Newbie with black smoke

[Wik837]

I got the truck the truck from a friend of mine that put the egr system back on it but could never get it working right ( I know why now), it was puffing black smoke from 3/4 to full throttle. I was in a pinch and got the truck first thing I did was cut the cat off and it was plugged just about solid. After driving it a week or two the smoke cleared up.the check engine light has been on in the truck since he owned it so I was redoing the gaskets to see if I could clear up the ses light and here I am

[PrivatePilot]

So...stepping back to the boost issue - do you have a boost gauge installed?

I think confirming if you have proper boost levels would be the next diagnostic thing to do. Again, if it was smoking before you did the job, and smoking after..something, somewhere is still wrong, and I keep coming back to lack of boost in my head.

[Wik837]

No boost gauge installed I'll get one this week, if it is low how do you adjust it being an all mechanical system?

[PrivatePilot]

There are a few things that can make the turbo unable to build proper boost levels, even if the wastegate system is working properly...but it could be a frustrating wild goose chase trying to narrow down the problem until you confirm you actually have one.

If you find out that you have proper boost then we need to concentrate elsewhere, but if you hookup a boost gauge and find out that at WOT you're only making a few PSI, you've found your problem - the next key is finding out WHERE the boost is going, or why it's not building.

[Wik837]

Ok Ty for all your help, will report back in a few days

[PrivatePilot]

Looking forward to hearing the results.

[FloridaHorseman]

Originally Posted by Wik837

...After driving it a week or two the smoke cleared up.the check engine light has been on in the truck since he owned it so I was redoing the gaskets to see if I could clear up the ses light and here I am

The SES light ON means there's an active DTC stored in the computer. Did you take it anywhere to have the code(s) read? That would be instrumental in diagnosing the problem and much cheaper than just changing things to see what happens.

Just throwing this out there... somebody purposely replaced the manifold gaskets from VIN S to VIN F to block off the EGR system for a reason. You say your friend "put the EGR system back on it". Did he actually get new EGR solenoids, vacuum lines, EGR valve and MAP sensor or did he just re-connect what was already there? That's important to know because now you have the proper VIN S gaskets and a problem with black smoke.

If he just re-connected the existing EGR system my GUESS would be the EGR valve is bad or stuck. It's a pricey little dude and the cheapest way around having to buy a new one or do the EGR valve block-off mod is just cap off the EGR valve vacuum port and replace the gaskets with a VIN F set. But that's just a possible scenario running through my mind based upon the result of your gasket change and without knowing what DTC is on the computer. ~FH

[nh484000]

Read the thread below. Does it run fine when cold?

Intermittent Black Smoke P0101 Code

[Wik837]

I have a scanner, it's always had p101 p400 and p1406. So when I changed the gaskets and saw they had the blockers on the old ones I cleared the codes and am currently waiting patiently for the light to come back on. Also I just cracked the line going to the wastegate to the solenoid rechecking all the vac lines how do I replace this?

[Wik837]

Also it was reconnected before he got it it's got new vacuum pump new egr and I replaced one of the egr solenoids because the code popped for it, I just don't know if the vacuum lines to the solenoids are routed correctly cause in the book I have compared to how it's routed in the truck it's backwards at the wastegate solenoid if that matters