Too much smoke?

[jwgary]

Ok, I am probably going to get quite a few flames from this one, but I just wanted to get this out. Does anyone else out there think that some people are putting out too much smoke? Don't get me wrong... I like to see those burnout videos too with all the bellowing black goodness. I am talking about your daily drive. As a very big proponent of diesel technology, I am somewhat concerned by the opinions that non-diesel drivers have about diesel engines as a whole. Most of them thing that diesels are loud, smoky and smell bad. New technological advances (HPCR, pilot injection, ULSD) have reduced these attributes, but the view still exists. Then along come people who drive highly modified trucks that look like they are in those burnout videos just driving around town. Most people don't understand that the PM in the exhaust is heavier than air and that most of it just falls back down to the ground. They just see a truck that shouldn't be allowed to smoke like that and their opinion of diesel engines decreases.



I don't mean to offend anyone by these remarks, but I would like to understand more about why y'all with the highly bombed trucks cruise around town and still belch the smoke like a locomotive. If we can get people to see the benefits of diesel engines and overcome the prejudices that have been in place for decades, we will all benefit with more diesel options and better technology (read more horsepower, less fuel). What do you think?

 

[C. Harlan]

I don't mean to offend anyone by these remarks, but I would like to understand more about why y'all with the highly bombed trucks cruise around town and still belch the smoke like a locomotive.

As the creator of the "Great Smoke Stories" thread, I say this:



1. Because we can



2. There is really no way around it. . You want power?? You are going to see it. . The byproduct of high horsepower Diesel engines is SMOKE. Be it from a haze to a black Jet Pilot or Jim Fulmer type cloud. Some turbos run cleaner than others. My HX40 is a smoky turbo, as opposed to some which clean up a little more smoke.



I have already gotten a letter from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which I have yet to get framed. Not flaming on you, but some people like the smoke, and others can deal without it. Honestly, if you feather the pedal, you can drive fairly decently with little to no smoke. It's all in your driving habits. Hopefully others chime in as well.



-Chris-

 

[JasonCzerak]

Ok, I am probably going to get quite a few flames from this one, but I just wanted to get this out. Does anyone else out there think that some people are putting out too much smoke? Don't get me wrong... I like to see those burnout videos too with all the bellowing black goodness. I am talking about your daily drive. As a very big proponent of diesel technology, I am somewhat concerned by the opinions that non-diesel drivers have about diesel engines as a whole. Most of them thing that diesels are loud, smoky and smell bad. New technological advances (HPCR, pilot injection, ULSD) have reduced these attributes, but the view still exists. Then along come people who drive highly modified trucks that look like they are in those burnout videos just driving around town. Most people don't understand that the PM in the exhaust is heavier than air and that most of it just falls back down to the ground. They just see a truck that shouldn't be allowed to smoke like that and their opinion of diesel engines decreases.



I don't mean to offend anyone by these remarks, but I would like to understand more about why y'all with the highly bombed trucks cruise around town and still belch the smoke like a locomotive. If we can get people to see the benefits of diesel engines and overcome the prejudices that have been in place for decades, we will all benefit with more diesel options and better technology (read more horsepower, less fuel). What do you think?

Yes and no.



My cube mate called me one day after leaving lunch "your truck making alot of black smoke" (in your best asian voice). I explained to him that it's not like that stock and it can be control, it's a method of making a ton of power.



Today, he's looking up TDI jetta's to sell his brand spanking new 4 banger gas Grand Prix to get that extra 17mpg and I showed him what some boombed TDI's can do He's as stupid as the next guy about cars/trucks.



Bottom line, the stupid people won't change unless the media tells them to.

 

[JasonCzerak]

I have already gotten a letter from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which I have yet to get framed.



-Chris-

Scan it in! Post it! I wanna see it!

 

[Cummnzpowr]

..

Our Love for smoke with also be our demise in the end... let's enjoy it while we can i guess,until they pry our dry dead fingers from our steering wheels. :-laf

 

[Sageair]

Ok, I am probably going to get quite a few flames from this one, but I just wanted to get this out. Does anyone else out there think that some people are putting out too much smoke? Don't get me wrong... I like to see those burnout videos too with all the bellowing black goodness. I am talking about your daily drive. As a very big proponent of diesel technology, I am somewhat concerned by the opinions that non-diesel drivers have about diesel engines as a whole. Most of them thing that diesels are loud, smoky and smell bad. New technological advances (HPCR, pilot injection, ULSD) have reduced these attributes, but the view still exists. Then along come people who drive highly modified trucks that look like they are in those burnout videos just driving around town. Most people don't understand that the PM in the exhaust is heavier than air and that most of it just falls back down to the ground. They just see a truck that shouldn't be allowed to smoke like that and their opinion of diesel engines decreases.



I don't mean to offend anyone by these remarks, but I would like to understand more about why y'all with the highly bombed trucks cruise around town and still belch the smoke like a locomotive. If we can get people to see the benefits of diesel engines and overcome the prejudices that have been in place for decades, we will all benefit with more diesel options and better technology (read more horsepower, less fuel). What do you think?

I think what you are saying is a very valid concern . I for one love to listen to light aircraft flying over but look at how many airports have been closed by people who don't. If we want to keep our diesels we need to not turn the public against them.

 

[Greenleaf]

I wish I had lots of smoke. If I could I would. I have tried pump/turbo and nozzel combos and still nothing. I get some haze. I'm lead to believe that my auto transmission/loose torque converter will not allow the engine to load down like a manual trans will allow. :{



I can send up a thick, black, cloud if I perform a stall speed test but that is difficult to do when enroute.



