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Excessive Smoke with Smarty Jr

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clutch wear advice

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2007 Mega Cab 5. 9 4WD, Automatic, 22K Miles, Smarty Junior, total weight truck and toy hauler 21,080.



I downloaded and installed POD for Smarty Junior, software revision #Smarty POD# V5. 09B D:RJ14A. It worked great, 40 PSI boost, great power, very little smoke and EGT never exceeded 1225 degrees. After 100 miles of driving from 1400’ elevation to around 7000’ elevation I noticed that we were putting out a ton of black smoke when I rolled into the throttle at low RPM and it cleared somewhat as the turbo spooled up and RPM increased. The other change noted was the boost never went above 28 PSI.



I reprogrammed back to the towing level 2 and we still had lots of black smoke, less power, but still about 150 degrees lower EGT than stock. When we got home (1400’ elevation) I reprogrammed back to stock, all the smoke went away, but so did a lot of the power.



We noticed on our next trip using stock programming the power level was down, the fuel economy went down to 7. 9 MPG at 72 MPH and the cruise control kept dropping out, sometimes turning the cruise light out, sometimes not. We could be on cruise for up to 90 minutes before it dropped, but after it dropped the first time, it usually only stayed on for a minute or 2 before it dropped again. When climbing hills, the truck would stay in cruise (set at 72 MPH) and shift down and still stay in cruise even if the road speed dropped to 50 MPH. It would up shift and resume 72 MPH after we crested the hill without any intervention. The EGT would never exceed 1100 degrees. I never experienced the cruise dropping out even when we were pulling harder and heavier before this trip.



There have been no codes displayed. I spoke with Bob Wagner and he said he didn’t know what could have caused the sudden increase in smoke, loss of 10 PSI of boost, drop in power and fuel economy. He agreed putting the question up on the forum might be the best way to unravel the mystery. Sorry for such a long post, but I figured better more information than less.



I don’t know whether I’m looking for a component failure or a software issue. Any suggestions as to what the trouble might be or who would be able to diagnose the problem would be greatly appreciated. My name is Joe Leonard and our phone number is 530 554-4528 or you can email me at -- email address removed --
 
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Doesn't sound like a smarty jr problem, just a coincidence that it happened at the same time. I think that it is a mechanical problem, keep it simple first in the diagnosis department at first. Being that removal of the Jr the problem is still there it leads me to believe that it is not it.

Possibly a boost leak, low fuel pressure, very dirty air filter, dirty fuel filter.
 
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black some is to much fuel or not enough boost or a some combination of that. Like stated above I would check for a boost leak. Where is your boost gauge picked up from. If im not mistaken your wastegate is a combination of electronics and mechanical maybe the electronic portion is not functioning and stuck open.
 
Smarty update (or lack thereof)

I went back to stock programming to let the truck settle down. I really only need (want) the extra power when towing our toyhauler, and we haven't had it out again. Thank you to the people who responded.
 
My only suggestion is look for a reason to have low boost. Boot slipped, exhaust leak or other places. The leaks that I have had you could hear easily. One was a whistle not much boost lost the other a boot came off. Neither were on my '03.
 
At higher elevations you will make less boost and more smoke than lower elevations.

What do you use for gauges?
 
I would guess the smoke is the change in altitude... mine smoked like a freight train when we did our Rocky Mountain trip, and that was completely stock programming.



But the other symptoms may be unrelated to the Smarty, or made more noticeable with its install.
 
Ditto on the high elevation smoke. I fired mine up in Bryce Canyon@ 28* last April. Rolling into it as usual I spewed a ton of soot out the back. When the vehicle warmed up it minimized it. That was with Smarty on sw# 1.
 
My truck didn't like the smarty jr either, no lost of boost but smoked like crazy, sent it back and never orderd another one, but it was fun for a few weeks.
 
How come mine won't smoke at all???????? I get a wisp of smoke if I drill the throttle off the light but thats it. BillVo: Any thoughts??
 
How come mine won't smoke at all???????? I get a wisp of smoke if I drill the throttle off the light but thats it. BillVo: Any thoughts??



Because its an 03. 03-04 don't smoke like 04. 5+... has to do with injectors/pistons/events and programming.
 
Yeah my '03 smoked a little more after the he351 ATS and 4" exhaust install. Mind you I had switched to perf program. But I really have to lay into her a low rpm to get any smoke.
 
Sooooo... . what needs to be done to an 03 to get more smoke? I have the mods below already done... so I'm thinking maybe it's time for injectors... . but if injectors, pump probably has to be modified... . then turbo... then intercooler... . then... . hahahahaha



Anybody get a bit of the smokey smokey with +40HP injectors without turbo/pump mods?
 
I'm running the Smarty Jr and have a ton of smoke too running SW2. I did not have any smoke before installing it. Guess it goes with the territory. Mine is still the original programming it came with - 5. 08 I think. Maybe upgrading to newer software from Smarty might change the excessive smoke?



Seems as though on the newer trucks, smoke is the inevitable.





CD
 
Sooooo... . what needs to be done to an 03 to get more smoke? I have the mods below already done... so I'm thinking maybe it's time for injectors... . but if injectors, pump probably has to be modified... . then turbo... then intercooler... . then... . hahahahaha



Anybody get a bit of the smokey smokey with +40HP injectors without turbo/pump mods?



Get a set of F-1 flux 2, 100hp, injectors. I smoke like a freight train though the first 4 gears. I really need to recam the motor. I can also drain the fuel rail down to 10k psi at wot. One of these days I will get a stage 3 cp3 to solve that problem. To be honest I smoke all the time I can not control it even with very little fuel pedel input. It's fun for a while, but it gets old. I would rather burn the fuel and get more power. Be careful what you wish for :).



Aaron (see sig for rest of my mods)
 
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