Hi guys, I just took my 240 over the Cascades on a visit to my brother-in-law. Now, I've never seen a puff of smoke out of this thing, but at 4,000 feet I was making some serious soot at wide open throttle -- enough to get tailgaters to back off. Back on the valley floor at 400 feet, everything's back to normal.

I'm assuming the thinner air up there isn't providing enough oxygen to burn all the diesel completely -- which suggests to me that maybe I've got an atomization problem? This engine was rebuilt 30K miles ago -- could it already need new injectors?

__________________
Finn John -- Albany, Ore.
www.offbeatoregon.com
76 Merc 300D, sky-blue, *86k, for driving
84 Jaguar XJ6, black, 245k, for restoring someday
71 Merc 408, 2.3 petrol 4, Avon caravan conversion (UK), RHD

Could be normal since the fuel/air ratio changes at altitude. I'd look at your altitude compensating device (ADA?) on top of the IP--where the ALDA sits on a turbo engine to make sure it is open to atmosphere.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

If it were an atomization problem I would expect your car to smoke all the time. Smoking at altitude would be an indication that your altitude compensation device isn't working like kerry suggested.

Put a fresh air filter on before you go back over the pass, it may not help much but it will help some.

__________________
green 85 300SD 200K miles "Das Schlepper Frog" With a OM603 TBO360 turbo ( To be intercooled someday )( Kalifornistani emissons )
white 79 300SD 200K'ish miles "Farfegnugen" (RIP - cracked crank)
desert storm primer 63 T-bird "The Undead" (long term hibernation)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig692a.png

Sounds like the ALDA to me...

__________________
[/SIGPIC]~cirrusman

1983 Mercedes Benz 300SD - Wife calls him "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
[SIGPIC]




1983 Toyota Tercel (Tommy, The little Toyota that could)
1965 Ford F100 (Grandma Ford)
2005 Toyota Sienna (Elsa, Wife's ride)


Gone:
1988 Toyota Pickup
2004 Subaru Outback

1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1986 Volvo 740 GL Station Wagon - Piece of junk.
1981 Volvo 242 DL 2 Door - Hated to see it go. R.I.P.
1987 Pontiac Fiero GT

No ALDA on a 240d.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Just pull the air filter out of the canister for a mile or so when at altitude. If the filter cannot supply enough air to get enough oxygen into the cylinders it will also smoke. You will know if the filter is too restrictive at altitude right away. If so try a fresh one.

alda/ada/atmospheric compensator... very similar...

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I believe some amount of black smoke at high altitude is "normal." My experience is that adjusting the ADA on the 240D doesn't change things very much. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if it only happens under load at high altitude.

Yes, but a search on ALDA would send a person in the wrong direction.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I just went to Carson City, NV From Santa Cruz,CA., that is going from sea level (ok 100ft) to over 7300 ft on Hwy 50 going over Echo summit.
I really didn`t see any black smoke, but at night I do see the usual haze in the head lights. I will say i was on my hands and knees climbing the grade.

With my Datsun PU going over the same grade, it will blow black smoke. I back off the peddle to the point it starts to loose power, and stay in that range. pushing the peddle to the floor and blowing smoke won`t make it go faster, just wastes some fuel, and reconfirms the gasser lovers behind in the smoke, why they hate Diesels and want them off the road.

The engine is being over fueled for the amount of oxygen available at altitude, the job of the altitude compensator is to cut the fuel back as the atmospheric pressure decreases.

These Naturally Exasperated engines are giving you all to have.

Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Just in forum searches.

The ALDA and ADA are functionally identical. Besides the physical appearance, the only differences are the calibration and not being connected to the intake.
Swap the ALDA, turn up the max fuel and you have a 300D's injection pump -1 cylinder.