Black smoke, wow..

[Jgolden]

Put an I/C on the non-I/C 1st gen in my motorhome. It's on a Freightliner chassis with tight clearence up front for a bunch of reasons. Finally got the "fab" part done and all hoses hooked up.



Took it for a ride and popped a loose turbo hose. Now I know why people can come to love the black smoke effect. The road behind me disapeared. Wow. I hated to take my foot off the pedal.



Someday I have to get a set up to just turn that on when needed.

Could be addictive.

 

[Greenleaf]

When I turn too many screws on the school bus engines, they do that. I also found that the added heat will break the exhaust manifoild or crack the head.



Do you have a three piece manifold? The Dodge trucks run light and unless you pull heavy loads all the time or drag race, the manifold isn't likley to tear the head apart. However, the school bus or motor home application is always under a load, even when "empty"



I don't like the design of the 12 valve head. It has ears for exhaust ports. Ears! ... ... ... ... ... It just screams "break me off"

 

[Jgolden]

Scott,

Mine has a one piece manifold. Looking at it I can see where it could be a problem with expansion. Is the three piece the cure for that? I try to keep it on the cool side. I'm hoping the I/C I added will take the temps down a little.



I got the black smoke because I didn't weld a bead around the end of a pipe and the boot slipped right off. Seems OK now. Taking a test ride down south... see how that works out.



If I had one more gear I'd be done improving it.



It is more like a school bus than a Dodge for sure.

Thanks, Joe G.

 

[Greenleaf]

The manifolds have two expansion (slip) joints. Cummins does not nor aftermarket have a three piece or two piece for the manifold used in the bus, 12 valve head. I suspect your manifold is the one with the turbo flange at the no. 5 exhaust port?



I have also had problems with installing a NEW manifold onto an old head. The three piece would not be a problem though.

 

[Jgolden]

My turbo hangs down from an "elbow" that comes out at the mid point of the exhaust manifold. Intake air comes in at the rear. The chassis was built in 89, not sure on the engine.



Sounds like a replacement might be hard to find. Hope I never have to go looking. The local school bus garage had some short Blue Birds that looked pretty similar, but the engine dog house access was way worse than mine. They are long gone, I don't think they made it to 100,000 miles. NY state takes a bus off the road for body reasons long before engine ages.



Thanks.