high altitude problems
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: florida
high altitude problems
i just recently drove my 91 F-350 non turbo ford from florida to new mexico. in florida it did not smoke at all, however after i left dallas texas i started to notice a little smoke. here in ruidoso, new mexico the black smoke is rolling out. i was told it would smoke more at higher elevations, but this is unreal. i see others smoking a little, but i'm afraid i'll get a ticket for driving it. i called a mechanic, but he hasn't given me any hope for adjusting the ip. the average elevation here is about 7500 ft. any ideas would be appreciated.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Manitoba
Visit Ziggster's page, you will see the "Turn Up the Pump" section, I would suggest turn down the pump a couple flats. There will be a power loss though, so if your towing a load you may have to drop a gear and find the sweet spot for no/little smoke.
http://www.members.shaw.ca/k2pilot/
http://www.members.shaw.ca/k2pilot/
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From: florida
thanks plc7.3
i was hoping there was something i could do. these mountains are tough to climb and i'm geared very high with 355 rears. i am climbing in 2nd and 3rd and usinmg 4th for downhill. 5th isn't used at all here. i'm sure all this smoke and flooding will soon have an effect on the injectors.
i was hoping there was something i could do. these mountains are tough to climb and i'm geared very high with 355 rears. i am climbing in 2nd and 3rd and usinmg 4th for downhill. 5th isn't used at all here. i'm sure all this smoke and flooding will soon have an effect on the injectors.
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From: northern new england
Im pretty sure that you wont be hurting your injectors by running w/ the IP turned up too high for your elevation...it is everything else you need to worry about. Rings,pistons and anything associated with the engine running hot inside the combustion chamber would be my worries.
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From: florida
thanks for the input toyrobotus:
it is very cool temperature here, i do not have a pyrometer, but i notice the temperature guage doesn't go very high even with a 190 thermostat. my power is very poor, much worse than sea level. the fuel milage is horrible, well under 10 mpg. that is for an empty truck, at home i was getting 15. this heavy stream of black smoke, besides being embarassing, tells me something is wrong. i will be here 6 months and that is a long time to deal with this. it appears to be running way too rich. i will let a mechanic make any adjustments and when i leave to go back home i will set it all back.
it is very cool temperature here, i do not have a pyrometer, but i notice the temperature guage doesn't go very high even with a 190 thermostat. my power is very poor, much worse than sea level. the fuel milage is horrible, well under 10 mpg. that is for an empty truck, at home i was getting 15. this heavy stream of black smoke, besides being embarassing, tells me something is wrong. i will be here 6 months and that is a long time to deal with this. it appears to be running way too rich. i will let a mechanic make any adjustments and when i leave to go back home i will set it all back.
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From: northern new england
I hope you can find a good diesel mechanic while you are there. It is not really a big job to adjust the Injection Pump. I'll bet there are people in this forum that could probably help you find one in NM. Maybe you could do it yourself, the link left by PLC7.3 is the one I used to turn mine up. I figure that every motor loses some power at altitude so it shouldn't be that big a deal if you lean it out.
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From: florida
i have a few tools with me and if i can't find a good mechanic, i will buy a really good allen wrench and give it a go. one click might get rid of enough of the smoke to be acceptable. i can stand some smoke, i just hate to look in my rear view mirror and see a cloud. i can see my exhaust in my rear view mirror spot and when i let up, the smoke stops, but as soon as i accelerate its pouring out. thanks for some good ideas.
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From: Central Iowa
Yeah, you're just over-fueling, due to lack of air. By pouring in the fuel that isn't being burned, not only are you going to have poor fuel mileage, but you are also going to carbon her up. Another side effect of dumping too much fuel in is that what isn't burned is sent out the pipe as smoke, or is washing down your cylinder walls, and, with enough of that, you will have crankcase oil dilution, especially if you're running a little cool. Just turn her down enough to where you feel comfortable with the amount of smoke or lack thereof, and run her until you drop in elevation.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
You could just let off the throttle pedal till the heavy smoke stops. Mashing it down past where the smoke starts getting black will not make it go any faster. If you turn the pump down, when you go back to lower elevations you will have to get it turned back up.
I used to live in Denver and got a kick out of the east coast trucks trying to cross the Rockies. And some of the GM cars with diesel motors, the driver would not gear down, just foot on the floor witha 3 mile smoke trail lugging along at 25 MPH.
I used to live in Denver and got a kick out of the east coast trucks trying to cross the Rockies. And some of the GM cars with diesel motors, the driver would not gear down, just foot on the floor witha 3 mile smoke trail lugging along at 25 MPH.
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From: florida
dave thanks for the reply, if i back of until it quits smoking, it quits going. i'm going to napa this morning and get some cetane and try that first. i really hate to mess with the ip. this truck may be up here until next fall. it would not be a big effort to have it turned up when i head down.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
If you turn it down till it quites smoking, it will run just like it does when you back off the throttle till it does not smoke.
Check your air filter and fuel filter before you work on the IP.
Also look for any thing blocking the air intake plumbing.
A good fix may be some work to enlarge the air intake ducting, stock they are to small.
Diesels need all the air they can get, both in and out.
That is why turbos and large exhaust pipes make such a difference.
Check your air filter and fuel filter before you work on the IP.
Also look for any thing blocking the air intake plumbing.
A good fix may be some work to enlarge the air intake ducting, stock they are to small.
Diesels need all the air they can get, both in and out.
That is why turbos and large exhaust pipes make such a difference.
