[TampaDuramaxGuy]

Just wondering what might cause an excessive amount of soot?
As per my previous thread, the truck does smoke like a locomotive..

 

[redneck1057]

mods?

 

[TampaDuramaxGuy]

Nothing, bone stock! Fresh oil and air filter. Doesn't consume oil or coolant. I don't know much about diesels.

 

[Greydmax]

The exhaust looks like its off of a gas burner? What kind of truck do you have?

 

[TDavis1992]

Ruled out bad injectors or low compression?

 

[Greydmax]

Yeah that really looks like a 5.3 vortec's exhaust i'm pretty sure this thread must be a joke :thumb

 

[TampaDuramaxGuy]

Not yet! Going to stealership tomorrow to get balance rate checked.
Out of ignorance I ask, how do you check compression in a diesel?
I'm quite the Chevy 6.0 mechanic but no nothing about diesels..

 

[TampaDuramaxGuy]

I assure you it's not a joke.
It's a 2004 ext cab lb7 duramax with a zf6 tranny 3500.

 

[Greydmax]

Oh okay man my bad exhaust just looks small in the picture I guess haha! Yeah injector issues would be a safe bet and a good place to start! How many miles on the truck and how longs it been since the last time the injectors were changed? Do you have any kind of programmer on it?

 

[Dmaxed775]

Have you checked intercooler & piping for leaks, I had a boost tube pop off while towing and it started smoking like crazy.. Scared the hell out of me when it popped lol..

 

[TampaDuramaxGuy]

I've had the truck for almost three years and I don't that the injectors were done at all. Weird thing is that it does not smoke at idle or when cruising below about 1400rpm. Under load is another story..

No tuner either.

I've kind of checked the intercooler tubes. On the driver side pipe, are there indentions on the bottom(near the bends)?
It's hard to see..

 

[Dmaxed775]

If it was injectors it would smoke bad all the time,, white / grayish smoke.. When my tube popped it was black,, and a lot of it.. I cannot recall at idle as I stopped and saw the problem almost immediately.. A hose clamp and 15 min I was on my way.. Pull that tube and see if it has rubbed thru.. I've heard of this happening on the metal tubes..

 

[Cakes]

I would think loss of boost too. Does it feel down on power at all?

 

[Greydmax]

Injector issues can also cause excessive black smoke Dmaxed775. The indentions on the bottom of the intercooler tube is normal and if you don't find any boost leaks I'd say injectors would definantly be the next thing I'd check! Good luck man hope you get it fixed!

 

[TampaDuramaxGuy]

Thanks for the replies.

No it doesn't feel down on power at all. I run a lawn biz and the truck tows exclusively 5 days a week.
If I couldn't see the smoke, then I wouldn't even notice that anything might be wrong.

Should I check the intercooler pipe on the passenger side as well?

I guess this Florida heat and humidity over the years could beat up those hoses that connect the pipes to the intercooler..

 

[TampaDuramaxGuy]

To add insult to injury the smoke isn't always consistently the same color.
Sometimes it's white
Sometimes it's brownish white
Mostly it's bluish black
Sometimes it's greyish black.

It's making me crazy...

 

[Cakes]

Injectors :/

 

[TampaDuramaxGuy]

That's what I'm afraid of.. If so think I'm just going to take my $3k in injector bill and get a new truck.
Got a quote on a 2015 3500 with flatbed for $30k.
For the money going back to 6.0 gas. I know it's a hog, but cant really justify the price of a new diesel.

 

[Greydmax]

Yeah man it's definantly your injectors. Get in touch with Lincoln Diesel Specialties or one of the other vendors on here and they can give you more information on what to do from here.

 

[Greydmax]

I think you'll regret going back to a 6.0 after owning a duramax but only you know your financial situation so you gotta do what you gotta do man!