No black smoke??!?
 

Ok So ive been working on my 300sd.. various tuning things... when i got the car, the ALDA was turned up almost all the way... (within 1/2 turn) but under no condition will any black smoke come out the back! I tried turning it up all the way.... still nothing!

is the ALDA bad?

also cleaned out all the tubes, and banjo bolts.

car does not have any cats... just pipe and muffler.

air cleaner is new...

EGR is blocked off (for stock look)

I would rip off the ALDA.. but I dont have boost or pyro gauges just yet, and I do a lot of driving at night, so i wouldnt be able to see the unburnt fuel coming out the tail pipe. It would be nice to have this "over fuel / boost" protection till I can get the gauges installed..

I even tried bypassing that turbo switch over valve thingie.. (what does that do anyways?)

the car runs and drived just fine... ok power... just wondering why there isnt any smoke when i adjust things!

any thoughts?

thanks!

-Dan

No smoke is good.

Yes, and that thingy you are referring to is a switchover valve, that opens the waste gate at certain pressures, not necessary, I and a MB mechanic feel. The stock set up does not make enough boost to do any damage.

Try running with it off and see if you get black smoke. Also try running with the boost line disconnected and see how much performance you lose.

No need to install a boost gauge and pyrometer when adjusting/modifying the ALDA. Removing the ALDA doesn't increase the fuel injected, it just allows more of it with less boost resulting in incomplete combustion. The only thing that will increase your fuel past the stock maximum is the full load screw inside the IP. So you're safe to play around with the ALDA as much as you wish.

The switchover valve was your only overboost protection. When boost pressures rise over a certain amount, say when your wastegate line disintegrates, a switch on the manifold completes the circuit through the valve and vents the boost pressure that was once going to the ALDA to the atmosphere, reducing the fuel therefore reducing the boost. At this point in these cars' lives, the switchover valve is usually so packed with soot and oil that it probably won't operate the way it was intended anyway.

The SD has never exhibited any black smoke under any condition and it's ALDA is also turned up quite far.

The SD turns a o-60 of 12.7 with a 2.88 diff.

I'm quite pleased with it.

Sounds good!

I just wanted to make sure I wasnt running super lean or or bosting the EGT's to high or something.

thanks!

-Dan

SO If i understand this... if somehow the wastegate line gets damaged... and the switchover valve, and ADLA are gone, there wont be any more fuel injected over the usual amount? thus im not REALLY in danger of overburning things?


Seems like the ALDA is just to keep from "wasting" fuel, and smoking out the people behind you? like my 6.2 diesel blazer? (heh heh heh)

Im not the only person that drives this car... from time to time, it needs to be.... well... "wife" resistant :^)
-Dan

Running "super lean" will never hurt a Diesel as opposed to a gasser. It's when you see lots of black smoke for an extended period that you have to be carefull.

How do you remove tailgaters from their position w/out black smoke?:eek:

Correct. The ALDA is only an emissions control device made to make the environazis happy by limiting maximum fuel until there is enough air to burn it all.

The engine can still be damaged if the wastegate line fails. The turbo would be running well above it's intended operating range which heats the air very hot. Hot air in means hotter exhaust out which could burn a valve or start melting a piston. A minute or two of it won't hurt the engine but driving for long periods like that will.