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

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[jimnyc]

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

[Abbey Marie]

Yeppers

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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...

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[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.