Soot On Exhaust Tips

[rldillon]

I have a 2012 5.0 with approximately 750 miles on it. After returning from a 225 mile, mostly interstate trip I noticed that the exhaust tips are black with soot.

Is this normal?

Thanks

 

[PMCErnie]

Try the search box here. There are other threads.

 

[OneFunGenesis]

That is normal.

 

[tompass]

Normal but annoying.

 

[staz]

Normal, but a PITA..detail spray + a microfiber cloth every so often.

 

[rldillon]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not too concerned from an appearance standpoint. I am concerned that it is running too rich.

Has anyone had a dealer put this on a diagnostic machine concerning this?

 

[ttribe]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not too concerned from an appearance standpoint. I am concerned that it is running too rich.

Has anyone had a dealer put this on a diagnostic machine concerning this?

Big engines tend to burn a little bit of oil. Don't stress.

 

[staz]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not too concerned from an appearance standpoint. I am concerned that it is running too rich.

Has anyone had a dealer put this on a diagnostic machine concerning this?

Running 93 cut down on the soot, but barely.

 

[GTech]

Yes, the soot on the exhaust appears to be normal for this car. Not really sure why, but mine is covered with it, to the point the cheap chrome trim is stained in some parts and cannot be cleaned, at least not with conventional car soap or degreaser.

 

[OneFunGenesis]

Claybar

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[waveman]

Claybar

Best to wait until they cool off before cleaning.

 

[scottdk]

There are a few other posts on this issue, but many GDI engines produce the soot on the exhaust tips including Audi especially.

 

[Southern Boy]

My son drives a BMW twin turbo that soot’s up his exhaust tips also. He cleans them following the advice from the Detail Image folks.

http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/exhaust-tip-detailing/

In the times before emission controls and computers (when dinosaurs roamed the car hops) you would adjust the jets on the carburetor to lean out the air / fuel mixture if your exhaust tips snooted up.

Today you have a hard time even seeing the engine let alone adjusting anything.

 

[Ruissimo]

I get more soot on my exhaust than I do brake dust on my rims LOL

WORD OF CAUTION: there are some seriously sharp edges inside the tips! Use gloves, and be real careful when cleaning.

 

[tmealer]

I just asked my dealer to check out my soot from my 3.8. He said it's normal, but I know that black soot is caused by too rich of a mixture. It's not oil, either. Oil leaves a different film. Besides, if I get oil stains that far back from the engine, there's another problem. Back to the soot, my mileage isn't what it should be either. I think it's rich.

 

[hwks1]

I think it's rich.

Your chasing wind mills on this one..

 

[RickyBobby]

Try goo gone or any metal cleaner......good luck!

 

[bkleebauer]

I used an SOS pad, came right off, at least 90% of it did.

 

[Capt Steve]

This is not something you can adjust, it is computer controlled. An air–fuel ratio meter monitors the air–fuel ratio of the engine. It reads the voltage output of the oxygen sensor, sometimes also called lambda sensor and is adjusted several time a second.

An air–fuel mixture leaner than the stoichiometric ratio of 14.7:1 will result in near optimum fuel mileage, costing less per mile traveled and producing the least amount of CO2 emissions. However, from the factory, cars are designed to operate at the stoichiometric ratio, to maximize the efficiency and life of the catalytic converter. While it may be possible to run smoothly at mixtures leaner than the stoichiometric ratio, manufacturers must focus on emissions and especially catalytic converter life which must now be 100,000 miles due to U.S. EPA regulations

Lean mixtures improve the fuel economy but also cause sharp rises in the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOX). If the mixture becomes too lean, the engine may fail to ignite, causing misfire and a large increase in unburned hydrocarbon (HC) emissions. Lean mixtures burn hotter and may cause rough idle, hard starting and stalling, and can even damage the catalytic converter, or burn valves in the engine. The risk of spark knock/engine knocking (detonation) is also increased when the engine is under load.

Mixtures that are richer than stoichiometric also allow for greater peak engine power due to the cooling effect of the evaporating fuel. This increases the intake oxygen density, allowing for more fuel to be combusted and more power developed.

Cold engines also typically require more fuel and a richer mixture when first started because fuel does not vaporize as well when cold and therefore requires more fuel to properly "saturate" the air. Rich mixtures also burn slower and decrease the risk of spark knock/engine knocking (detonation) when the engine is under load.

The engine control unit (ECU) tends to maintain a stoichiometric balance, wherein the air–fuel mixture is approximately 14.7 times the mass of air to fuel for gasoline. This ratio maintains a "neutral" engine performance (lower fuel consumption yet decent engine power and minimal pollution). Of course, this produces the excess carbon you see on the exhaust tips.

 

[Mark63021]

This is not something you can adjust, it is computer controlled. An air–fuel ratio meter monitors the air–fuel ratio of the engine. It reads the voltage output of the oxygen sensor, sometimes also called lambda sensor and is adjusted several time a second.

An air–fuel mixture leaner than the stoichiometric ratio of 14.7:1 will result in near optimum fuel mileage, costing less per mile traveled and producing the least amount of CO2 emissions. However, from the factory, cars are designed to operate at the stoichiometric ratio, to maximize the efficiency and life of the catalytic converter. While it may be possible to run smoothly at mixtures leaner than the stoichiometric ratio, manufacturers must focus on emissions and especially catalytic converter life which must now be 100,000 miles due to U.S. EPA regulations

Lean mixtures improve the fuel economy but also cause sharp rises in the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOX). If the mixture becomes too lean, the engine may fail to ignite, causing misfire and a large increase in unburned hydrocarbon (HC) emissions. Lean mixtures burn hotter and may cause rough idle, hard starting and stalling, and can even damage the catalytic converter, or burn valves in the engine. The risk of spark knock/engine knocking (detonation) is also increased when the engine is under load.

Mixtures that are richer than stoichiometric also allow for greater peak engine power due to the cooling effect of the evaporating fuel. This increases the intake oxygen density, allowing for more fuel to be combusted and more power developed.

Cold engines also typically require more fuel and a richer mixture when first started because fuel does not vaporize as well when cold and therefore requires more fuel to properly "saturate" the air. Rich mixtures also burn slower and decrease the risk of spark knock/engine knocking (detonation) when the engine is under load.

The engine control unit (ECU) tends to maintain a stoichiometric balance, wherein the air–fuel mixture is approximately 14.7 times the mass of air to fuel for gasoline. This ratio maintains a "neutral" engine performance (lower fuel consumption yet decent engine power and minimal pollution). Of course, this produces the excess carbon you see on the exhaust tips.

Now wouldn't this be easier? Less impressive sure, but easier:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air%E2%80%93fuel_ratio_meter