Black Diesel Engine Smoke
Black diesel smoke at it's finest.
View some videos at the bottom of the page for more black smoke fun!
Black smoke is almost always caused by a too rich ratio of fuel to air. This can be caused by numerous things, including but not limited to: dirty air filters, clogged muffler/catalytic converters/ diesel particulate filters; as well as CAC (compressed air charge) problems. Leaky or stuck injectors can cause this also. The addition of chips or tuners, can also adversely affect the amount of Black Diesel Smoke seen. It can also be caused by Fuel Timing, but most diesels do not get out of time, and I feel that Fuel Injection Pump timing should be something performed by a Diesel Mechanic and not a DIY-er
Air Filters
Dirty air filters are pretty self explanatory, 99.9% of diesel powered vehicles made in the past 30 or so years have what we call an air filter minder. These are mounted on the engine side of the air filter, which measures the intake's restriction, or vacuum, and triggers a little ball or marker. In the case with Ford diesels, a little plunger pulls out and locks at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, respectively. Never trust the owner's manual on the air filter change schedule. Always change the filter when ever the marker, or whatever your engine happens to be equipped with, tells you it's time to change it. A dirty air filter can most indeed cause black smoke, as well as cracking of the intake tube, which allows un-filtered air into the engine. Which can cause a Dusted Engine.
Clogged Muffler/ Catalytic Convertor
It becomes somewhat muddy water when you begin to wonder about if your muffler is clogged with soot. Or if your catalytic converter is also clogged. Sure, you may pull the exhaust off to see if it is indeed clogged, but be warned, you may very well love the sound your diesel produces. If not under warranty, replacing, the Cat. can be quite expensive. Muffler not so much, but usually, if a muffler is clogged, it 'can' be cleaned. That being said, diesels, especially turbo diesels, sound extremely awesome straight piped, but I am not condoning the activity of pulling off your muffler/Cat. Converter. It IS illegal to cut out the catalytic converter, and the offense is punishable by federal law.
However, there is a law somewhere stating that the turbo charger on a diesel technically counts as a muffler. This is how the big rigs legally can run straight stacks, and you know how good they sound straight piped.
< Want To Straight Pipe Your Diesel? Read Here First!>
CAC Problems
Ohhh boy I bet you won't be able to see
the bottom of the water barrel after this one!
CAC problems can range from a faulty turbo charger, to leaky intercooler boots (most diesels after 1991~ are equipped with an intercooler), to a faulty sensor telling the turbo wastegate to stay opened, to leaking turbo up pipes!
Before we tread any further here, I must state, that if your diesel is electronically controlled, 99% of the time, if you have a CAC problem, the engine will defuel, and will not make power, but will also not smoke. This, however, is not true for mechanical engines. Listen up 12V Cummins, Mercedes, Volvo, and other Mechanical Diesels, this article is for you. I see you just a spewing black smoke all over the place. Especially Mercedes, shesh! I know of *only* one older Mercedes Diesel (80s 240D) that does NOT smoke.
Typically, if you have a Faulty TurboCharger, the turbo will either, 1. Not Spool (I.e. it's supposed to whistle like no tomorrow) 2. Make Horrible noises because the turbine fins are hitting the housing while it attempts to spool, or if you have had an excessive black smoke issue for a long time, the exhaust side of the turbine, may just have melted to the point that the turbine wheel is no longer effective, however, this is rare, as the Pistons, usually melt before the turbo does.
Keep in mind, if you are continuously smoking black while driving, your EGTs ARE going through the roof, and you ARE doing severe damage to your engine. Sure, if you look back when you put your foot to the floorboard, and you see a light haze, don't worry about it too much, but if it looks like you just lit a 55gallon drum of crude oil in your exhaust system, (see images at the top of the page) you might just have a smoking problem, hehe. Also keep in mind, Black Smoke, is not only bad for the enviroment, black smoke is money going out your exhaust that could have made you horsepower, but instead is just making it look like you're on fire. (If you have a 6.4L PSD though, Ford installed Flame Throwers by accident on some trucks, hehe)
If you've chipped your Diesel, or you intentionally Turned up the Injection Pump, (of course with supporting gauges, you DO have those, RIGHT?) you probably already know enough about Diesels, and you can stop right here and go on to the next section, because, if you've turned up your pump, or have a chip on it, it's gonna smoke, unless you have also upgraded your Air System (Intake and exhaust, and turbo)
< Insert Link to Chips/Tuners/Performance Options as well as Diesel Gauges, WHY YOU NEED THEM>
SMOKE VIDS, I KNOW YOU WANNA SEE EM!
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