Hello Dear Friends!

I finally got smoke out of my exhaust after 2 full turns of the ALDA CCW. Now, the question is, how much smoke do I want? The old tach. is not working, so I cant figure out where 3000rpm is.

So, today, doing 75 up a fairly tough hill trying to pass some people I noticed lots of dark smoke. Would 75 put me at the propper rpm for this to work? Should there be more smoke under a hard load up a steep hill?

Thanks as usual!

__________________
Paul
2004 E500 4matic; 72,000mi

At 75 you will be turning around 3200rpm. If you are getting black smoke at that then I would say you are a little over fueled. A good way to check is to torque out with the sun low behind you. A slight haze is about right. Black smoke is unburnt fuel and that is a waste and is not real good for the engine.

__________________
Mark
82 300SD 110k
91 Caprice SS
92 Jetta TD
97 Cadillac Concours(300hp)
84 Celebrity 4.3L diesel

Ok, here is the latest.
Yesterday, downhill, 60mph. All the sudden lots of smoke. back off on the gas, smoke eventually goes away. A few miles later, uphill at 35 mph. tons of smoke, and the engine begins pinging like it spun a rod. Also wouldnt stop accelerating (or trying too) when I got off it.

Backed the alda off (cw) 1/2 turn.

Going home, uphill 65mph, smoke and pinging again, accelerator again stuck. Limp home.

The coolant hose next to the IP had fallen and was wedged agains one of the pushrods. That should be the sticking problem. But, what about the pinging?

I spent last night trying to completely readjust the linkages, so we'll see. IN the meantime, my temp. guage also has died, so I dont know if i'm frying the thing

Any suggestions?

__________________
Paul
2004 E500 4matic; 72,000mi

Ummm?
Are you sure that the hose is the sticking problem? Lots of black smoke is not a good thing. Assuming that the coolant hose was holding the throttle open then you might have a turbo problem or the IP has crapped out. Or...... Pull the intake off the turbo inlet and spin the turbine by hand. It should spin free with very little slack in the bearings. Did this all start after you adjusted the alda?

__________________
Mark
82 300SD 110k
91 Caprice SS
92 Jetta TD
97 Cadillac Concours(300hp)
84 Celebrity 4.3L diesel

Yup, all this was after the alda.

The hose was the sticking problem; it still smokes uphill at 65, but no longer sticks open.

gonna keep pulling back on the alda; maybe I just went to rich without knowing it.

I'll check the turbo.

__________________
Paul
2004 E500 4matic; 72,000mi

Man, I think you went way too much on the ALDA. Put it back to where it was and try going 1/4 turn and then drive the car for a day or two. I'd be suprised if you needed to go out more than a full turn.

__________________
Orland Park, IL
1985 300SD 215,000 miles

I've adjusted it so much, I dont know what original was! I"m pretty sure I'm close to the begining though.
Problem was, w/o the tach, I wasnt testing at high enough speeds. but it sure felt good off the line!!
I'll test some more when the sun comes up.

ps. At least it hasnt pinged today.

__________________
Paul
2004 E500 4matic; 72,000mi

I am surprised you could make that much dif with the alda. I turned mine all the way out till it would not go anymore and then shimmed the alda out some more and I still get very little smoke.

__________________
Mark
82 300SD 110k
91 Caprice SS
92 Jetta TD
97 Cadillac Concours(300hp)
84 Celebrity 4.3L diesel

Yeah, made a huge dif. To be sure, when i got the car the cap was already off, so who knows, it could already be out 2 or three turns.

Its getting better now; still some smoke when I get the rpm's up, but no where near what it was.
The key to seeing smoke is 3000+rpms!!

__________________
Paul
2004 E500 4matic; 72,000mi