Colour of Exhaust Tail Pipe - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

xr6wgn · 02-09-2003, 01:34

I've always thought that the better your engine is tuned, the inside of the exhaust tip has a mid to light grey deposit. Well mine at the moment is black.
It's making me think - well it is due for a tune (Wednesday actually) so maybe plugs and airfilter need to be replaced. Also, I've had a bigger exhaust fitted (but no extractors yet) - would the re-learn thing (disconnect the battery) help?

Any advice will be accepted with thanks.

Paul B
XR6WGN

Brent79 · 02-09-2003, 01:37

Hmmm, i was wondering this too... i looked at mine yesterday and it too is black. Doesnt blow any visible smoke and the sparkplugs are not oil soaked. Maybe mine is running rich too.

Brent

TopGhia · 02-09-2003, 01:46

Check the air filters!

LTDHO · 02-09-2003, 03:15

Only leaded is grey when the motor is set up right. Un-leaded will always be black.
A minor sevice will make a leaded car pipe go grey. Air/fuel, timing good air cleaner, etc.

xr6wgn · 02-09-2003, 03:48

Quote:

Originally posted by LTDHO
Only leaded is grey when the motor is set up right. Un-leaded will always be black.
A minor sevice will make a leaded car pipe go grey. Air/fuel, timing good air cleaner, etc.

I was actually wondering if it was an unleaded / leaded thing, my other car (XD ESP) always had a nice grey tailpipe after a long trip. I just assumed that unleaded was the same.

Cheers

Paul B
XR6WGN

Aaron_EF8 · 02-09-2003, 03:53

Quote:

Originally posted by LTDHO
Only leaded is grey when the motor is set up right. Un-leaded will always be black.
A minor sevice will make a leaded car pipe go grey. Air/fuel, timing good air cleaner, etc.

I think that all cars go black now, because the Super is LRP, not leaded now. I know this is the case with spark plug tuning, so I guess it's the same with the tailpipe

Rollin · 02-09-2003, 03:55

yes the grey is the lead in the petrol - no lead = no grey

BLWNEB · 02-09-2003, 04:50

Just get your car tuned, it will always be a black sute.

02-09-2003, 15:35

RIP leaded Fuel. Lead Free Super is Hi Octain Unleaded with some phosfate in it instead of lead. IMO leaded fuel is no worse than unleaded

damage181 · 02-09-2003, 16:18

A give away for EPA, is if your car is on unleaded and u don�t have a CAT and/or don�t have your EGR working is a brown exhaust.

Brown is normally Nitrates of oxides deposits, at the optimum fuel ratio Nox is at its highest level and without exhaust getting pumped back in to the intake or a CAT that can convert nox it will give a brown pipe not black.