Exhaust soot on rear doors?

Joes05VC

'05 Vista Cruiser fun trk
I notice my rear doors have a layer of exhaust soot after about 2,000 miles since the last wash job. It becomes very noticible with a light rain as black spots appear all over the rear doors and sticks to my fingers when touching the rear doors. Is this normal?

What kind of soot build up have others seen accumulating on their rear doors?
The tail pipe interior is black with soot, does anyone have a clean tailpipe at 30,000+ miles on their Sprinter?
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
Looking at the post
OK My Sprinter 05 model now done 38 thousand K's about not far off 20 thousand miles
Interior of the exhaust pipe is a charcoal Grey [Dry powder form in looks]
Out side of the exhaust pipe same shade graduates up the outside pipe about 1/4 of an inch at Max. same texture no extended ridge from carbon build up.

The Carbon soot is dry and very smooth in texture, similar to graphite
It is not abrasive. to feel.
If the soot is sharp and it can cut your fingers if it's severe, it will also have an oily sticky texture, half way between dry and wet.
Under the exhausts surrounding areas, there should be very little smoke or soot evidence, the most that would be visibly noticeable will be on the side of the draw bar, it will have a candle like flair in appearance, but also very little build up of carbon soot. More of a distinct shadow line, but an evidence of light soot will be there.
Back door fumes can accumulate after a two thousand mile trip, or if allowed to build over a period of one to two weeks, If you have evidence of clear black ink like spots that are sticky to touch, then this is the high sulfur content of carbon crystalline particles that are unburnt from the engine Its fuel and oil related. same as LSD Fuels
The main exhaust collector in the states could be different as to the Euro ones, the length of the exhaust is two feet By 12' wide by 7' high, its huge, if you a smaller unit on the Dodge then this unit will release more particles into the rear exhaust pipe, that will end up on the rear doors, very noticeable if it has dust on it as well from a gravel road.
I took three pictures just on sunset they are out of focus, because I did not have the light to set the focus on micro zoom, but clear enough for an indication I can run up perfect shots tomorrow if you wanted a clear shot.
IF the tip of the exhaust has sharp and a some what sticky grease build up in a Crystal like formation on the out side of the exhaust, with the inner section of the exhaust pie that contains an indicator of dampness, then you have to change the oil and filters and look for a higher quality fuel ULSD and test it to see if it is actually ULSD fuel.
Richard
DSC00431 (Large).jpg

exhaust (Large).jpg

DSC00425 (Large).jpg
 

hkpierce

'02 140 Hi BlueBlk Pass
It may not be exhaust soot if it is oily. My old Ford van dropped transmission oil all the time, and small drops would get caught in the airflow and (I presume) eddy back onto the van's rear doors. Check for other sources of leaks, including the nasty oily discharge from the EGR.
 

BaywoodBill

pre-Yuppiedom
would get caught in the airflow and (I presume) eddy back onto the van's rear doors.
:cheers:
I think that's it, HK. There's so much soot, brake dust, and tire dust in the air on our highways and the eddy at the rear door is the perfect catalyst to have it all settle right there on the door.

Seek, you can't see it because your van is blue. :professor:

Before I retired I had an office on the 2-lane main drag in a small town and the front of my office was perhaps 15 feet back from the edge of the street. I was always astonished :thumbdown: at the quantity of this black stuff that accumulated on the windows and walls.
 

SprntrStkd

New member
I live close to the beach and there's fog and heavy marine layers passing through constantly. The moisture definetly collects all the paritcles (brake/diesel) a lot faster than in drier conditions.

Although it sounds like you may have a slight leak. I would re-check all oil pan lugs/nuts, especially if you've recently had it in for maintenance, you know those savy Sprinter Techies! Also look for any other leaks or wetness dripping down (of course). Sounds like you may have also some possible RV related stuff too (generator, fluid lines)....Good Luck!
 
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Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
Richard, what is it thats 2'x12'x7'? And where is it in your vehicle. :thinking:
Main exhaust just behind the drivers seat underneath the van of course,
Oval in shape two foot long 12' wide 7' high.
Year 05
Richard
look under the front door edges and sill the may be as equal dust as on the rear door, thats normal but look for excessive black ink spots, will be on the front wheel rims as well.
Richard
The rule of thumb is one black ink spot per 7' square, Honest there is a formula for what is acceptable and what is not. and it's based on a two thousand Kilometer trip 1200 miles or one month:smilewink:
Richard
 

BaywoodBill

pre-Yuppiedom
Main exhaust just behind the drivers seat underneath the van of course,
Oval in shape two foot long 12' wide 7' high.
Year 05

