2006 ford diesel white smoke?

i have an 06 ford E-350 diesel, and unless its at operating temp, it misfires and puffs thick white smoke during acceleration. i know from experience that thick white smoke means the fuel has been injected but failed to ignite, plus i can feel the misfires. not a head gasket issue as it eats no coolant. mainly happens while driving during warm up but once it hits operating temp it runs like a top. could it be a cold compression issue? thanks in advance for any valuable info. also, please don't respond with "take it to a mechanic" because i am a mechanic and i'm just looking to find insider knowledge from someone that's dealt with this problem before i tear into it.