Is it normal for oily soot to develop on the outer body panels? I notice between washings that I get this particularly at the door panels. My truck is white and it usually looks cleaner than it is until I run my hand across the door panel or something and thats when I really notice how much soot is on there.

Do I have an exhaust leak, turbo leak or something? Or is this completely normal.

 

I usually get a little soot on the rear qtr panel by the exhaust pipe but thats only when running it hard.

 

Ditto...but I run mine hard all the time when I drive it, so I guess it's par for the course.

 

Ram 04, do you put any thing on your tires?I found that when I used tire dressing I would get an oilly film on the doors.That might be your problem.

 

Same here ETurner, if the tires have more on them than they absorb it gets "sprayed" on the bottoms of the panels immediately behind the tires.

 

Now that you guys got me thinking, maybe its just brake dust. Yes, when I over do the tire dressing I get a splatter on the fenders but what I am trying to explain is more sooty and maybe really not oily much at all. Just assumed it was diesel smoke causing it. I am going to wash it real good and check the truck all over. Thanks for the replys.

 

Ram04, my bumper turnes a blue color in-between washes. It's right behind the tail pipe and I just use a little chrome polish and it's gone.

It sounds like you are saying yours is on the door panels, ahead of the tail pipe? I've never had any soot looking residue and I have cleaned mine every day for about six weeks now...

Only 46 more weeks, she'll be a year old and I can back off a little on the cleaning...

 

Tfeore,

Yes, its on the door panels, maybe elsewhere too but I will have to check on that. I only wash my truck every week or two, so it really is pretty minimal anyway and I really only notice it on my WHITE truck after I brush my hand across the door panels. I was originally thinking maybe diesel fumes coming from the engine area drafting back past the door panels was causing this over a period of a week or two between me washing it.. But like I said earlier maybe it is just brake dust.

Thats some pretty excessive cleaning for a truck Tfeore do you make the passengers take off their shoes before they get in too?