I was coming back out of Ontario, OR into Idaho and had to stop to make a left turn at a light. Everything thing seems to be normal. (No codes, all guages showing good). NO CHIP YET!

The light turns green for the left hand turn lane and I started out as normal through the turn and after the appex I got on top of it and started grabbing gears. I look back... I had blown a fairly large #2 black cloud! Large enough to stop a frieghtliner in the insection...

I've never seen my truck do this... But my MPG numbers for that trip was 20.37 Miles to the gallon! Lots of power! No stumbling or anything?

I think it's cool but... It bothers me that a stock truck can blow that much smoke!

 

That ain't right for a stocker....was your boost on par for tha amount of throttle you were giving it? Just wondering if the wastegate is getting a little lazy and is sticking open a bit on you.

 

That might be true... I wasn't watching the gauges... So I'm not sure... But I will check the wastegate to see if it is the problem...

At least around here it seems to pull a nice 18-20 PSI worth of boost...

But I'm going to keep a eye on it for awhile to see whatz up... I'm going to see if I can reproduce the situation that makes it smoke... I will report back any information...

Would the IAT / MAP sensor(s) be giving me trouble? (Since they both control fuel)

No codes! - All ready checked.

 

It doesn't seem like a fueling issue. Black smoke is caused by excessive fuel injected in (if this was the case your mileage would be lower), or not enough air. I am thinking air. Could be a wastegate that got stuck open for a few minutes.

 

So i've got two votes for a stuck/sticking wastegate...

Now the next question...

What could I use for a lube for the wastegate?
Or what is the best way of dealing with it?

Should I take it to the dealer? (Which I really don't want to do... )

 

I have had that happen on long trips where i have come to a stop on the highway. I thought there was a problem but the dealer said it is normal and that it was probably cylinder wash.

 

Its not so much lubing the waste gate as cleaning it.

 

I wouldn't worry about it but keep an eye on things. I wouldn't take it to the dealer, the only thing I ever got out of them was, "could not duplicate symptom". If it's really warm a stocker can puff a little starting out, but I wouldn't say enough to block out a lane.

 

Well so far I think you guys are right... I haven't seen again for a while. I think it is the wastegate hanging up a bit. Since I've been back from the trip I haven't seen much more than the normal light haze when you romp on it.

I'm going to take some time and look at the wastegate though...

What is the proper way of cleaning it? Some directions would be nice... Never had to do this before...

 

It seems to be possible to get it to smoke a good size cloud. If your in 2nd gear and put the throttle to the floor and take it to about 2,500-2,800 RPM it will smoke just before I make a gear change to 3rd. I double checked for codes... No Codes...

Boost during this time races to 20 PSI ans falls down to 17.5-18.0 and that when I notice the cloud. I can't seem to get it in any other gear because it builds boost to slowly. Only in second does it seem to be able to get the boost into the high 19's or 20 PSI. The rest of the time it tops out about 17-18 PSI and no cloud.

So to me it seem like the wastegate is hanging up on the upper end of the pressure scale and popping open rapidily causing a smoke cloud. So is there anyway to clean the wastegate linkage? I would like some instruction on how to do that...

Michael