So I subscribe to the no smoke club..... just not willingly.



GL

 

[DieselTweaker]

I try to keep my smoke down to a light hazy when driving mine, most of the time if im in traffic or around town. but when it comes down too it Ill keep my smoke and my HP.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

JW you're not alone, I prefer to keep it as clean as I can although I like to lay down my own small cloud on occasion. I think there's the time and place where loads of smoke are ok. . . at the track and sled pulls . . . but most any other time I think we should do what we can to keep it in check. I try to be conscientious of those behind me because there are people who are sensitive to diesel exhaust and they didn't do anything to deserve a smoking (my brother's wife for instance. . . if they get stuck behind a semi or bus to long or a smokey one she becomes nauseated).



Just because someone isn't in favor of unchecked mosquito fogging doesn't mean they're some liberal greenie pansy or something but instead are being considerate of others and/or being conscientious about the public perception and future of diesel power.



Vaughn

 

[tURBOdIEZEl]

im glad mine doesnt smoke like a freight train :-laf



#ad

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

Look at all that wasted HP. Get some air into that thing. :-laf :-laf



Jim

 

[tURBOdIEZEl]

LOL JIM... . i'll soon be leaving the strock turbo charger club... . Oo.

 

[joaker]

As nice as it is to be able to smoke on demand, I personally prefer to keep it to a minimun, normally kepp the Drag on 3x1, a little laggy on the bottom, but once you get a little boost going, it'll still go great, and all with a slight haze, though with the Hot VP-44 it seems to smoke a bit more, but still acceptable.

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

Black smoke to me is wasted fuel and wasted power. What impresses me is high HP with a light haze to nothing at all (pure heat waves).



Those smoking freight trains you see have major engine problems. Usually is clogged air intakes, blown/stuck injectors, bad turbos, etc. I wrenched on EMD 1966-72 vintage 16 and 20 cylinder road units that didnt smoke heavy under full power unless there was a problem. Switchers on the other hand were always smoking on hard pulls/shoves... ... . even the roots blower couldnt keep up with the air demand during those times. Of course the switchers are probably the most abused and beat to death units a RR has. :-laf :-laf :-laf Yard service is not friendly.



Then again MRL helper duty on Bozeman Pass and Mullan Pass isnt friendly either. They change Engine Air filters every 7 DAYS! Normally you dont touch em for 92 or 180 days.



You want smoke??? get inside of one of the tunnels on a helper..... there isn't any air to breathe The big engines suck it all up. SCBAs are required apparatus on helper/lead units on these districts. :--)



But anyways... thats just my opinion. hehe. Im also a ASE master truck tech... . so a clean engine with max power tells me I did my job right.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

im glad mine doesnt smoke like a freight train :-laf

turbodiezel I saw a train smoking FAR more than that truck today, courtesy of Union Pacific's big bad Challenger steam locomotive. I watched that monster storm out of Hermiston Oregon this morning, what a show!

 

[ProMac1K]

Sweet! I love steam power!!



Somedays I wonder what the point of purposely trying to make smoke is. I've got nothing to proove when I do it, but sometimes I just feel like letting it all out. Somedays I like to drive easy, just depends upon mood. I do know that the smoke caused by excessive turbo lag is something that i'm getting sick of. Because that's really all I have. The HX-35 does a good job of cleaning up the smoke once boost is up. JMPO, but i'd rather see smoke with boost (like some of the high HP trucks) than just clouds of smoke or ongoing smoke from lag. But then the fuel does help spool the turbo up. A way of having smoke at boost, and a way of being able to cut it off would be nice I think. But for daily driving, i'm happy with the haze at WOT once the boost builds up.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Switchers on the other hand were always smoking on hard pulls/shoves... ... . even the roots blower couldnt keep up with the air demand during those times. Of course the switchers are probably the most abused and beat to death units a RR has. :-laf :-laf :-laf Yard service is not friendly.

Yeah there are several high-cab SD9s rumbling around the Pasco yard still. They throw a mighty cloud when they're lashed up to a string of cars and try to get them rolling toward the hump yard. When the weather is cool the smoke cloud is blue and white, and massive. At 50 years of age those clunkers are doing well to be running still. It is interesting to think steam power was still going strong when these things went into service, and they're still putting in long days. I love the way they sound . . . throbby chugging exhaust and loud generator whine, won't be too many years before that sound is a distant memory. . .

 

[Nate]

When I first got my truck this June, it smoked some and I was worried that the engine was worn out or something was bad. . until i found the pics on this site No smoke is good in my eyes.

 

[TSpecht]

I like smoke because it's an effective tool for getting tailgaters to back off. In fact this morning I didn't even need to try to make any smoke to back them off, just the smell of diesel not going through a catalytic converter on it's way out the tailpipe seemed to have been enough.

 

[jwgary]

Black smoke to me is wasted fuel and wasted power. What impresses me is high HP with a light haze to nothing at all (pure heat waves).

This is what I am talking about. Any smoke, blue or black, means that you are not getting all the power out of the fuel you are using. I understand that at WOT it's hard to get enough air sometimes and you will smoke more, but from an efficiency standpoint, I hate the thought of throwing out those unburned hydrocarbons. I am in no way a "liberal greenie pansy", in fact just the opposite. I'm just someone who is concerned about the future of our beloved engines and what the LGPs will try to do to us when they think we polute more than those other guys.



Any of you guys who have the adjustable boxes turn them down when you are driving around town or do most of you just leave it turned up all the time?