I'm curious how diesel exhaust compares to gas exhaust. How do harmful emissions like NOx and CO2 levels compare? I try hard to keep the smoke down, it puts a bad light on diesels. Sometimes it's unavoidable like when I kill a ricer or forget to feather the throttle. I want to know that while the black cloud looks bad, how bad is it really?

I was told diesel exhaust is mostly particulates that eventually settle back to the ground, true or not?

I'm not a tree hugger, but I do think it's important to do your best to protect the environment, after all, it's what keeps us alive.

Somthing else that's always bothered me: Where does all the rubber worn off tires go? You'd think with the millions of worn out tires out there, there would be a layer of rubber dust all over everything.

I'll soon be in a turkey induced coma and none of this will really matter

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

mostly unburnt fuel i think, if i still had chemistry i would have the teacher give the exact chamical formula.

 

diesels polute less than gassers....black cloud is unburnt fuel...tires get burnt or make their way to go-kart tracks everywhere

 

tires are black and so is pavement. it adheres to the pavement and its down there, just tought to see. drive on a road made of concrete and its a little easier to see the black stripes from the tires.

IIRC, there is controversy over the happy medium with diesels. more heat cuts down on a certain emission, but less heat cuts down on a different emission. what i am trying to get at is more fuel per air, which creates more heat and smoke, is cutting a certain emission down; but less fuel per air, that doesnt create the heat and smoke, will cut back a different emission. which emission is more important and where do you tune for the happy medium???

now that i thoroughly confused myself, i better cut my losses.

 

Here you go. This link will help to better understand it.

http://www.stealthtdi.com/Emissions.html

 

I remember something in a TDR about advanced timing=more efficient burn, less particulate matter, but more NOx. And the opposite for less advanced timing. Thats all I know though.

 

there is some sort of bacteria that eats rubber. id say they are well fed

 

That's good info, thanks. Now I won't feel so bad when my truck pukes gigantic clouds of tiny grease *****

Rubber eating bacteria? It's funny how things balance themselves out.

 

The most harmful items in that black cloud, are $$$$$$$$$$!!!
BIG MIKE

 

and the voter on the other end of it

 

There are a species of micro organism that feeds on rubber and other hydrocarbon molecules. I'm not sure if it's a bacteria, mold , fungus or combination of all of the above. But don't worry about your tires being lunch, The rubber needs to be finely divided to allow enough surface area for the beasties to eat breathe and make little beasties. on a solid flat surface like a sidewall they get overcrowded and so are to shy to have micro-orgasms. BUT>>> on little tiny dust sized bits that are churned out by natural and unnatural (burnout)friction they have their own little love nest and buffet.