Hello,
I've just bought a diesel van off ebay (peugeot 2.5 diesel), and noticed excessive plumes of white smoke on the way home (increasing with acceleration). It had been standing for nearly a year (but apparantly started every now and again).
My question is does diesel go off and could this be the cause of the smoke or water in the diesel, or (god forbid) a blown gasket.
Any suggestions most welcome,
Thanks

Sounds like water from some place. Better make sure that your are not getting water laying in the cylinder, you might have the misfortune of hydraulic lock up and bend a connecting rod or cause excessive psi on the crank and wipe that out.

Take a sniff of the smoke. If it smells like raw fuel, it is over fueling. If it smells like coolant, it may be a head gasket. No odd smell, maybe just condensation in fuel.
Check the fuel filter(s) and see if you can drain off a sample of fuel into a glass or jar. Let it sit and see what might be in there.

Thanks for you suggestions.
Here's the latest:

I replaced the fuel filter. Fuel looked slightly milky (although i didn't let it settle). No sign of water/oil mixing. No overheating. Exhaust does smell a bit of unburned fuel, but not 'sweet smelling'

Took it to diesel specialist this morning. He took the air inake off and listened.
He metioned misfiring and something about valves and suggested a new engine could be the best option.
My worst fears realised? He said he could do more tests.
How confident should i be about his 1 min diagnosis?
Should i try persevere with fresh fuel with injector cleaner, or should i accept that i've bought a duff?

M

Looking more hopeful- i found a hole in the air intake caused by a pulley, so rubber particles must have got in the combution chambers. Could this block the injectors and cause the symptoms?

did the simple injector test of loosening the fuel inputs- all effected the idling so were ok.
a quick look through the oil cap and a broken push rod was clearly visible- no movement in the springs. doh!
had a mechanic make up a new one and fixed cheaply.