Re: wow --- about the smoke
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]Just thought I'd share some thoughts about that smoke. These things cause excessive smoke i these engines. Bad compression, defective injectors, insufficient air--like dirty filter or turbo not pumping right, oil burning due to bad oil control rings (blue smoke). Black smoke, from incomplete combustion of fuel, can be reduced by keeping a clean air filter and by the use of Red Line Diesel Fuel Catalyst. http://www.redlineoil.com/products.htm This is a must in my experience for these engines. It is documented to reduce wear, smoke and increase power output by facilitating the complete burning of the fuel. This reduces smoke. I drive a 300TD-T with 230,000 miles and you can barely see the exhaust at idle. At cruise 60-70 mph, the exhaust is barely visible-you have to look hard to see it during the day. At night, with the headlights of the vehicle following, the exhaust will always be more noticable. At full load (injection pump lever against the full load stop), there will always be visible black exhaust--that is the only way these engines can develope full power. These 617 engines have no trap-oxidizer or such to reduce emissions, as do the newer diesels. As for me--I guess I kinda like a little smoke.[8)]