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A healthy engine operates without emitting excess soot. Less air in combustion chambers favors black soot formation. However, Soot emission in the exhaust also signals Incomplete combustion of fuel, Issues with oxygen supply, friction-induced carbon settlements in the engine, faulty valve timing, adverse weather conditions, faulty air filter or fuel injectors.
Soot formation is more common in diesel-powered cars. If you own a diesel-powered car or vehicle, this guide will help you minimize soot emissions. This works for gasoline engines, too, with few modifications.
You can schedule a thorough inspection to find and rectify the root cause. This guide provides all possible causes with a clear troubleshooting, diagnostic, and fix to make your car soot-free.
Why Do Cars Emit Soot or Black Smoke?
Soot is a carbon pollutant, posing environmental and human health risks. It forms when a high quantity of fuel is burnt in the absence of sufficient oxygen; sometimes, soot also forms because of lubricant burning in the engine. In heavy-duty engines, frequent engine idling or lugging the engine promotes soot production.
If your car emits soot, this may indicate a number of issues. While soot formation is not a sign of a big problem in your car, over build up of soot in the engine and exhaust manifold affect the efficiency of the engine. It can be bad for the environment and your wallet, as your car starts using more fuel.
Impact of Excess Soot Formation in Your Car
- Excess soot deposits in the exhaust system can damage components like catalytic converters.
- Almost all engines produce some amount of soot, which does not affect the engine in a big way. It becomes a problem when excess soot starts to mix with engine oil. This increases the viscosity of the oil, creating a condition where the engine needs excess power to run. This increases the wear and tear of valves and seals. The overall efficiency of the engine is reduced. Excess soot can turn into sludge, leading to engine failure.
- An engine infected with soot will have problems operating in cold weather, as sludge makes it hard for the lube oil to reach other parts.
- Prolonged exposure to soot pollutants increases the risk of coronary artery diseases among humans.
- Decreased engine efficiency and high fuel consumption
- Accelerated wear and tear of fuel and exhaust system
- Excess soot clogs the catalytic converter, reducing its ability to clean exhaust emissions. This harms the engine.
Bad Air Fuel Mixture Is a Common Cause of Soot
Incomplete burning of lean fuel (low fuel-high air) leads to the formation of NOx. Incomplete burning of rich fuel (high fuel-low air) produces soot. Both conditions are bad for engine health and can trigger events of malfunctions in other components.
You can check the car’s manufacturer’s guidelines to check the quality of the Air Fuel Mixture. If the mixture is not within the optimal level, begin inspecting Oxygen Sensors, Fuel pressure Sensors, Mass Airflow Sensor (MAS), and Fuel Injectors. If sensors are faulty or outdated, consider replacing them.
Let’s look at the possible reasons why your car’s engine is producing black soot. As diesel and petrol engines differ in their combustion process, this guide clearly lists the possible errors in both engines.
Causes Behind Soot Formation in Petrol (Gasoline) Cars
1) Clogged Air Filter Promotes Soot Production
The Air Fuel mixture in a Petrol Engine at a 14:1 ratio is ideal for the engine’s combustion process. The air filter makes sure the ratio remains at an ideal level. Clean air is crucial for achieving complete combustion in the engine.
Air Filter purifies the air that flows in your car’s engine. It removes impurities and prevents contamination from entering the engine. By providing a steady and clean airflow, the Air filter ensures the engine receives the optimum air-to-fuel ratio for efficient burning.
A clogged or dirty air filter can lead to increased soot production. If an air filter is clogged, it will not allow sufficient airflow, leading to an imbalanced air-fuel mixture called “rich fuel .”Under such circumstances, the quantity of fuel is more than the air; the combustion occurs in the presence of high fuel and low air (oxidation).
Because of the depleted oxygen level (low air), the combustion process never reaches its peak. Some fuel molecules don’t burn completely or partially burn, forming carbon (C) particles, known as soot. This soot finds its way out of your car’s engine through the exhaust, indicating partial burning of fuel.
How to Unclog Air Filter
- Optimum filtration is the key to a healthy engine; make sure to change the air filter periodically. You can visually inspect the Air filter; it is located in the air filter housing or air cleaner assembly. If you find a mild level of clogging, clean it with a blower.
- Keep in mind that most air filter housings are sensitive; it can get damaged if the blower intensity is high. In case of heavy clogging, consider replacing it with a new one.
- Inspect and clean the air filter regularly to ensure proper airflow.
2) Spark Plug Fouling Can Trigger Soot Production in Petrol Engine
Spark plugs become fouled due to unburned fuel and carbon deposits. They get covered with layers of carbon deposits. Such spark plugs do not function properly. As a result, they emit weak sparks during combustion.
An untimely or weak spark during the combustion process leads to partial combustion of fuel molecules. As a result, soot forms out of the unburnt fuel molecules. In extreme cases, fouling can cause knocking that can damage the engine.
Apart from carbon deposits, oil leakage is a common cause of spark plug fouling. It is important to have a comprehensive inspection of all the components to neutralize the fouling.
How to Read the Spark Plug Condition
The physical state of your car’s spark tells a lot about the engine.
- A worn electrode but not in excess should not worry you.
- A dry and black plug points rich fuel air mixture
- A clean and spotless plug is a sign of coolant leaking into the cylinder
- If you find sandy deposits in the valves, it is a sign of faulty valve seals.
- A Wet and Oily Plug implies oil leakage from the cylinder bottom.
If you find your car’s spark plug similar to “A dry and black plug points rich fuel-air mixture,” you should consider troubleshooting the Air-Fuel mixture ratio. This fuel ratio condition promotes soot production.
