XSeries-forum

Certain markets required the DPF, and it was an option here too as a replacement should the cat fail.

Regarding smoke on start up, I noticed the other day that my old 3.0d put out a cloud of white ish smoke when I started it.  The vehicle wasn't cold as had been driven some 30 mins previously.  This is something it hasn't done before and hasn't done it since.  The only thing that I can think is that it was parked on a steep hill nose up, but I cant see the relevance of this.  Any ideas why being parked on a steep slope would cause this?

The car always has a strong odour from the exhaust, akin to that of an old bus but never any smoke.  I can only assume it is an injector issue causing the smell but not sure.

On another note I took it a run today and clocked 40 mpg on the trip, which for an old pre facelift E53 with 190,000 miles under her belt impressed me!

A quick update.  I parked on the same steep slope nose up (mothers driveway) and it did it again.  Indicating that nose up on the steep slope seems to cause the smoke on start up, I just for the life of me cant think why??

[quote="mr angry"]
A quick update.  I parked on the same steep slope nose up (mothers driveway) and it did it again.  Indicating that nose up on the steep slope seems to cause the smoke on start up, I just for the life of me cant think why??
[/quote]

possibly valve stem seals, when the car is parked on a slope all the oil that gets left in the valve cover will run to the rear and if the stem seals are worn, more oil around the rear stems may be passing the seals and ending up in the cylinder.
Just a wild guess.

[quote="RenoHuskerDu"]
[quote="jaynana"]
[...]
also note that the E53 is the pre DPF era (which i think is a blessing) so the exhaust isn't the cleanest..
[/quote]

Actually, we bought our E53 3.0d in Germany and it does have a DPF. It was apparently first sold in Italy (or the Italian part of CH) as the manual is in Italian. [/quote]

Any outwardly obvious signs of having the DPF (rear pipes through bumper rather than downwards behind bumper etc.)? I know *most* E53s with M57TUD30 engines won't have a DPF fitted but how can an owner tell? Short of removing all the heat shields under the car!?  >:(

Try running the VIN through a checker to see if it shows up on the build sheet.