Exhaust Soot
 

Lately I've noticed quite a bit of black soot coming out of my exhaust when I start the engine(84 300D turbo). This usually happens if the car has been sitting for a couple of days. The car doesn't smoke when driving, so I'm wondering if this is normal, or if there is something I can do to correct this problem? It does cause a little mess on the garage floor. I'm fairly new to diesels and don't have much, if any expierence with them, so any advice or help would be appreciated. Thanks!

That is classic valve stem seal leakage.
Cheap to replace..
but tedious... but it is up top so not as bad as some jobs...

how old is the car? could just be suit built up in the muffler.

My 82 has 204k and on startup also produces a sooty spot on the ground.
I had been told that it was unburned fuel resulting from a cold engine and once warm is gone.

Yep. Cold old engines usually make a black spot.

Indeed, mine does! :D

When I start mine on a cold morning, (like I did this morning) it will start up with a small puff, but after I back out of my space and hit the throttle, it gives a small stream of black, then goes clear. :D

I'm sure you have more in your life to worry about than that. Just drive it......;)

Well that may be so, but my 12,000 mile Metric Motor engine shoots out soot and I`ll be danged if I`ll be changing out the valves seals anytime soon :rolleyes:.

I agree with JIMMYL, bigger things to worry about and just drive it. all diesels produce soot, they just mark their territory. be glad you aren`t marking it with oil ;).

Put an old piece of cardboard down under the exhaust in the garage.

Charlie

I'd try running a couple of cans of Lubra Moly Diesel Purge. It stops my cars from smoking.

It wouldn't if you use good fuel. I suggest finding a better fuel station.

It wouldn't if you use good fuel. I suggest finding a better fuel station.

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In actual fact, since they changed the formula for Diesel, neither car smokes much. But I have noticed that over a period of a year or so, both cars tend to become sluggish, and if you rev up the engine rapidly, there will be black smoke, only occasionally useful for the edification of imbeciles who like to honk strenuously after you have already begun to pull away from a light. But I digress.

When the engine does get sluggish, I have found that a thirty minute 1½ can of Lubra Moly ends all smoking and perks up performance quite noticeably. As for the brands of fuel, I use Valeo, Mobil and occasionally Exxon brands. Texaco makes claims about "Premium Diesel", but I have not noticed even a small bit of performance, not before with the old high sulfur fuel or now, with the low sulfur fuel.

I bet your Diesel would also run better after a Diesel purge. Diesel Giant shows how to do this on his website.

I have run both cars on 99% Biodiesel and they run smoother and quieter, with a slight (5%less) decrease in mileage.

Just for curiosity, what do you consider a "good fuel"?

Is smoke a turbo thing? I've had my NA 240 for about a year now and not seen any smoke at all from it. I use corner store diesel and WVO, never used diesel purge and I haven't done engine work yet. Also, on this subject, I did look at another 240 that had smoke coming from the ENGINE COMPARTMENT. It ran alright, but I wasn't sure what was going on. Exhaust leak?

Tennessee is full of tailgaters.I once in awhile fill my glasspack with water.Then drive and wait for a tailgater.If its a white following me its fun when I mash the pedal.Blows out all the soot,with modified tailpipe no mess on my car.
Yes I suffer with deppression,and carry a gun.

Nice. :D :D

Humm, a year also happens to be the adjustment interval for valve lash. Coincidence? ;)