L400 certainly has more toys, and several other advantages, but I haven't made my final decision as to which is "better" yet.

For now it sounds like my best bet is to get the remote starter installed as soon as possible, that way I have a hope of it being ready to go when I get in!

[jessef]

But hey, did you know the L300 doesn't have this issue?

did you know that on the L400 once it warms up, pressing the pedal actually translates in to GOING... something the L300 didn't do so well...

Hahahahahaha !!!!!

Man, that made my day. Thanks guys