Weird car question for our experts

[Abbey Marie]

Is it possible to intentionally blow a humongous cloud of very black smoke out of your exhaust?

(If it matters, from a very large pickup).

[ConHog]

Is it possible to intentionally blow a humongous cloud of very black smoke out of your exhaust?

(If it matters, from a very large pickup).

doubtful

[fj1200]

It is if it's a diesel. Not unlikely on a very large pickup.

[jimnyc]

Is it possible to intentionally blow a humongous cloud of very black smoke out of your exhaust?

(If it matters, from a very large pickup).

Yeppers

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/N-n9mMIXK-4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[jimnyc]

^ Btw - the guy in the truck with his feet up is still sleeping. :)

[Abbey Marie]

Yeppers

<iframe height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/N-n9mMIXK-4" frameBorder="0" width="640" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

OMG, that's it! Happened today on I-95. Except the cloud was even bigger.

[ConHog]

OMG, that's it! Happened today on I-95. Except the cloud was even bigger.

My bad, I assumed a gas pickup for some reason. Probably cuz I thought you were talking about your own vehicle and couldn't picture you driving a diesel.

[Abbey Marie]

How do they do it- some alterations to the exhaust system?

[jimnyc]

OMG, that's it! Happened today on I-95. Except the cloud was even bigger.

More idiots...

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rLLpz3h-c0M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DZ0J90X6MHY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Abbey Marie]

My bad, I assumed a gas pickup for some reason. Probably cuz I thought you were talking about your own vehicle and couldn't picture you driving a diesel.

Lol, no, you're right; I drive a sedan. It was a truck in front of me, who apparently didn't like the way I bested him a moment before.

There must be a full moon tonight- people were exceptionally crazy on the road today.

[Robert A Whit]

Is it possible to intentionally blow a humongous cloud of very black smoke out of your exhaust?

(If it matters, from a very large pickup).

You might be seeing oil smoke. Otherwise you would be suffering a super rich fuel use setting.

If it is oil, you could have blown a gasket since that would be the only way to get oil sucked into the combustion chamber.

I suggest you take it to a very qualified mechanic that you can trust.
I can think of other ways for oil to get into the combustion chamber but all of a sudden a gasket that suddenly lost its seal seems more likely.

But a good mechanic can do more for you than I am able to do.

Look at the tail pipe at the rear of the car and see if you see any black oily stuff in the end of it. Check it with maybe your finger or if you hate getting oil on your finger, use a white rag or kleenex.

But not to mislead you, but your description of the problem is too vague. I can't tell the year of the pick up. I can't tell if the engine is gasoline or diesel. I can't tell if it is the modern version loaded with computers.

[jimnyc]

How do they do it- some alterations to the exhaust system?

I don't think so, I think it's just the way the diesel trucks are. Kinda like the 18 wheelers who do the same from the pipes that go up along side the cabs.

[ConHog]

How do they do it- some alterations to the exhaust system?

No, they usually do it by intentionally causing a backfire.

[Abbey Marie]

You might be seeing oil smoke. Otherwise you would be suffering a super rich fuel use setting.

If it is oil, you could have blown a gasket since that would be the only way to get oil sucked into the combustion chamber.

I suggest you take it to a very qualified mechanic that you can trust.
I can think of other ways for oil to get into the combustion chamber but all of a sudden a gasket that suddenly lost its seal seems more likely.

But a good mechanic can do more for you than I am able to do.

Look at the tail pipe at the rear of the car and see if you see any black oily stuff in the end of it. Check it with maybe your finger or if you hate getting oil on your finger, use a white rag or kleenex.

But not to mislead you, but your description of the problem is too vague. I can't tell the year of the pick up. I can't tell if the engine is gasoline or diesel. I can't tell if it is the modern version loaded with computers.

Thanks, Robert, but it wasn't my car. Thank god.

[ConHog]

You might be seeing oil smoke. Otherwise you would be suffering a super rich fuel use setting.

If it is oil, you could have blown a gasket since that would be the only way to get oil sucked into the combustion chamber.

I suggest you take it to a very qualified mechanic that you can trust.
I can think of other ways for oil to get into the combustion chamber but all of a sudden a gasket that suddenly lost its seal seems more likely.

But a good mechanic can do more for you than I am able to do.

Look at the tail pipe at the rear of the car and see if you see any black oily stuff in the end of it. Check it with maybe your finger or if you hate getting oil on your finger, use a white rag or kleenex.

But not to mislead you, but your description of the problem is too vague. I can't tell the year of the pick up. I can't tell if the engine is gasoline or diesel. I can't tell if it is the modern version loaded with computers.

oil smoke is blue, not black. coolant burning in the exhaust will produce white smoke . Black smoke is caused by unburned fuel pumping through the exhaust. Since gasoling burns much easier than diesel it usually burns off in the heat of the exhaust before exiting the tailpipes as black smoke, whereas diesel does not.

yes, you have indeed been schooled by ConHog again Robert.

I forgot to add that in fact burning off these excess gases is EXACTLY what the catalytic converter is used for and until recently diesels were exempt from needing catalytic converters so that's another reason you see diesels burning gas out the exhaust and not gasoline motors.

[Robert A Whit]

How do they do it- some alterations to the exhaust system?

I got the idea it was your truck and you had mechanical problems. Since you saw Jims video and say that is what happened, one way to get smoke like that on purpose would be to have an oil tank supply somewhere and controls for the driver. He would shoot some oil into the exhaust that had been modified to allow oil to be injected. I never saw pranks like that so it caught me by surprise.

[Robert A Whit]

Thanks, Robert, but it wasn't my car. Thank god.

I won't reply to the smart ass Conhog since I got the idea it was your car. As he says, oil smoke technically can be called blue but who the hell can tell if that smoke is oil or something else.

Conhog ignored i also told you to seek help. Now I know it was not your car and it seems based on Jims videos that it is rigged that way and is done as a prank. Maybe he has special vision that sees blue when most would see it as black. I dunno about him. He comes here not to inform, but to raise hell. Wasn't he banned for a period of time?

[ConHog]

I won't reply to the smart ass Conhog since I got the idea it was your car. As he says, oil smoke technically can be called blue but who the hell can tell if that smoke is oil or something else.

Conhog ignored i also told you to seek help. Now I know it was not your car and it seems based on Jims videos that it is rigged that way and is done as a prank. Maybe he has special vision that sees blue when most would see it as black. I dunno about him. He comes here not to inform, but to raise hell. Wasn't he banned for a period of time?

no Robert there actually IS a difference between black smoke and blue smoke.

[ConHog]

here robert

http://cdn.2carpros.com/home/deploy/web/app_2carpros/production/releases/20110930224433/public/system/attachments/12563/large/blue_smoke.jpg?1318373911


notice the obvious blue tinge, that is smoke caused by oil in the exhaust.
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTYTLYqnrW7ybbP9WsnxM-WfaG82XVkmZaiZayfd4GSgUZGh13U

that is black smoke caused by unburned diesel fuel

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQTg-CCfvE12rNoYdYUmWSRPMboi3g5y2nKMJzlBZZwHvaCOhybnQ

this is white smoke caused by coolant in the exhaust


They look nothing alike. I realize you think women are stupid, but I think Abbey is bright enough to know the difference between BLACK and BLUE smoke.

[ConHog]

I think this is about the 8th thread I've proven Roger wrong in and he's just ran away, rather than admitting such.............. in a week.