Lately, I have noticed that when I start my '87 190DT and rev it to warm it up, it has been spraying something black out on the pavement out of the exhaust. Is this normal?? I'm hoping that it's just condensation from inside the pipes getting blown out, but I'm not sure. Anybody else experienced this?? Thanks in advance.

you have a diesel when they run "rich" they belch out black smoke... mine does something like that at start up but not solid black .. its grey and it smells just like a diesel should .. plus its not a big cloud just a lil fog

i would think, yes, it is condensation.

the gray smoke might be from a dead glow plug. does it run a little rough at first?

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I have that same diesel smoke as well, but this is something that leaves a "splatter" pattern on the ground. Think it's just condensation mixed with that diesel smoke?

Its soot! Thats a natural by-product of our diesel engines, it just blasts a puff of soot on the ground when you start it up. Same stuff you have in a charcoal grill or campfire pit when you're done.

There is probably condensation in the pipes too, so it makes the soot wet/spatter when it first comes out.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

The Isuzu NPR's where I work leave a 2' round black spot where they start each day. 25 trucks x 300 days working = LOTS of black patches on the dirt.

We just rented one of those from Ryder a couple weeks ago! They are fun! I love the engine, sounds rugged! I was crawling underneath looking at all the mechanicals and such, didn't flip the cab forward though.

This one was braaand new, 1,308 on the odometer!! I had fun with the liftgate too.... My dad topped it out around 77mph on the freeway for a while....we calc'd our mpg's around 11-12, sound about right? We had it running most of the time we had it, and it wasn't putting out any black soot/visible exhaust at all, didn't check if it did on startup.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)