Back end of Motorhome Covered with Soot

[RoadRohrers]

This is a continuation, sort of, of my earlier post of the engine running rich. After a useless trip to Ford garage, I still have the problem. The end of the coach is covered with a fine black soot and the tail pipe is likewise very sooty.

In talking with a tech at Banks Power, he said this is relative new thing with Ford chassis since 2007 but Banks has seen it on a lot of newer Ford chassis. More fuel was added to the fuel mapping to insure not to damage valves or other internals by running too lean. Makes a certain amount of sense from engine protection, not from efficiency, fuel effectiveness or environmental standpoints.

Is anyone else experiencing this? I am waiting for a call from a tech at Ford Motorhome Assistance Center.

Unfortunately my engine is not throwing any codes. Just gets worse than bad fuel mileage and leaves the back of the motorhome and toad sooty.

Thanks. At least feel better telling someone. Ugh!

[tderonne]

Do you have a ScanGage? I forget...

Under normal conditions, you ought to be running closed loop. "Rich" and "lean" really have no meaning when you're closed loop. I often say "closed loop is closed loop".

I'd be curious to verify that you are running closed loop down the freeway. I know I do. It takes pretty heavy foot (up a hill or something) to get it to drop into open loop (where it will go rich to help make power and/or keep the cat cool).

I'd also be curious what your adaptive fuel table looks like. Closed loop is closed loop, but the adaptive will tell you if it's making a big correction from where it should nominally be. I forget if you can pull up the adaptive stuff using a programmed X-gauge or not.

Bummer you're in Texas...

[tderonne]

Opps hit quote instead of edit, and I don't think we can delete stuff anymore...

[Route 66]

You can edit or delete up to 1 hour after posting.

[tderonne]

I could edit it, I don't see a delete option anymore?

[Route 66]

When you click the edit button, a new window opens containing your post to be edited.

In the new window next to the "Post Now" button is the "Delete Message?" button.

[jt's family time]

Hey Derk, I don't get it... Why am I getting all these e-mails from you? I made a complaint and you were watching this store and disagreed with me and said I "flamed you ". Then you warn me about it " If it happens again"what will happen.Ok that's in the past. So tell me why I'm getting all this mail. At first it was freakin me out because you talking about being sick and all..... And I am sick with lung disease. At any rate... Take care, No hard feelings here. jt.

[RoadRohrers]

Thanks Tim,

I do not have a Scan Guage, though I did borrow my friend's for a short trip. The scan gauge did not show any engine codes. I wasn't/aren't smart enough to know about open and closed loops or to monitor them. The adaptive tables must be what Banks talks about when using the Ottominder programmer.

You're right about taking a lot of foot in the throttle for hills and such.

Thanks for the info. Ford tech is suppose to call today. This gives me a little more info.

Will advise if and when I have a breakthrough moment on this issue.

PS: Was around Beverly Hills, Florida but came home early as the weather, for florida, was awful. Home five days, ready to hit road again.

[ljr869]

The exhaust (Ford V10 w/ Banks) on my 2009 Fleetwood Bounder 35H exits on the right side of the coach. I also have noticed "soot" on the back of the coach but I believe it's more road grime than combustion particles seeing as though it's evenly distributed across the entire rear cap. If it was soot, I believe the right rear side of he coach would be effected too.

[RoadRohrers]

You would think. However, the vortices which form as the vehicle goes through air, "rolls" back against rear of the motorhome. This is actually an area of negative pressure. You can tell the difference between road grime and soot by running your finger across. The soot is definitely black. The inside of the tailpipe and perhaps a little of the rear edge will also be black.

Anyway, hope yours is fine.

Question for you: How was the performance of your engine before and after you installed the Banks system?