I am excessively dense I guess. It's that 7'h bit that has me by the neurons and won't let go. I look under my van and I see an (at least) 12' long exhaust system but I just don't find the 7' high or any room for such a dimension. How does that leave you any room for the van part?
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite

I am excessively dense I guess. It's that 7'h bit that has me by the neurons and won't let go. I look under my van and I see an (at least) 12' long exhaust system but I just don't find the 7' high or any room for such a dimension. How does that leave you any room for the van part?
Baywoodbill
You asked for this one:tongue: Dense = Dementia! Its a result of life time soot build up in the head that sits upon your shoulders, Don't be too concerned about this , it's part of the natural evolution of a permanent Senior moment in time.:lol:

Just joking:cheers:
I'll run a photo on it to night, from My Unit for you to visulize and see for your self. Its fits snug and cosy under the van all two foot long By a width of almost 12' wide I think and it's 7' in height with the rear end having an oval like shape. 'BIG BUGGER'
Thinking if you have a wee smaller unit, then this is the emission standard you have in the U.S for the year model but I'm sure you would have a simular unit:thinking:
IF 'Not'! then a smaller unit will have less back pressure and will RELEASE MORE SOOT AS A RESULT.
Richard
PS It's the same as this one on the 07 Sprinter after the DPF, only oval in shape.
Picture 115 (Large).jpg
 

hkpierce

'02 140 Hi BlueBlk Pass
Inches turn into feet as you move from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, and vis a versa. Isn't that what the HannaBarbara (sp) comics of the Tasmanian Devil taught us when we were growing up?
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
Inches turn into feet as you move from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, and vis a versa. Isn't that what the HannaBarbara (sp) comics of the Tasmanian Devil taught us when we were growing up?
When I was growing up between Canada, UK, and Australia I had to contend with both Metric, and imperial units and it was a pain in the :censored: Still it was fun counting with my fingers as to units of ten in a metric system , much better than those parts and fractions that never quite worked out,
One foot = 12'inches [Sort of the equivalent to half an average Banana.in length:lol: ] everything short of 12" is part of a short foot by a third 1.2.3.4 add the numbers 1234 together, you arrive at ten , in a metric conversion of units with imperial add the number 1X1 = 2 +10 =12 now we have that crazy foot back again, there are Laws of averages, if educated in both metric and imperial:tongue:

The Length of the exhaust from the front of the van to the rear of the van is 2 feet" or two foot = two American foot [Big Foot] two off one part short of the full yard... We have a language barrier of two tribes here.

Side elevation from East to West of the van is exactly 12 inches = One American foot [Little foot] add another two you get the three foot mark of one yard! Or Jake the Blake, 'the three legged man':wtf:

Top to bottom elevation , that is from the underneath of the vans metal upside down floor, facing Ground Earth, That is our planet that we reside upon, it's 7'' inches in height, Half a foot! and add an extra 1' =7''inches:D It's OK if your a rumplestiltskin or a Midgit you can cheat and use a ladder even! Hey, Hey I'm smarter than the average Bear.
I watch Hannna barbarbara too you know, afterall it was an Australian company:thumbup:

OK what have you got? I bet mines bigger than yours:popcorn:
Richard
 

BaywoodBill

pre-Yuppiedom
The Length of the exhaust from the front of the van to the rear of the van is 2 feet
Side elevation from East to West of the van is exactly 12 inches

Top to bottom elevation it's 7'' inches in height,

OK what have you got? I bet mines bigger than yours:popcorn:
Richard
Thanks for the clarification, Richard. I was just mystified to imagine where you could be putting a 7-foot-high exhaust system.

Here's a picture of what I have, albeit from a different perspective. It seems as if there may be more here than yours. :smilewink: I couldn't get the same perspective as you did because of the added-on step for the RV entrance. There are two cans before the long one. :tongue:
 

Attachments

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
Thats OK at least you have MB Markings on it , What isthe black stuuf on the side of van in the photo! Thinking Black mud to a big lump of soot:smilewink:
Richard
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
Baywoodbill said, that a tar-like coating undercoating the Leisure Folks sprayed on:rad:
Sure looks Like Tobys products from the big A, thats for sure:rad:
Richard
 

teamtexas

A Dad owner with a '03
Ok guys I'm going to revive an old thread. My tail pipe stop about 2' in front of the rear axle and has a slight turn downward. I'm concerned with the amount of fumes that my migrate into the van while in use. Where does yours end? Does it exit out in front of the rear wheel or at the back? How close to the edge of the van?


Dan:thinking:
 

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