How Concerned Should I Be?

[Paul M]

I'm noticing small spots of soot coming from the exhaust on start up. Its fine after a drive and when at idle.
Is this a concern and if so how much of a one?

[thenick]

Nope not a concern... the black carbon that coats the inside of your exhaust gets wet with condensation over night which turns into black sooty water. When you start up, this is blown out the back until it dries off. Seems to get much worse after a full decat and I now have two black streaks behind the space in which the car is parked - although it is probably running a little rich at idle at the moment!

[jdharris]

They have a special "soot board" at Fernies that the owner makes them put behind the cars when they start them in the back showroom. Aparently he's sick of having to redecorate!!! Hehehe.

[Al 450]

It's great to 'discourage' people in normal cars from parking behind.

Wish I could afford a Cerbera for flames as well as soot!

[bigdods]

Umm... count yourself lucky ! I live at the bottom of a small hill in a close, so the cold damp air collects in front of the house where the chim sits. I usually get a litre or two of water out if shes been sat for a week or more. The otehr day I started after not using for 3 weeks and I got this burbling noise with the exhaust coming out in spurts. Gave it some beans and managed to get two jets of water shoot across the drive for about 5 feet!

[Paul M]

(Breathes sigh of relief) Thanks guys

I think I am going to need one of those soot boards because before long the wife is going to look in the garage and give me a right rollicking - soot marks over the inside of the garage door and some on the fridge freezer The deposits on the concrete garage floor are not a problem as they just wash off but the others - they wash off but leave permanent staining!

I can see it happening one day - Unsuspecting person walks behind car, I start it up and ....

[thenick]

Ah it's all fine, I just call it my carbon footprint! It does mean you have to be careful walking behind the beast on tickover though - I had my legs covered in the stuff in summer when standing behind the car talking to a friend.. doh!

[Paul M]

thenick said:

Ah it's all fine, I just call it my carbon footprint! It does mean you have to be careful walking behind the beast on tickover though - I had my legs covered in the stuff in summer when standing behind the car talking to a friend.. doh!

Yep I'll probably do it when wearing light coloured trousers!