Diesel soot

[Jaycolover]

Hello everyone! This question goes out to the diesel owners out there. Last weekend we pulled our 5er home in the rain, and when we got home and unpacked I looked at the side of the camper and it was covered in soot all the way to the back. Most of it I got off with Simple Green but some residue remains. Is there a safe chemical out there for gel coats and plastic that I can use? I've tried WD 40 and elbow grease and that's about it. Can I use petroleum products without damaging results? I hope straight gas out of the can isn't my only option. How about kerosene? Any input would be helpful. Thanks!

[Jagiven]

I do not have a diesel, but I have had really good luck using a product called “Spray Power”, by Crown. I buy it at Menards for $6.50/gal. I find it works best full strength. I transfer some to a spray bottle and spray it right on the TT or the TV where it needs a little extra strength to clean them, such as bugs, road grim, black streaks, etc. Then I wash as usual. It has removed everything that I have ever needed or wanted to wash off.

Best Luck

[thomasmnile]

I've always used Simple Green, but of late neglected washing the stuff off and have a permanently discolored bumper and bed panel. The definitive fix for me would have been to buy a 4" elbow to turn the exhaust downward.

[dlfeather]

I use a cleaner wax called superglaze from carbrite. It is a petroleum based product and cleans good and waxes at the same time. It is easybto apply and take off.

[clutch]

There is a concentrate similar to Simple Green. It is purple and will remove the oily soot. It is like Simple Green on steroids. It will remove the wax on what ever you use it on. I can't remember the name but it is found in most cleaning aisles.

[Jaycolover]

Thanks for the recommendations everyone!

[taviking22]

Not intending to hijack the thread but here goes:
As importantly to getting the soot off of the RV is finding the reason why your D/A is creating the soot. To my thinking excessive soot is created as a result of incomplete combustion. Is your DIC or CEL indicating any problem? Is your air filter overly dirty? My inquiring, diesel owning mind wants to know.

Thanks!

[Chakara]

I was kinda wondering the same thing taviking. While I'm not pulling a super heavy load for my truck, I've never had residue on the trailer.

-Chak

[thomasmnile]

Originally Posted by Chakara

I was kinda wondering the same thing taviking. While I'm not pulling a super heavy load for my truck, I've never had residue on the trailer.

-Chak

Not necessarily a problem. Driving for extended period at highway speed will result in soot accumulation on bumpers/bed panel above the exhaust. Exhaust looks "clean" but is not.

[taviking22]

Originally Posted by Chakara

I was kinda wondering the same thing taviking. While I'm not pulling a super heavy load for my truck, I've never had residue on the trailer.

-Chak

Same for me. I'm on my 2nd 5W towing with my '06 D/A and have never noticed any soot buildup anywhere.

Originally Posted by thomasmnile

Not necessarily a problem. Driving for extended period at highway speed will result in soot accumulation on bumpers/bed panel above the exhaust. Exhaust looks "clean" but is not.

If this were the case, then all of us who tow with a diesel at extended highway speeds would have soot accumulations on our RVs.

[mcfarmall]

If you have a tuner that might cause a rich condition also. I've known a few diesel owners that have tuners and they can "roll some coal" at the flip of a switch.

Also beware of using the Purple Power et al type cleaners...they will damage your graphics stickers and leave clean streaks on the fiberglass. I used some that was diluted 4:1 with water on the front of the 23B to remove bugs and now I have some really ugly streaks down the graphics.

[norty1]

I think it is called "Purple Power". It is to strong imo for washing rv's. It will dull the finish of many things.

[exjay1]

Just use a wet Magic Eraser or 2. All shouid be good.

[Jaycolover]

Most times excessive soot would indicate bad injectors, but there is no mechanical problem at all. I have a EDGE fuel tune that makes it smoke more. I like the extra power it gives me so, I'm keeping the tune and just going have to clean more or get a turndown!

[Chakara]

I guess to be fair, you should consider the year of the truck. I remember as a kid towing a boat to lake Powell in a brand new Chevy diesel pickup (likely in the early to mid 80's). Boat was coated in soot - as the kid I got to clean it!

Also, my folks have a 2010 Dodge and it runs MUCH cleaner than my 2005 Dodge. So I guess it depends.....

[dieselmann35]

Originally Posted by Jaycolover

Most times excessive soot would indicate bad injectors, but there is no mechanical problem at all. I have a EDGE fuel tune that makes it smoke more. I like the extra power it gives me so, I'm keeping the tune and just going have to clean more or get a turndown!

Get rid of your Edge and get EFI Live. I have it on my truck, I have a dial with 5 positions on it and each position is a different hp setting.
#1- optimized stock
#2- 20hp heavy tow tune
#3- 45hp light tow tune
#4- 85hp daily driving tune for good mpg
#5- 125hp street tune
Efi tunes will run much cleaner, many different parameters are changed by the guy who writes the tunes instead of the canned tuners like your edge that just add fuel which leads to the excessive soot.
When I get my tranny built I can call my tuner and he can write me new tunes to double all those numbers.

[dieselmann35]

Let me also add that my #2 & 3 tow tunes both have a turbine brake when using them.

[Jaycolover]

Originally Posted by dieselmann35

Get rid of your Edge and get EFI Live. I have it on my truck, I have a dial with 5 positions on it and each position is a different hp setting.
#1- optimized stock
#2- 20hp heavy tow tune
#3- 45hp light tow tune
#4- 85hp daily driving tune for good mpg
#5- 125hp street tune
Efi tunes will run much cleaner, many different parameters are changed by the guy who writes the tunes instead of the canned tuners like your edge that just add fuel which leads to the excessive soot.
When I get my tranny built I can call my tuner and he can write me new tunes to double all those numbers.

I'd like to get EFIlive when I have an extra 1000 dollars lying around! Also would like my trans built too, in a perfect world. Where did you go to have that done?

[dieselmann35]

Originally Posted by Jaycolover

I'd like to get EFIlive when I have an extra 1000 dollars lying around! Also would like my trans built too, in a perfect world. Where did you go to have that done?

Idaho Rob at Adrenaline Truck Performance (atptrucks.com). Talk to Dustin.

You don't have to buy the $1000 efi live program itself or however much it cost now. If you are close to a tuner you go to him and he can flash your ecm with the tunes for around $400 give or take depending on what tuner you go with. You can also mail them your ecm and they will install the tunes on there and then mail it back to you.

I myself bought an autocal. It had my tunes on it and then I plugged it into my truck and then installed the tunes that way and installed my switch myself. I bought this autocal because if I want some of my tunes changed, all the tuner has to do is email me the file, i install it on the autocal and then plug the autocal into my truck. You can do many other things with the autocal like data logging, checking balance rates. I paid $650 for it with the 5 tunes and the switch.

If you want you can go to duramaxforum.com and read all kinds of stuff on guys who have efi because I am no expert on this subject. Learned a lot of stuff about my truck on this forum from some duramax genius's and save lots of money on repairs doing it myself.