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Vent: A blown turbo on a mountain pass made me rethink my whole diagnostic order
I was hauling a load over Snoqualmie Pass in Washington when a 2015 Duramax lost all power and started dumping white smoke. My first thought was injectors, so I spent an hour pulling the valve covers to check spray patterns. Turns out, a single turbo blade had shattered and sent pieces through the intercooler, which I found after checking boost pressure with a simple gauge. Now I always check boost and backpressure before I even touch the fuel system on a no-power call. What's your go-to first check when a diesel rolls in with no power and smoke?
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cole_mitchell576mo ago
Yeah, that's a rough way to learn. Eric_morgan59 has a point about checking air first, but sometimes you get stuck in one way of thinking. I had a similar thing happen with an old 7.3, except it was a huge exhaust leak right at the manifold making it run like garbage and smoke. Spent way too long on the injector buzz test before I finally heard the hissing over the engine noise. Now I just start with the basics, listen and look for anything obvious before I grab a single tool.
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holly_flores795mo ago
Totally agree with starting simple. I've wasted hours overthinking stuff that was right in front of me. A good walk around with the engine running can save a whole weekend. It's so easy to jump to the complicated fix. Now my first move is always a visual and listening check, no matter what.
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eric_morgan596mo ago
White smoke with no power is almost always a turbo issue, not injectors. That's a lot of work to do for nothing. A quick boost pressure check with a cheap gauge would've told you right away. Always start with the air system before you even think about pulling parts.
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