Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > Tow Vehicles & Towing
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-12-2008, 01:45 PM   #1
jpf
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Sioux Falls
Posts: 163
M.O.C. #3393
Puff of black smoke ?

As a preface, I have a 2005 Ford F350 diesel, on time required maintenance performed solely at Ford dealerships.
Recently the DW noticed, while following me in our drivearound car, that as I was pulling the Monty over an underpass on I 95 south, she observed a large puff of black smoke emit from the right side. We thought at first it might be a tire but it wasn't.
I was using the cruise control at the moment.
She mentioned she had seen this once or twice before over the last year but didn't think it was an issue.
I should mention that the TV does around town driving for 6 months or so in FL (1000 miles) and 3 months or so in CT (1000 miles) before getting back on the road and doing the "pulling".

I'm wondering if this is "around town" buildup of soot being blown out or if this is something I should be talking to Ford about.
We have a Premium Plus Warranty on the F350 so the cost wouldn't be excessive if there was a problem.

Any input appreciated....

jerry
 
jpf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2008, 03:24 PM   #2
JimF
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: anywhere
Posts: 912
M.O.C. #6260
Send a message via ICQ to JimF Send a message via AIM to JimF Send a message via Yahoo to JimF
Sounds like a typical diesel to me. I keep mine well blown out but under load we see the same thing under acceleration, especially if the cruse kicks down a gear.
JimF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2008, 04:51 PM   #3
Charlie
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cooper
Posts: 1,230
M.O.C. #3029
I agree....mine will emit a puff of black smoke when I get on it hard.
Charlie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2008, 04:19 AM   #4
ols1932
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
That's normal. When I step on mine on a hard pull it will do the same thing. The thing you want to watch out for is puffs of white smoke. Blown head gasket, usually.

Orv
ols1932 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2008, 05:15 AM   #5
trukdoc
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sulphur Springs
Posts: 748
M.O.C. #2220
Send a message via MSN to trukdoc
A puff of black smoke tat immediatly clears up is fairly normal. I say that with caution, excessive smoke that obscures vision is not normal. Often seen with chipped engines. "White" smoke is unburned fuel or steam. Take a wiff and you can easily tell the difference, also can tell by the way the smoke dissapates. Smoke lingers in the air and steam disapears. White smoke is unburned fuel. Bad injector, low compression from bad head gasket or worn cylinder or broke rings. White steam, all sources of water, most commonly a head gasket but some engines that have coolant running through the intake maniford can have a problem and on the larger linered engines can have an eloctrolosis pit leaking coolant. On to black smoke, black smoke is an indicator that mechanically the engine is in good enough shape to try to burn the fuel but cannot burn it all thus going out the pipe as wasted energy. Most common cause is chipped engines that pump excess fuel into the engine in an attempt to gain HP without increasing air flow to burn it. Another common cause is dirty air filter or any other obstruction in the air intake. I once pulled a Walmart bag from the tube going to the air filter. Dirty of worn injectors are also a cause. Injectors are supposed to finely spray and atomize fuel in the combustion chamber, if the fuel "squirts" it will burn black, there are several causes mostly related to the injector. If the injection pump is weak this will cause the black as well and can add hard starting to the list. Then there is "Blue" to the untrained eye is a little hard to detect if your color blind forget it. Appearance is very much like white smoke with a slight slate blue haze to it. Causes are burning oil period... turbo engines are bad for this common cause is not warming up and cooling turbo as this damages seal. Now with hydraulic injectors they now are an issue. If the hydraulic plunger leaks it will pass high pressure engine oil to fuel system. Then there is valve guide seals, I do not see this much anymore due to improvements in the seals. On to worn or broke rings damaged piston and rare cases oil running through the head gasket to places like the intake ports. So there it is Smoke analysis 101. It is not 100% complete but most points are there. Free of charge. For fun quizz you local mechanic and see how few understand smoke analysis. Most anymore only want to plug in and see what the computer says. I also use computers but very often rely on my old school skills.
trukdoc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2008, 05:24 AM   #6
hazmic
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: cedar rapids
Posts: 703
M.O.C. #4962
Probably what you have seen is turbo lag which is normal. This happens when on cruise control. The diesel is backed off meaning no load and when the CC calls for power the fuel goes in the motor and it takes a moment for the turbo to spool up and boosting. I hope this explains what is going on. Nothing wrong but if you want to fix this you can go to a Ball Bearing turbo which will make spool up time almost non existent and very little black smoke. That turbo has vanes that very pitch and maybe it is sticking. A good diesel place can check this out. A good form to look at is Ford Truck Enthusiasts. They have people there that are very knowable about this.
hazmic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2008, 06:04 AM   #7
BB_TX
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,133
M.O.C. #6433
I had an '04 F250 6.0 that I traded at about 54,000 miles for an '07 F350 6.0 which now has about 33,000. The only time I have ever seen black smoke on either was on the '04 when the EGR valve started going bad at about 35,000. When pulling a hill while towing, I would get some sputter and black smoke would come out. Always ran fine with no smoke on level ground or even pulling a hill if not towing. Had the EGR valve replaced and never any black smoke at all after that, towing or not. Never any (yet) on the '07.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
BB_TX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2008, 02:30 PM   #8
waldo238
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Chester
Posts: 307
M.O.C. #7818
Yes I agree on the ball bearing turbo, I have one in mine and that puppy spools up instantly. On another note I had an issue with white smoke once and discovered it was the solenoid for the glow plug was not shutting off.
waldo238 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2008, 06:38 AM   #9
PowellsMonty
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Asheville
Posts: 502
M.O.C. #1967
Last week I was passing a Semi, floored it and the engine bogged down and white smoke came out the back. It only happened twice and hasn't happened since. Comments?? TIA
PowellsMonty is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Up in smoke Allen in MT Sitting around the Campfire 12 11-14-2012 11:08 AM
White Smoke again PowellsMonty Tow Vehicles & Towing 32 12-10-2010 07:29 AM
Smoke in No. Calif. mtheo Sitting around the Campfire 3 07-10-2008 05:32 PM
Up in Smoke mountainmole Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 16 11-24-2007 01:08 PM
Up in smoke part II richfaa Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 21 03-05-2007 04:45 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:52 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.