Help for a fellow owner

Hitchin · 03-21-2014, 03:57 PM

A good friend just joined us in California after driving from British Columbia in his 2002 itasca horizon. On arrival the back of his coach was very badly exhaust smoke blackened (or other). The mechanical side of his unit is in great shape with low mileage on the motor and no obvious exhaust smoke on start up or run.

Knowing the wealth of knowledge amongst our members, is there anyone who can give an insight into the problem?

Thanks

Hitchin

steved44 · 03-21-2014, 06:57 PM

Might be an air filter if he is getting no "check engine" lights. Check his air flow gage on the engine and see if it's showing "stopped up". Steve

Clifftall · 03-21-2014, 07:00 PM

Might be fuel filters. Have they done the proper maintenance on them ?

Loren Rice · 03-21-2014, 07:13 PM

You don't say if the drive ability was good. Or if it is mechanically injected. If the rig had plenty of power and seemed to accelerate well, maybe there were times when he just was into the throttle -- too heavy. On some of the mechanical injected engines they sometimes "turn them up" that is put more fuel in. -- Well I suspect on such an engine you could get a lot of black smoke enough to do what you are describing.
Could also be that he need to put an turn out exhaust tip on so the exhaust get directed to the side of the vehicle. Remember there's a lot of vacuum and turbulence directly behind these large mh's and the side out let helps.
Hope this helps

Loren

CJBROWN · 03-21-2014, 08:52 PM

OPTI-LUBE

Opti-Lube Diesel Fuel Additive | Improver | Oil Fortifier | Block Grease | XPD

No affiliation...suggest they just buy it and use it.

There could easily be a minor oil leak as well and what you're seeing is road grime stuck to a light oil film. Clean everything off and watch for oil leaks. Follow behind and see if there's a lot of smoke.

Sticky or dirty injectors will do this too - blow black smoke on WOT with turbo going. Opti-lube will help greatly for this.

Hitchin · 03-22-2014, 10:34 AM

Thank you all.

As always you guys have come through with great advice.

forest · 03-22-2014, 12:57 PM

Is it soot, or is it oil from blow-by?

ernieh · 03-22-2014, 01:24 PM

Having previously owned a 2003 Journey DL with a Cat engine, the first thing that I would check is the crankcase vent tube. Many of them are too short and empty into the CAC and radiator which causes both to become blocked.

rgvtexan · 03-22-2014, 02:03 PM

Maybe just collecting California SMOG. lol The air is a lot cleaner in the PNW.

Mekanic · 03-22-2014, 02:26 PM

was this his first trip over mountains at a high altitude?

If so I have seen diesels (just like mine) that do not smoke one bit,.....till you getup over 6000 feet. and then just as soon as they make boost no smoke.
Maybe that is how his got coated?

Ray,IN · 03-22-2014, 08:46 PM

Another possibility is the turbocharger beginning to fail, causing a "too rich" mixture.

ernieh · 03-23-2014, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mekanic

was this his first trip over mountains at a high altitude?

If so I have seen diesels (just like mine) that do not smoke one bit,.....till you getup over 6000 feet. and then just as soon as they make boost no smoke.
Maybe that is how his got coated?

Not likely since his turbo produces sea level performance to 10,000 ft.

Mekanic · 03-24-2014, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mekanic

was this his first trip over mountains at a high altitude?

If so I have seen diesels (just like mine) that do not smoke one bit,.....till you getup over 6000 feet. and then just as soon as they make boost no smoke.
Maybe that is how his got coated?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernieh

Not likely since his turbo produces sea level performance to 10,000 ft.

Yes and no. As long you have the throttle open yes. in the transitions RPM between idle and the RPM where it makes boost if you are at a higher altitude
A engine will be richer than if it was at a lower altitude.

Especially if you pump has been bumped

or you have one of the High HP tuners hooked to your ECM.

Ray,IN · 03-25-2014, 12:22 PM

Mekanic is right; introducing more fuel into a combustion chamber that is fed the same amount of air is over-fueling/black smoke. For a diesel engine, introducing more fuel for more HP without also increasing the amount of air introduced, and easily exhausted, is just wasting money. Thus my comment about a failing turbo on an otherwise stock engine.

I doubt altitude was a factor between B.C. and CA, because there are no mountains that high on that route.
We don't know more because Hitchin has never returned to update his post.

Hitchin · 03-25-2014, 05:28 PM

Sorry to be tardy in keeps up with the thread I started. Have just spent the last three days replacing the carpet with cork Flooring in the unit in question. Now that that is done we will spend some time reviewing all of the suggestions that have been made and let you know if we get a resolve