Waste gate solenoid and black smoke

[Kmehr]

So a friend of mine told me that you could put a switch in the hot wire of the waste gate solenoid and could flip it to dump black smoke. Would this work and more importantly would/could it hurt anything?

[DmaxMaverick]

Yes and yes.

[Kmehr]

what are the potential problems this could cause?

[DennisG01]

Without the turbo you could overheat the engine. It will more than likely happen before your engine temp gauge shows it to you. If you had an EGT, you would have a better shot at controlling the heat.

[93GMCSierra]

More importantly why would you want to?
without the extra air from the turbo you lose alot of power.

[Kmehr]

the idea of being able to dump a cloud of black smoke at the flip of a switch seemed to him like it would be a cool rebuttal to road rage, and I kind of thought being able to dump smoke would be neat, but from what i am hearing it does not sound like a good idea...

[rapidoxidationman]

On the other hand you'd be upholding one of the reasons why Americans are seemingly dead set against accepting diesels for everyday economical driving....

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

The ability to dump black smoke on tailgaters is a nice option...
but as he said, there is this stereotype

[N9Phil]

Kmehr said:
the idea of being able to dump a cloud of black smoke at the flip of a switch seemed to him like it would be a cool rebuttal to road rage, and I kind of thought being able to dump smoke would be neat, but from what I am hearing it does not sound like a good idea...

Back when I had my 88 6.2 Suburban I ran into a problem where if I backed off the pedal for a while and then I would punch it I would leave a cloud of black smoke the size if the Suburban. We were cruising home one day running about 70 and there was a young girl that was on my bumper for a few miles. I told my wife to watch this. I backed off the throttle and when I saw the smoke start to build up on the tail pipes I punched it. Needles to say that young girl backed off and never came within a couple of blocks for the rest of the trip.

After much frustration trying to solve the problem, I finally took the car to a diesel mechanic and he ended up resetting the timing and tightening all of the vacuum lines and that solved the problem. I must admit it was a good feeling to not have anyone riding my bumper.


Phil

[Kmehr]

Thats what I am thinking, it would just be cool. Plus the black smoke coming from my pipe would smell like fried mushrooms and still be cleaner than the prius I was dumping on........ but you are right, I would like to promote diesels in the U.S., I'm dying to drive that new BMW 335d siesel with 265hp and 438 lb/ft! So what is the consensus, too dangerous to the engine?

[93GMCSierra]

For very short periods, I do not think it would be a problem, though your better off having turbo boost, and EGT gauges that way you can monitor the temp and know how its affecting it.

[a5150nut]

Why use smoke? I find washing my windshield provides the same results. Pi$$ on em!:rolleyes:

[w6bauer]

should get some aircraft landing lights mounted on the back and blind em if theyre too close at night

[DennisG01]

ThaSo what is the consensus, too dangerous to the engine?

If you're just doing it for those short periods, you'll be absolutely fine.

[Robyn]

My personal feeling is that if you are trying to use this just to basically "Flip off" a Taigater its a waste of time.

In practice, doing this for a few seconds wont hurt anything other than waste fuel.

Any person who is showing signs of road rage is not to be messed with.
The simple act of tossing a cloud of smoke in his face can further enrage him.
At this point does he toss a bear bottle out the window or pull a gun and start shooting.

People who become so out of control when behind the wheel that they start this sort of behavior are not a good reason to modify ones vehicle to try and "Show Them"

My advice is leave the rig the way it came from the factory and ignore the idiot with the attitude issues.

Best

Robyn

[Mark Rinker]

I'd rather see teenagers/20-somethings making clouds of black smoke than jeans hanging off their butts...:p And yes, I have filled the passenger compartment of a ground scraping rice-burner attempting race me, with stinky diesel fumes...in my 40s. But, they were willing participants to that street game, and not 'road ragers' or innocent bystanders...

[Robyn]

Mark

Im looking at 60 very soon here and still love a little street gaming :D

I agree about the "willing participants" and the innocent bystanders :eek: that definately wont be amused.

Guess that means Im not geting Old eh?? still a kid at heart.
I would love to go Snowmobiling again and do all those sorts of things but the mind is willing bu the body says "Up yours" Ah well

Best

Robyn

[a5150nut]

I've got an 82 year old uncle who just got a new (last year) Mustang GT. When he went to pick it out the salesman questioned him as to his ability to handle the car. His reply "I might be 82, but I'm still a teen ager. Just love the look on those kids faces when I smoke them off the ligkt!". Last I talked to him he was checking into adding the supercharger package from the Harley eddition F150. When I was a lot younger he had th nicest Henry J with a HOT 327 in it.

[Robyn]

Yup
Just cause there is snow on the roof don't mean there ain't a fire in the furnace :D

Robyn

[Kmehr]

I think I am going to spend some christmas money on EGT and Boost gauges, and exhaust, then I will give it another thought. Thanks for all the comments...

Ps, Just got back from Italy, man do they have some cool little diesels over there! mybe we can get a few state side in the near future if i don't smoke up the streets!