How to Fix a Fouling Spark Plug
- You can inspect the Spark Plug by carefully removing it using the spark plug socket wrench. Look for signs of wear and carbon deposits. There shouldn’t be a wet or oily build up, which may indicate an oil leak from the engine lube.
- Check the spark plug gap using a gauge and compare it with your car’s manual for the right specification. If the electrodes are round and eroded, it implies a faulty spark plug. Replace it with a new one based on your car manual recommendation.
3) Faulty Fuel Injector Can Trigger Soot Production
Fuel injectors spray fuel into the combustion chambers. It converts the fuel into a fine mist for optimum combustion. A faulty Fuel Injector ends up injecting more fuel than required, causing rich fuel mixture combustion in the engine. This increases the soot production.
A clogged Fuel injector will not be able to deliver enough fuel, leading to a lean fuel mixture. This creates incomplete combustion in the chamber, leading to the production of soot. A damaged fuel injector may not atomize the fuel properly, causing incomplete combustion and soot production.
How to Fix a Faulty Fuel Injector
- Try using a Fuel injector cleaner that can relieve low levels of clogging. The cleaner is mixed with the fuel and passes through the fuel system and injectors. It removes and dissolves the impurities accumulated in the pores of the injectors.
- The injectors may need further calibration in case the problem persists. Severely malfunctioning fuel injectors should be replaced.
4) Malfunctioning Oxygen Sensor Can Trigger Soot Production
Oxygen or O2 sensors are located in the exhaust system, and they measure the presence of oxygen in the exhaust gas. A malfunctioning sensor can signal a high presence of oxygen, which triggers the car’s ECM (Engine Control Module) to allow more oxygen in the engine. This can increase the soot production. A faulty Oxygen Sensor can misguide the car’s ECM about the air-fuel mixture.
How to Fix a Faulty Oxygen Sensor
- Check the Electrical system and wire connections to the Oxygen sensor. Damaged wire can send bad signals. You can use an OBD-II scanner to read the error codes for faulty oxygen sensors. The error code will help us understand the nature of the problem and remedy it. If replacement is the only option, don’t forget to clear the error codes stored in the ECM. This will help the ECM to calibrate itself.
Causes Behind Soot Formation in Diesel Cars
1) A Clogged Air Filter Emits Soot
Diesel car engines have a high chance of producing soot since, unlike petrol engines, diesel engines don’t use a spark plug to begin the combustion process. It relies on the compression power of the piston to compress the air-fuel mixture. When compressed, the temperature inside the combustion chamber increases, and fuel molecules burn.
For a diesel engine, getting the optimum level of air-fuel ratio is important. Air filters must be in good condition to provide the optimal flow of air. Any clogging will cut the flow of air, leading to a rich fuel state, which favors excess soot production.
Signs Of A Clogged Diesel Engine Air Filter
- Less Acceleration and Power
- Engine Misfires
- Bad Fuel Efficiency
- Increase Exhaust Smoke
How to Unclog Diesel Engine Air Filter
- Inspect the level of clog. Use a blower to clean impurities. You can do it properly by blowing the air from the clean side to the clogged side. Secure the housing cover and place it firmly. Make sure the housing is not susceptible to vibration. If the filter is severely clogged or damaged, consider replacing it.
2) A Clogged Diesel Particulate (Dsp) Increases Soot Production
A clogged diesel particle filter favors conditions for soot production. This is located after the catalytic converter; it collects contaminants exiting out of the engine. It then burns the contaminant during the regeneration phase as the engine becomes hot. It is important to maintain its features and avoid it getting clogged.
DSP clogging happens in cars used only for short trips. Since the engine never reaches the extreme heat, the contaminants in the filter remain unburnt. As a result, the filter gets clogged.
Signs Of A Clogged Diesel Particulate (DSP)
- Repeated and Longer Regeneration Attempts
- Low on Engine Performance
- Increased Exhaust Emission
How to Fix a Clogged Diesel Particulate (DSP)
- You can use an OBD-II scanner to read the error code. This helps to understand the severity of the problem and possible fixes for it.
- Start the forced regeneration process (not available on all diesel vehicles). The regeneration process burns off excess accumulated soot in the exhaust.
- Schedule a periodic, intense, long drive. This makes the exhaust system hot, burning accumulated soot in a natural way.
- Add special cleaning additives to the fuel; this helps break down soot and removes it.
3) Faulty Turbo Charger Can Trigger Soot Production
Turbo Chargers compress the incoming air to the engine. Doing so helps in providing enough air for the combustion process. The air-fuel mixture is in an optimum state because the turbocharging process increases the efficiency of the engine. A faulty turbocharge may block the flow of compressed air, alarming the ECM (Engine Control Module). The ECM, to compensate for the reduced air supply, increases the fuel injection to balance the air-fuel ratio. The rich fuel mixture gets converted to soot due to incomplete combustion.
Signs Of A Faulty Turbocharger
- Reduced engine power
- Increased exhaust smoke
- Rattling noises from turbo
- Burning oil odor from turbo
How to Fix a Faulty Turbocharger
- Conduct a diagnostic scan using an OBD-II scanner to read the error code. Refer to the error code for accurate diagnosis. Boost leaks can impair the turbo from performing efficiently. Check for leaks in hoses and intercooler connections.
- Inspect the air filter and check the airflow. A clogged turbo air filter will block the airflow, creating performance issues. Monitor the wastegate operation and make sure it operates in a timely. A bad wastegate leads to under-boost or over-boost conditions.
Conclusion
Soot can be avoided if the engine fueling system is well maintained, provided fuel injectors do not malfunction. It will be helpful if you have good knowledge of engine warning systems and onboard scanning systems (OBS-II). A well-calibrated engine electronics will operate efficiently.
