We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Paul Hubbard" saying something like:
If it's coming from the trunk it might be elephant seals.
I've heard of Peugeot mechanics heading for the motorway getting up to speed - then third gear, stuff the accelerator into the carpet and wait for 5 miles..I don't know if gritting your teeth and praying is required for the older ones though! You could think of it as an extended MOT test but with the engine under load.
Most if not all diesels smoke, or at least give a small puff of soot if they are booted, especially if they are usually driven gently. However, it should only be when booted, and shouldn't be blue.
Which is normal. I've driven VAG TDi cars for 8 years now, and the only time you see the smoke is in the lights of a car behind.
In this case, it would appear to be black and happens when it's booted.
Not unusual for an ageing diesel.
For any diesel, new or otherwise.
Yup. I'd see a dark haze behind me a lot in the '90 Fiesta, but from around '93 or so, all of our fleet appeared soot-less until it became dark.
I *still* find it a disappointment. :-(
Does tend to get worse with age, though.
It always used to, yes - but there appears to be a "sweet spot" in modern diesels. They're sooty when brand new and the soot output quietens down after a few months.
Quite when it starts to flare up again... dunno.
One thing is for sure. The Saab was remarkably soot free right until I had the air mass meter replaced. There was barely a puff if you booted it with somebody following at night.
Now, yeah it'll soot. Oddly enough it's sooting less now since I've been "cleaning" the donk...
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