Smoke Coming From My New Cummins

[JManion]

Hi... . I am new to this club, and this is my first diesel. . 2004 dodge tubro cummins 4x4 shortbed, thats about as much as I know about diesel engines.

Tonight I got myself into a tight spot with a chevy truck. To me he seemed like he didn't want to let me get off at the next exit, so I put the pedel to the metal and left him in my SMOKE as I looked out my rearview all I could see was smoke ( bluish in color) I thought I did some damage but the smoke cleared when I got off the pedal and off at the exit.



The truck only has 800 miles on it. I thought I would ask the members here before I take it to the dealer. any suggestions.



thank you

jim manion :

 

[Joe G.]

That's just fuel smoke to hide Chevy's in. No problem. Maybe a little oil smoke since the rings are not nearly seated yet.

 

[Pawpaw]

I would guess this was after dark and there were vehicles behind you.



During daylight hours, I can't see any smoke from mine. Under the above conditions, it looks like a whole lot of smoke.



Not to worry, it's normal.

 

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

Perhaps this is a stupid question, but I have noticed the same thing while taking off hard at night. I never notice smoke during the day though. So why is it visible only at night?

 

[Billy Diesel]

I would guess you can see it at night or dusk better because of the way the light comes through it (setting sun, headlights), instead of down on it (midday sun).

 

[JManion]

Thanks guys I was worried. you were right I don't see it in the daytime.

 

[WyattEarp]

Mine does the same thing at nite with headlights behind me its kinda cool the only time i can see myself smoking LOL, also i thing during nite time the air is heavier which might have some reason for being able to see it also, JmO...

 

[dpuckett]

I, too, notice more smoke at night, no matter how much/little I see during the day. During the day, I see a faint cloud if I get into mine hard; at night, it looks like I blew a turbo seal or something- lots of grey smoke. I'll second the lighting angle theory.



On a side note, it is good that you're varying the load on the engine. From what I've read here, you need to run it hard now and then to get the rings to seat well. Babying it wont cut it. Drive it like you stole it one day, normal the next. Not that I have any personal experience in a new vehicle, but that is what I've read here and other places. i know lots of guys who bought the truck, took it home, and hooked it up to a trailer and started towing with it.



Daniel

 

[rbattelle]

I've also found on mine that you tend to build up a layer of soot in the exhaust piping when you don't run hard for awhile. Then when you really get into it and airflow goes through the roof all that built up soot comes shooting out, making the cloud of smoke seem much much bigger.



Try explaining that to a cop: "I'm sorry, sir, but I have to periodically perform full throttle launches in order to clean the soot out of my exhaust".

 

[JohnE]

Hi... . so I put the pedel to the metal and left him in my SMOKE as I looked out my rearview all I could see was smoke ( bluish in color) I thought I did some damage but the smoke cleared when I got off the pedal and off at the exit.

...

That is the infamous diesel exhaust opacity. Some places require periodic testing for this.



Also after you "get on it" hard make sure to give it some easy running before you shutdown to cool off the turbo



Wait until you start modifying the truck. Then you can really pour out black smoke... . I use it as an anti tailgate measure.

 

[SEmerson]

I smoke some too.

 

[DGFoster]

I smoke some too.

Boy I miss that,my 2000 would roll the smoke

 

[bmoeller]

Wait until you start modifying the truck. Then you can really pour out black smoke... . I use it as an anti tailgate measure.

Same here. I HATE tailgaters! Smoke'm if you got it.

 

[JLEONARD]

I HATE tailgaters! Smoke'm if you got it

Got me two yesterday :-laf :-laf

Jay

 

[Doubleclutch]

Aside from Emerson's bug killer, The reason you see smoke at night is because the headlight behind you is shining up the plume of smoke. During the day, the sun shines across the plume. At night, I have found that the trick to turn off a HIGH BEAM tailgater, is to place a totally opaque volume of soot between said headlight and tailgate.