Tail Pipe Soot

[NickBeek]

Someone else asked about this issue with their CR TDI. I looked at my tail pipes and there is a hint of soot in mine as well. Here are a few pics. Also of note, I ran my finger inside the tail pipe and it came out with a little black on it. This is at around 3800 miles on the odometer. How do all of your tail pipes look.

Left

 

[NickBeek]

Both

Right

 

[tdi90hp]

my golf is same...super clean...mind boggling how they have cleaned these babies up....my 03 Jetta was a smoker...

 

[NickBeek]

My point is there IS a little bit of soot in there. I believe it should be completely clean......

 

[tcp_ip_dude]

Looks clean to me. Mine is similar.

 

[Fixmy59bug]

Considering the vehicle is a combustion engine, there will always be some remnants of that combustion, especially when the vehicle is first started and the emissions components aren't warmed up yet. It is very difficult to COMPLETELY clean all of the exhaust all of the time.

 

[NickBeek]

IDK, some of the big three diesel pickups with DPF look pristine inside their tail pipes. Personally, I wouldn't care if the whole exhaust fell off and was replaced with straight pipe. Although I won't do that to my vehicle. I just found it odd.

 

[budtoh3zo]

My 2008 f-350 the tail pipes were spotless until 60,000 km when something happened to it. But you should get it checked out you could have a cracked DPF

 

[Pelican18TQA4]

Ah, most gasser cars have tail pipes with more carbon build-up than those pics...

 

[Dean]

You sure it's not dust or dirt from being outside in those 3800miles?

 

[NickBeek]

I thought about it being dust or road grime, that's why I shot the pics straight on so I could see inside the tail pipe not just the chrome tips. I also stuck my finger in the tailpipes, I'm fairly certain it is a light dusting of soot.

I stopped by my dealer this week to ask a service advisor about this and my long crank issue. I really wish I could speak to a tech, because the SA started talking nonsense about fuel quality. I told him I use the same fuel stations I have been using for 157k miles in my truck. He says are you sure your using ULSD? Umm yeah, that's what the pump is labeled! I stopped talking with him before I lost my cool. No sense in arguing with an idiot. I asked him about HPFP issues, and he said they have seen none. I later asked a lube tech, and he said they have seen a few......

 

[Mach1]

Those are clean compared to older diesels, you will get some residual contaminants..

 

[MayorDJQ]

I wouldn't be worried about it. I doubt the DPF can trap 100% of all particles. I would think .001% gets through or some similarly insignificant amount.

With all the grime on the roads of New England, I haven't even bothered looking at mine.

 

[turboboost1]

To NickBeek

My 2010 Jetta TDI now has about 14K miles on the clock, and my exhaust is pristine. No soot at all. My car see's 90% highway driving though. Very little around town and stop and go.. Also, you're right about not arguing with an idiot. .They've had a lot more practice than you.

 

[MayorDJQ]

I've noticed that the Big 3 trucks have those funny looking tips on the exhaust. Maybe the extra airflow helps keep them clean?

 

[andy7079]

I've noticed that the Big 3 trucks have those funny looking tips on the exhaust. Maybe the extra airflow helps keep them clean?

I think they're to mix cool outside air with the hot exhaust air during a DPF regen. Wouldn't want the super hot exhaust just coming out on its own...could melt paint off nearby cars and such.

 

[Scratcher]

You might be anal if you spend too much time looking at your tailpipe.

Sorry.....couldn't resist!

 

[NickBeek]

There are worse things I could be.

 

[MayorDJQ]

I think they're to mix cool outside air with the hot exhaust air during a DPF regen. Wouldn't want the super hot exhaust just coming out on its own...could melt paint off nearby cars and such.

So.....they increase airflow then?

 

[Rod Bearing]

Regen makes grey soot powder and that is likely what you're seeing. I have 5 TDI's 2009 and newer, and they all get a little bit sooty but nothing like my 06 and 02.



Here is a 2008 F350 SD PowerTorch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v36MCcRPRTc

Cummins quick detach engine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCsSVLZ6wCI&feature=related

After seeing those a little tailpipe soot is not too important eh?

 

[BlueGraphite'10TDI]

I just went out and looked at my '10 with 43k miles. Stuck a flashlight in the pipe and it was a lot cleaner than I thought it would be. I still got a good amount on my finger, but the pipe was clean and there was only a thin film of soot. About the same as yours, I suppose.

 

[NickBeek]

Thanks Blue!

 

[1120JettaTDI]

I own a 2008 Chevy Diesel with a DPF on it. The soot is normal. With 60K miles on my truck the inside of the pipe is black. No visible black smoke comes out of the truck. It just slowly accumulates over time. Those pictures look clean enough to me.

 

[1120JettaTDI]

Another way of looking at it is we have 90% to 95% cleaner emissions. This means we are still going to get 5%-10% black smoke.