Well now I have never seen black smoke, but I almost always have a white/steam like cloud that really smells, like differential oil, but I kind like the smell, most don't. I will try to get a pic of it some day. but its really hard to get a pic of steam.


Diesel Rod

 

Correct me if I am wrong, i am by no means a mechanic.
the PSD has a ccv, which is located in the intake which keeps the crankcase from ever being pressurized,like a gas motor has, which that pressure is created from a small amount of blow by on most engines, especially on turbo diesels. gas motors with a large amount of blow by, is created from gasses getting past the rings like someone already said and is a bad thing in a naturally aspirated engine. On turbo diesels and gas engines the rings wont seal real good until the cylinder gets totally warmed up,and the diesel takes much longer. so when first started there could be more blow by. and then you have the turbo on the diesel which is going to create some blow by from boost,pressure or whatever you call it, i think. I checked mine a minute ago, it was parked about 2 hrs, cranked it and pulled the stick and nothing,, took the oil cap off and a very small cloud came out and then it was gone, black smoke too, or so it looked. So i'm thinking a small amount is very normal, excessive could be a problem. Wonder if there is a way to measure it?

 

For anyone who does the CCV mod I have seen the ill effects of a pinched CCV hose and let me tell you, with stacks the top of the truck, the bed of the truck and almost every exhaust joint under the truck get COVERED in oil, it will get past the rings and really cause a mess.

I can get a 300* on my pryo with in seconds of starting so I would think with in a minute or two they are faily well sealed, almost instantly when you start driving, based on my pryo readings anyway.

There is a way to measure the blow by, I saw how to do it once, and all I remember was it was complicated. had something to do with a hose on the oil filler

I am still curious on this black smoke people talk about I will have to look at mine tomorrow and replay back

nite all.


Diesel Rod

 

There was no mistaking the smoke on the one I described earlier. It was heavy, and lightened up only slightly after it had been open a few seconds. This salesman never flinched - just told me that even new one's do that... This guy's clueless. I looked at the axle code in the door jamb (it was C1) and looked for a chart in the owners manual, which I didn't find, so he goes inside to look it up...comes back 10 minutes later, said he couldn't it anywhere, but they told him to look at the tag on the axle housing. So he stands there for a minute (waiting for me to look???) then finally asks me where the axle housing is...He did crawl under and look around, but never found it.

A few years ago, I bought an '89 with only 12K on a remanufactured 7.3 . It had just a little blow by, and I just thought surely with that fresh a motor it'd be alright. Major mistake. In it's first year with me, I spent enough on that truck for a nice down payment plus a years worth of monthly payments on a new one. I finally got it up to reliable, but it was always totally gutless, and used some oil, too. So I'm being extra cautious this time, having already sworn once that I'd never buy another used diesel.

I keep telling myself I'm not in a rush, just wait and I'll find the right one - but I have to fight the fever once I start looking.

 

so so true. dont be afraid to travel either. i waited 6 months. i almost got the fever a few times but am seriously happy i waited.

 

I have had the day off work and been bored of my A**, so I took some pics of my '97 in action, you can see the blow by, coming out my CCV.

http://community.webshots.com/album/344525237nQuMGc

Diesel Rod

 

Like someone said, crankcase vapor is normal, if it is just barely coming out. Blowby on a dead hole will be puffing white smoke in the air. On my dads cummins it (01 24 valve) it will blow the oil filler cap out of your hand if you are just spinning it off. But a light haze coming out is ok.