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  #1  
Old 01-30-2002, 11:49 PM
Jay Condrick
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Sparks from exhaust?

I picked my car up from a major service at a reputable shop tonight, drove it about 45 miles at freeway speeds ( 75-80 mph, short bursts to 100 when traffic allowed ) and noticed sparks from exhaust area at rear of car when I let off throttle as I slowed for offramp! I stopped at first chance once off highway and couldn't find anythingh amiss.....I'll call the shop first thing but wondered if anyone else has experienced this....

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  #2  
Old 01-31-2002, 12:11 AM
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I seem to remember reading a similar post a long time back, can't remember if it was here or at the rec.mercedes newsgroup. I believe the speculation at that time, was heated chunks of carbon being blown out the tailpipe, a result of the Italian tune-up.

Can't say I have ever seen this happen in a diesel, but have seen it with a gas engine, especially when the timing was off (or caused on purpose, old time stick shifters know that trick).
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  #3  
Old 01-31-2002, 03:49 AM
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This is a common occurance in the buses I drive. Especially if the bus had been operated in a shuttle route in the city, lots of stop and go. Then taken for an Italian tune up. At night it made a pretty good show when I looked in the mirror.
The only thing that sounds funny though, is that I got sparks when I was full throttle, and you got them when backing off.

Could be that is just when the sparks slowed down enough so you noticed them.
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1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
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Old 01-31-2002, 04:26 AM
Jay Condrick
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The carbon build up seems to be a good theory....the car had been used primarily around town, less than 10k per year by older woman owner. I've driven it hard since I got it but not under full boost until tonight.

I did try a series of accel/decel runs and could only see sparks when I lifted throttle. The quantity of sparks diminished fairly quickly after a few times.

If the car catches on fire, I can always smother it with diesel fuel, right?
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Old 01-31-2002, 04:32 AM
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Ha Ha, I don't think I would try it. And you won't catch fire with the carbon build up crud.

I used to work as a laborer on a asphalt paving crew. We did a lot of shoveling and raking of the hot asphalt, and the stuff would stick to our shovels like mad (as you might imagine). So we kept a large barrel of diesel fuel to dip our shovels into, to coat them, so we could shovel into the asphalt. I remember the smokers in the crew would regularly throw their lit cigarettes into the barrell of fuel to put out the cigarette.
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1981 300CD (Benzina)
1968 250 S (Gina) 266,000 miles!
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Guido)
1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
1977 Suzuki GS750B
1976 Yamaha XS 650 (sold)
1991 Suzuki GSX1100G (Shafty Gixser)
1981 Yamaha VX920RH (Euro "Virago")
Solex Moped
1975 Dodge P/U camper


"Time spent in the company of a cat, a beer, and this forum, is not time wasted!"
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  #6  
Old 01-31-2002, 08:24 PM
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Now, this does sound familiar!

I got a huge cloud of burning soot out of my Volvo TD after topping a long grade outside Lousville, KY at night. I suppose the oily soot in the tailpipe caught fire on the up-grade, but there wasn't really enough air to get it really going, and when I let off the pedal at the top of the grade, there was.

Quite spectacular, the chunks appeared to be 1/2" or so, and bounced down the highway behind me the rest of the way home.

The origin was, I think, a combination of oil from the dying turbo (it locked up the next year) and excessive soot from a sticking EGR valve (on the Volvo, if it sticks open at full throttle, you be HUGE clouds of dense black smoke, very impressive).

I ended up with a new exhaust system, I suspect partially becuase of the fire, but at 180,000 miles, I wasn't too surprised it was bad.

Check your turbo for oil leakage, and disconnect the EGR to help prevent a re-occurance. You may have just had a huge collection of soot in the mufflers.

Peter
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  #7  
Old 01-31-2002, 08:59 PM
Courtneyg
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Re: Sparks from exhaust?

I've witnessed something similar about 18 years ago at a truck race in Poconno, PA. A 1000hp Cummins 855 was running around the track with a reddish orange glow coming from the stack - a constant glow extending about 1 foot from the exit. It continued for several laps until a turbo fire retired the vehicle. That clearly was unburnt fuel stemming from serious overinjection which ignited when released to a more oxygen rich environment. I would tend to agree with the others that in your case, the sparks are probably from carbon particles releasing from areas close to the exhaust valves or manifold.


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Old 01-31-2002, 10:54 PM
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When we cut the old exhaust system off, it had at least a quarter inch of soot it in, mostly glassy. Both mufflers were about half full, too. Front pipe was clean, probably from being on fire!

Peter
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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!
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  #9  
Old 02-01-2002, 07:20 AM
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exhaust

my rear muffler literally fell / broke off the car due to excessive
weight!! it was left on the road cause when we went to retrieve
it , it felt like it weighed over 100lbs! it must have been completely
filled with carbon.. Sure glad that it didn't catch on fire ..

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