How much smoke should I expect to see?

[JChamberlain]

I have a 2006 6 speed-bone stock 15000 miles. Under acceleration I get a fair amount of black smoke under 2000 rpm. It decreases above that but never goes away until I let up to almost 1/2 throttle or rpm gets above 3000. I have looked at other 3rd gen's and they seem like they have less visible exhaust than I do when leaving the stop light.



It seems like a lot for a stock setup. Also I get 13 mpg empty at 80 mph and only 14. 5 at 65 mph. My 2002 got 17 and 19 under the same conditions.



I'm trying to decide if I should go talk to the dealer or are they going to look at me and say "It's a diesel dummy".



Thanks Jeff

 

[MMeier]

Has the poor thing been serviced recently... you know air filter, fuel filter, stuff like that?

 

[JChamberlain]

Oil every 5000. New fuel filter today. Air filter 4 months 4500 miles ago.

 

[MMeier]

i'd double check the air filter before I took it in anywhere... . especially the ***aler.

 

[JHenry]

With my '06, AFE stage II, Banks Technicooler, and Banks exhaust minus the cat. , I get black buildup on the rear fender above the tail pipe, so I know there's black smoke involved. I don't think it's anything like you describe with your truck. My mileage has increased slowly now that I'm over 20k. Is there an independent mechanic you can trust for his opinion? JH

 

[DieselFite]

I just got my 06 back from the shop 16,000 miles on it with the same problem and more. My truck was blowin black smoke, the overhead mileage was off 10mpg, hard start like cranking for 10 seconds and it sounded different. My dealer replaced 6 injectors to fix my problem.

 

[AGrubbs]

Stock - you should see very little black smoke. . only a little haze at most!

I would say something is screwed with one or more injectors.....



My '03 6sp 4x4 has been getting around 22-23 MPG at 60 MPH this year since its been on summer fuel. .

 

[ddutil]

JChamberlain, any news?



Mine does that too. Filters are ok, I suspect it leaks boost because mileage is great when I'm empty (22mpg+) . It's really when I'm in a hurry or mad at some Civics :-laf

- Dan

 

[JimB1]

Run a few tanks of highest Bxx bio-fuel available and give that a chance to do some cleaning.



When on vacation few weeks back, my brother, not knowing about the fuel heater light, started the '07 early one cool morning at the Motel and it was idling rough when I came out minute or two later. First time its ever done that.



Cleared up soon as we took off but on subsequent mornings, whether fuel warm up light was required or not, the engine would still idle rough with a bit of black smoke for 10 seconds or so with no throttle added but would clear out right away when rpm picked up.



Bio-diesel not available until I got home at which time I filled empty tank with B50 and within 3-4 days and 100 miles driving, start-up rough idle and smoke has dissappeared entirely.



I suspect a injector was slightly fouled.



I also noticed for those few heavy accelerations required from time to time, instead of getting short black puff with fouled injector, the exhaust has returned to its usual pretty clean light haze which only occurs as turbo is beginning spin-up and clears out entirely withing 2-3 seconds or so.