Nasty exhaust discharge

[Big G]

So here is the issue I started the Princess' rolla early on Saturday morning let it warm up and usual down she came  jumped in and off to work she sped. After the car was out of the garage I noticed a nasty splattery stain on the floor and on the inside of the roller door and on the back wall of the garage from when she reverses in for a quick getaway. It doesn't seem to be oil but more like a moisture and soot mixture. I checked the water and oil levels on her return and all seemed in order. So any ideas of what this may be and how to remedy it would be greatly appreciated.

Edited July 24, 2017 by Big G
Forgot the image

[Banjo]

Hi Graeme,

                  Nothing unusual about that in old cars in cold weather, like we are experiencing her in S.E. Qld. at present.  I gather you are Buccan, near Chamber Fat etc.  (I live at Greenbank)  The last two mornings have been the coldest two mornings in the past 2 years. What happens I think, is that as the hot moist air inside the "exhaust system" cools overnight, after a run; that moisture condenses to water, & mixes & dissolves with the carbon in the exhaust system.  Start it up on a cold morning; give it a couple of short burst of revs to clear the cobwebs, and instead of cobwebs, you get a black sootie water vapour.

This is there all the time, but not in the initial volume you cop, when you first start your car, and blow it out.  With the car warm after a run, let it idle, and briefly hold a clean white rag over the end of the exhaust pipe & you'll see what I mean.  

Sounds like you better get your girl to open  the Rolladoor, before starting it up these mornings.

Look on the good side;  your girl could have backed the car into the garage, then you'd have a Gyprock wall speckled with black soot, which is not as easy to clean as a rolladoor !

P.S.  Glad to see I'm not the only one to lay old carpet on the garage floor.

Cheers Banjo.     

                  

Edited July 24, 2017 by Banjo

[Big G]

She does reverse it in for a fast exit when she starts early I'm hoping sugar soap will get it off the back wall of the garage. I was hoping it would be something like you have described and not some annoying carby issue. Thanks for your help.

[parrot]

Agree, I would reckon that's pretty standard

[peterd]

Mine does the same. I Googled it last year and it seemed pretty common with old cars. The consensus seemed to be not to worry about. The large puddle of ATF that mine left on the garage floor when I got home the other day concerns me more. 

[Banjo]

Hi Graeme,

                   I forgot to mention in my reply to your post, that the reason there is water or moisture in the exhaust system in the first place, is that water is a natural byproduct of the combustion process, that goes on inside the engine.

Cheers Banjo

[Big G]

So further into this issue is the soot build up in the exhaust pipe a symptom of running too rich coz while she runs well I wonder if the carby is set up perfectly or do we have to say good enough is good enough considering the age of these beauties.

[Banjo]

Hi Graeme,

                  Sooting up is pretty par for the course in older cars, as the rings wear, & a little more oil gets past the rings, onto the cylinder walls, & then gets burnt in the combustion process. Unless it was heavy, I wouldn't worry too much.  Having cut up a few old exhaust systems, you will find the soot always cogregates in the muffler at the back end of the exhaust system.  Up closer to the engine, where the exhaust pipe is much hotter, you will rarely find soot on the inside of the pipe.  As you get to the back end of the system, where it is a mite cooler, the soot gets cooler & slows up & gets trapped in the muffler.  Hence; blocked mufflers !

Cheers Banjo

[coln72]

Depends on driving type too.  Stop/go driving makes it worse. 

[ke70dave]

I park my 80s bmw reversed up against the wall at work. Theres a nice black spot on the wall from where the soot comes out when i start it at the end of the day.

Just old cars and old engines. My car is rich as hell when its stone cold, so that doesnt help either. 

 

 

[MrMasternes]

On 24.7.2017 at 11:26 AM, Banjo said:

Hi Graeme,

                  Nothing unusual about that in old cars in cold weather, like we are experiencing her in S.E. Qld. at present.  I gather you are Buccan, near Chamber Fat etc.  (I live at Greenbank)  The last two mornings have been the coldest two mornings in the past 2 years. What happens I think, is that as the hot moist air inside the "exhaust system" cools overnight, after a run; that moisture condenses to water, & mixes & dissolves with the carbon in the exhaust system.  Start it up on a cold morning; give it a couple of short burst of revs to clear the cobwebs, and instead of cobwebs, you get a black sootie water vapour.

This is there all the time, but not in the initial volume you cop, when you first start your car, and blow it out.  With the car warm after a run, let it idle, and briefly hold a clean white rag over the end of the exhaust pipe & you'll see what I mean.  

Sounds like you better get your girl to open  the Rolladoor, before starting it up these mornings.

Look on the good side;  your girl could have backed the car into the garage, then you'd have a Gyprock wall speckled with black soot, which is not as easy to clean as a rolladoor !

P.S.  Glad to see I'm not the only one to lay old carpet on the garage floor.

Cheers Banjo.     

                  

Since I live in the cold winter land up north I can confirm that this is the case with older cars! My rolla always spit a little bit when I start her up in the morning! :)

[Big G]

Well this is excellent news. I don't feel so alone now. We should start a support group for the owners of soot spittin rollas. Thanks for your input guys it is much appreciated.