Still new at this diesel engine game, so please excuse all the questions. Stations have switched to #1 diesel now and I am getting black smoke all over my right rear bumper. Is this normal? Also, after getting the TSB Flash, 2,000 total miles on truck, I am getting at best 11.8 mpg. This is with all in town, stop and go traffic with temps in the teens and low twenties. Truck is garaged at night so no cold startups.
Thanks for the help.

 

black smoke is just soot from too much fuel and not enough air. Most people LOVE to see smoke and can black out intersections. a little smoke on the bumper wont hurt anything. if you dont like it, just wipe it off with a rag and wait for it to come right back, or get a turndown on your exhaust tip.

stop and go traffic is whats hurting your mpg. It will go up maybe 1-2mpg when broken in, but city traffic is whats killing you.

 

Are you sure you are not draging a polar bear behind you?? I would definitely go back to the dealer to have them check the reflash. You should be doing better than that. Check your air intake and filter for obstructions like frozen ice or snow. The black is soot from too much fuel and not enough air. Check the hoses from turbo to inner cooler and to int man. Good luck

 

I think your fuel mileage is similar to mine. My commute is short to work too, in stop and go traffic. I am sure that hurts the mileage plus the idle time to warm up some.

My truck will smoke if I put my foot in it. Most of my running around I don't notice any smoking. I am wondering about possible holes in the air box or putting on an aftermarket free flowing air box. Anybody have suggestions on those? Do they improve fuel mileage?

 

04.5's just have bad mileage.
Mine does too!

 

My 05 owners manual states that running #1 will compromise fuel mileage by 1-2 mpg as they're all designed for #2 diesel.

 

I get better mileage in mine than I did in my '02 4.7L 1/2 ton gasser. I average about 16 to 16.7 on my commute which is stop and go and highway combined. I go fairly easy on it and it's not cold enough here for No. 1.

 

My truck would turn the corner of the bumper black before I got a turndown. I get 14-16 around town and 18-20 highway. I think it is normal.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I am real light on the accelertor and don't notice smoke when starting off. Just soot on the bumper. Will check intake etc and maybe take it back to dealer. Hemi Cat, I grew up in Albuquerque, graduated from college from NMSU and headed to AK in early 70's. Probably a lot warmer in NM than here in AK.